Tag Archives: reclaimed soul
Reclaimed Soul host Ayana Contreras in conversation with Devin Mays of Rebuild Foundation about the legacy of Ebony Magazine, Jet Magazine, & Fashion Fair Cosmetics, as well as A Johnson Publishing Story (an exhibit at Stony Island Arts Bank).
For more the legacy of Ebony Magazine (and its parent company, Johnson Publishing Company), click here. For information about events at the Stony Island Arts Bank, visit rebuild-foundation.org/events/site/s…nd-arts-bank/
Reclaimed Soul airs Thursdays at 8pm with a rebroadcast on Sundays at 8am on Vocalo 91.1fm or stream live vocalo.org/player
Leave a comment | tags: Black Culture, Black History, Ebony, Ebony/Jet, Rebuild Foundation, reclaimed soul | posted in Arts & Culture, Chicago Cultural History, Events, Magazines, Printed Matters, the Goodness
A tribute to classic Chicago radio station WJPC (Ebony/Jet’s radio station) hosted by Reclaimed Soul host Ayana Contreras with former WJPC program director Richard Steele, an interview with Chicago disco/soul legend Linda Clifford (“Runaway Love”, “If My Friends Could See Me Now”).
We hear vintage WJPC audio including Richard Steele back in 1974 and Linda Clifford’s interview with Wali Muhammad from 1978. We also hear classic music and deep cuts from Ms. Clifford as well as her own story.
Below, Linda and Richard pictured in 2018 and in 1978, respectively.
Catch fresh installments of Reclaimed Soul Thursdays at 8pm and Sundays at 8am (CST) on vocalo.org/player or over the air on 91.1fm (CHI)
Leave a comment | tags: Ayana Contreras, chicago radio, Chicago Soul, curtis mayfield, Curtom, disco, Linda Cliiford, Music, reclaimed soul, Richard Steele, WJPC | posted in Local Chicago Music, Music, the Freshness
On my recent trip to Cuba, I learned a lot. But it was a bowl of okra in the hills of Baracoa that tied everything together.
Okra made the Trans-Atlantic journey on slave ships alongside human cargo. The fact that the fuzzy green seed-laden vegetable is eaten by black folk in the United States is a miracle. A vegetable umbilical cord.
But to see okra in Cuba was a metaphor for a very particular shared narrative. One of survival. One of connections. Okra, hambone, the clave, the percolator and much more tie Black Chicago to Cuba.
Catch fresh installments of Reclaimed Soul Thursdays at 8pm (CST) on vocalo.org or over the air on 91.1fm
Leave a comment | tags: Chicago, Clave, Cuba, Cuban Music, Hambone, Music, music history, reclaimed soul, Son Jarocho | posted in Arts & Culture, Chicago Cultural History, Commentary, Music, the Freshness, the Goodness
Reclaimed Soul’s Ayana Contreras spoke with Jazz vocalist Maggie Brown, daughter of Oscar Brown, Jr. Maggie is passionate about preserving the legacy of her father’s community-engaged artistry.
The Opportunity Please Knock Chorus (a creative collaboration between singer/writer/playwright Oscar Brown Jr. and the notorious Blackstone Rangers street gang) premiered 50 years ago. Mr. Brown stated in 1967, “They’re not too disillusioned to work hard-if they ever had and illusions at all. It is up to us to give them a better picture of reality.”
As we look for solutions to quell today’s violence in our communities and to get kids off the streets, this is a notable model of artist intervention from Chicago’s past.
This was recorded at a live event at Thalia Hall in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
click here for more on the Opportunity Please Knock Chorus.
Catch fresh installments of Reclaimed Soul Thursdays at 8pm (CST) on vocalo.org or over the air on 91.1fm
Leave a comment | tags: 1968, Black Theater, Blackstone Rangers, Chicago, maggie brown, Music, Oscar Brown, reclaimed soul | posted in Chicago Cultural History, Film and Television, Local Chicago Music, Music, the Goodness
Donny Hathaway was born in Chicago and raised in St. Louis. Early in his career, he returned to Chicago. During that time period, roughly from 1968 until about 1971, Donny was very prolific. In this hour of Reclaimed Soul, Ayana Contreras explores Donny Hathaway’s early work arranging and writing for other artists in Chicago: from Albertina Walker, Syl Johnson, and Curtis Mayfield, to The Five Stairsteps and Little Milton. We’ll also hear some of his classics, compositions, and some of his very first recordings.
For more on Donny’s career, check out the recently published book “Donny Hathaway Live” by Emily J. Lordi.
Catch fresh installments of Reclaimed Soul Thursdays at 8pm (CST) on vocalo.org or over the air on 91.1fm
Leave a comment | tags: Ayana Contreras, Chicago Music, Chicago Soul, Donny Hathaway, Emily J. Lordi, reclaimed soul | posted in Books, Local Chicago Music, Music, Printed Matters, the Freshness
“…Ayana Contreras’ “Reclaimed Soul”… better than anything else on radio in the city…” —Newcity
“Aw, Shucks…” –Ayana Contreras
Media activism is exactly the right phrase for what we aim to do. Jive on.
1 Comment | tags: Ayana Contreras, Newcity, radio, reclaimed soul, vocalo | posted in Arts & Culture, Jive Culture, the Goodness
Reclaimed Soul Host Ayana Contreras explores the thin line between the Gospel and Soul scenes in Chicago during the 1960s and 1970s, and plays cuts that dip into each genre. Featuring music by The Salem Travelers, Gospel Clouds, Brother Samuel Cheatam, The Independents, and much more.
Just to illustrate the ties that bind Chicago Soul and Gospel, Samuel Cheatam rose through the ranks of both the Tabernacle Church of Prayer Choir and the Mount Pleasant Choir before self-releasing his first solo work, a working of the classic “Troubles of the World” on the Cora label in 1969. His single was produced by none other than Chuck Bernard. Chuck Bernard was a Chicagoan by way of St. Louis. He was a hip, gritty soul singer, playing in clubs and recording in the late 60s on St, Laurence, Satellite, and Zodiac. Cheatam’s Bernard-produced 45 sold well enough, leading to a reissue by West Side Chicago-based label One Way Records. A subsequent 1977 album was called “Stranger In The City”. This give-and-take was very common in Chicago, despite the historical chasm between the secular world and the sacred.
For fresh episodes of Reclaimed Soul, listen in Thursdays at 8pm CST on vocalo.org, or tune in to 89.5fm (NW Indy) and 90.7fm (CHI)
1 Comment | tags: Ayana Contreras, Chess Records, Chicago, Chicago Gospel, chuck bernard, Gospel, reclaimed soul | posted in the Freshness
Chicago is known worldwide for its electrified Delta Blues. Chicago’s also known for its sweet Soul Music. And during the 1960s, those musical traditions combined at Four Brothers, a tiny record label based at a famous West Side Chicago record shop called Barney’s One-Stop. This podcast features some of the hip, soul-flavored blues from the Four Brothers label. Plus, we hear soulful blues from all corners of the city.
A bit about 4 Brothers:
The label existed from 1965 through 1967. Its sister label was Bright Star.
Willie Barney, Jack Daniels (A&R / Production), Granville White were the principal “brothers”. The fourth “brother” might have been Harold Burrage (or maybe someone with business interests that preferred not to be named dot-dot-dot.)
In the late 1960s, Jack Daniels, along with Johnny Moore (another 4 Brothers/Bright Star associated artist and writer) cut a number of hard hitting soul records. In fact, Jack Daniels co-wrote Tyrone Davis’ blockbuster soul record “Turn Back the Hands of Time”. Tyrone Davis had recorded for 4 Brothers under the name Tyrone the Wonder Boy.
For fresh episodes of Reclaimed Soul, listen in Thursdays at 8pm CST on vocalo.org, or tune in to 89.5fm (NW Indy) and 90.7fm (CHI)
Leave a comment | tags: 4 Brothers, Chicago Blues, Chicago Soul, Four Brothers, reclaimed soul, Tyrone Davis, vocalo, west side chicago | posted in Chicago Cultural History, Local Chicago Music, Music
This Sunday, a film screening called Black Radical Imagination will happen at the Black Cinema House in Chicago’s Woodlawn community. Black Radical Imagination stemmed from a series of discussions around the boundaries and limitations that are historically given to people of color. Specifically, in the film industry these restrictions are often digested and kept to propel a vicious cycle of negative identification. Black Radical Imagination invokes a futurist aesthetic where artists identify themselves and reclaim their own unique stories. Black Radical Imagination is curated by Erin Christovale and Amir George.
Sunday, May 19 at 6pm
Black Cinema House
6901 S. Dorchester Ave.
Seating is limited, so please RSVP by emailing blackcinemahouse@rebuild-foundation.org to reserve your seats.
Reclaimed Soul host Ayana Contreras interviewed one of the filmmakers, Christina De Middel (De Middel also took the stunning photo above).
In 1964, still living the dream of their recently gained independence, Zambia started a space program that would put the first African on the moon, catching up with the USA and the Soviet Union in the space race. That was the true story that inspired De Middel’s short film and photography series, both titled “Afronauts”.
We will hear their discussion on tonight’s episode of Reclaimed Soul, plus a pulsating rhythmic gumbo of futuristic African music from the 1970s & 1980s, and plenty of good old fashioned soul (all spun on wax).
Catch fresh installments of Reclaimed Soul Thursdays at 8pm (CST) on vocalo.org 89.5fm (NW Indy) and 90.7fm (CHI)
2 Comments | tags: afronauts, Chicago, Christina De Middel, Edward Makuka Nkoloso, reclaimed soul, United States, vocalo, Zambia | posted in the Freshness
Tonight is a Chicago soul music blowout on the Reclaimed Soul Radio Show! Host Ayana Contreras will play cuts from the catalogue of Brunswick Records. The label moved to 17th and Michigan on Chicago’s Record Row in the mid 1960s, and producer Carl Davis steered an all star cast of local talent.
We’ll hear music by Tyrone Davis, Jean Shy, Jackie Ross, The Lost Generation, The Chi-Lites, Freddie Hughes, Sidney Joe Qualls, Ginji James, Jackie Wilson, The Artistics, Gene Chandler, Marvin Smith, and loads more.
It’ll be a stone gas!
Reclaimed Soul airs Thursdays at 8pm-10pm (CST) on http://vocalo.org, or tune in on 90.7fm and 89.5fm.
Leave a comment | tags: Brunswick Records, Chicago Soul, reclaimed soul | posted in the Freshness
darkjive.com 
Reclaimed Soul: Cuba / Chicago Connections
On my recent trip to Cuba, I learned a lot. But it was a bowl of okra in the hills of Baracoa that tied everything together.
Okra made the Trans-Atlantic journey on slave ships alongside human cargo. The fact that the fuzzy green seed-laden vegetable is eaten by black folk in the United States is a miracle. A vegetable umbilical cord.
But to see okra in Cuba was a metaphor for a very particular shared narrative. One of survival. One of connections. Okra, hambone, the clave, the percolator and much more tie Black Chicago to Cuba.
Catch fresh installments of Reclaimed Soul Thursdays at 8pm (CST) on vocalo.org or over the air on 91.1fm
Leave a comment | tags: Chicago, Clave, Cuba, Cuban Music, Hambone, Music, music history, reclaimed soul, Son Jarocho | posted in Arts & Culture, Chicago Cultural History, Commentary, Music, the Freshness, the Goodness