Like Raphael Saadiq’s acclaimed 2008 album, The Way I See It—a downtown ode to the Motown-Stax-Philly International eras—his latest album due out May 10, Stone Rollin’, conjures up nostalgia, with dust-track roads and sock-hop, bluesy, British soul fusion. Saadiq keeps proving that he is a master of musical reinvention and one of the last pure musicians and great songwriters from the New Jack Swing era operating in commercial music.

“He’s not doing what he was doing—never mind when he first started out—he’s not doing what he was doing on his last album,” notes Gary Harris, industry veteran and musical director for the upcoming Tribe Called Quest documentary, Beats, Rhymes & Life.

Not everyone can rock out in homage to Solomon Burke with Mick Jagger and have the Grammy audience in a near raucous church stomp. In that artistic spirit, the multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and vocalist ushers in a new soul invasion with Stone Rollin’—invoking fresh-faced beach boys, church growlers, blues twanging, marching bands, old-school crooning, and legendary bass lines.

Saadiq sings vocals on every track and plays the clavinet, drums, bass, guitar, tambourines, and Mellotron throughout the album. Standouts include “Just Don’t Fall,” with vocals from Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano, Saadiq on the Mellotron evoking the Moody Blues, and a gorgeous piano and Minimoog extended solo from former Earth, Wind & Fire keyboardist Larry Dunn. “When you record with somebody, you figure they’re gonna edit it,” says Dunn. “He was like, ‘No, man, I’m just gonna let you go!’”

Saadiq says Dunn was one of his idols growing up in Oakland in a neighborhood where everybody played an instrument—the thugs, the holy-rollers, and club clappers. “I know all of his solos to the live records—the Gratitude album,” says Saadiq. “All his outfits, I know everything he wore.”

The admiration is mutual: “He reminds me of Maurice [White] back in the day when we were cutting some of the tracks,” says Dunn. “As far as production and arranging and vocals, he’s in a league with Stevie to me. If he had to, he could do every damn thing by himself. But he enjoys working with people with different flavors.”

The most enduring track is the second single, “Good Man,” a song about unrequited love, ghetto angst, and trying to do the right thing by your woman. The video features model Ya Ya Da Costa and actor Chad Coleman (Cutty from The Wire) in a complicated romance where Coleman, barely making ends meet, has a beautiful woman who is prostituting herself for cash. No stranger to good men who have become victims of their circumstances, three of Saadiq’s brothers died tragically, one by an overdose, another by murder, and another committed suicide. His sister died in a car accident. He has tattoos in memoriam to each of them.

In “Good Man,” the hook hovers over melancholy trumpets buoyed by witty lyricism from journalist-turned-rapper/vocalist Taura Stinson: “I’m a good man/Food on the table, working two jobs, ready, willing and able. Check./Good man. Love having fun. Got no kids and I love the Lord. Check./ Good man, I’m monogamous/Never did time….well maybe just once.”

Among the album’s most infectious cuts are: “Go to Hell,” full of reverb with a mix of plaintive moaning, a gospel choir, and muted violins; the tambourine-stomping “Moving Down the Line”; and the Muddy Waters–inspired, harmonica-squeezing, rockabilly title track, “Stone Rollin’.”

Like everything he touches, Saadiq, weaves this album into a gold patchwork quilt of music from nearly every genre and every generation. There are no throwaways on this album. Despite the nostalgic feel of Stone Rollin’, his now trademark David Ruffin–style glasses, and sometimes skinny ties and plaid pants, Saadiq cringes at any “retro” labeling. After all, he’s just making music, he says, as he quotes a soul king: “Like Isaac Hayes says, there’s no such thing as old school. Either you went to school, or you didn’t.”

For the rest of this interview, go to:

http://www.waxpoetics.com...th-raphael

people must not like him here since he doesn't make radio friendly R&B music anymore

I still love this dude and his music! I do think he needs to get back to "him" because the retro thing is getting watered down, but I have no problem with his music really.

I've been listening to Sons Of Soul & House Of Music back to back lately and I have to admit, where Ray lacked in his lyrics nowadays, he sure compensated in his music.

well, I can appreciate him after watchin him on Tavis Smiley recently

seems like he is just having fun doing what he is doing and not fitting into any type of format

reaching out to a wider audience by playing festivals, etc.

he is great

probably my favorite male vocalist next to Bono and Roland Orzabal

check out the songs he did right here http://www.pbs.org/wnet/t...el-saadiq/

[Edited 5/12/11 16:36pm]

Harlepolis said:

I've been listening to Sons Of Soul & House Of Music back to back lately and I have to admit, where Ray lacked in his lyrics nowadays, he sure compensated in his music.

I agree! Ray is certainly not breaking ground in the soul music realm as he did back when he was with TTT, doing records as relevatory as House of Music, Sons of Soul, and even Instant Vintage as a solo artist. But as of now, this man is still producing great music and he's staying true to the musicianship of his past glories. Yes, the whole retro thing is becoming an overbearance for his artistry, but I gotta respect his musical effort.

silverchild said:

Harlepolis said:

I've been listening to Sons Of Soul & House Of Music back to back lately and I have to admit, where Ray lacked in his lyrics nowadays, he sure compensated in his music.

I agree! Ray is certainly not breaking ground in the soul music realm as he did back when he was with TTT, doing records as relevatory as House of Music, Sons of Soul, and even Instant Vintage as a solo artist. But as of now, this man is still producing great music and he's staying true to the musicianship of his past glories. Yes, the whole retro thing is becoming an overbearance for his artistry, but I gotta respect his musical effort.

I won't dwell on this retro bag he's on too much, because 1) The brother has already established himself to be versatile, so cool, we still got a variety of stuff to go back to(not only his solo/TTT stuff, but the stuff he produced for other people which IMO are terrific) and 2) He's easily bored this won't be for too long, he'll soon jump on another style.

I have no complaints about him, but I do wish he would invest just a lil' time into his lyrics. Other than that, he's giving me what many nowadays have failed to and thats gravy & rice from my end.

[Edited 5/12/11 17:14pm]

Harlepolis said:

silverchild said:

I agree! Ray is certainly not breaking ground in the soul music realm as he did back when he was with TTT, doing records as relevatory as House of Music, Sons of Soul, and even Instant Vintage as a solo artist. But as of now, this man is still producing great music and he's staying true to the musicianship of his past glories. Yes, the whole retro thing is becoming an overbearance for his artistry, but I gotta respect his musical effort.

I won't dwell on this retro bag he's on too much, because 1) The brother has already established himself to be versatile, so cool, we still got a variety of stuff to go back to(not only his solo/TTT stuff, but the stuff he produced for other people which IMO are terrific) and 2) He's easily bored this won't be for too long, he'll soon jump on another style.

I have no complaints about him, but I do wish he would invest just a lil' time into his lyrics. Other than that, he's giving me what many nowadays have failed to and thats gravy & rice from my end.

True! As of his music now, his stuff is a bit of a mixed bag lyrically. I actually appreciate his new album, Stone Rollin' more than the last album, The Way I See It because it actually shows his versatility. He doesn't have to just be a Motown soul man, he can rock out too. I haven't heard that since the releases of Instant Vintage and Ray Ray. No matter how much mainstream attention he gets, he never really water downs his style to the point he's putting on a front. Whether it's his stuff with TTT, Lucy Pearl; his solo stuff and collaborations/production work, he has always kept it genuine and fresh. Even when it seems like he is jocking styles and sounds from the past, you have to admire his musicianship and effort of creating great music.

silverchild said:

Harlepolis said:

I won't dwell on this retro bag he's on too much, because 1) The brother has already established himself to be versatile, so cool, we still got a variety of stuff to go back to(not only his solo/TTT stuff, but the stuff he produced for other people which IMO are terrific) and 2) He's easily bored this won't be for too long, he'll soon jump on another style.

I have no complaints about him, but I do wish he would invest just a lil' time into his lyrics. Other than that, he's giving me what many nowadays have failed to and thats gravy & rice from my end.

True! As of his music now, his stuff is a bit of a mixed bag lyrically. I actually appreciate his new album, Stone Rollin' more than the last album, The Way I See It because it actually shows his versatility. He doesn't have to just be a Motown soul man, he can rock out too. I haven't heard that since the releases of Instant Vintage and Ray Ray. No matter how much mainstream attention he gets, he never really water downs his style to the point he's putting on a front. Whether it's his stuff with TTT, Lucy Pearl; his solo stuff and collaborations/production work, he has always kept it genuine and fresh. Even when it seems like he is jocking styles and sounds from the past, you have to admire his musicianship and effort of creating great music.

Well said..

love saadiq but this new project is so not radio friendly. besides Good Man, this is a very blues project.

getxxxx said:

love saadiq but this new project is so not radio friendly. besides Good Man, this is a very blues project.

I concur. It's definitely not as contemporary as The Way I See It because he's not jocking the Motown, 60s soul image and sound now, which he nailed excellently. I respect and enjoy Stone Rollin' more because it is versatile and more earthy. I don't see too much of this getting radio play.

I'm a fan of Saddiq but I'm not loving this 1960's sound at all. Get back 2 the 21st Century.

P L E A S E.

Harlepolis said:

silverchild said:

I agree! Ray is certainly not breaking ground in the soul music realm as he did back when he was with TTT, doing records as relevatory as House of Music, Sons of Soul, and even Instant Vintage as a solo artist. But as of now, this man is still producing great music and he's staying true to the musicianship of his past glories. Yes, the whole retro thing is becoming an overbearance for his artistry, but I gotta respect his musical effort.

I won't dwell on this retro bag he's on too much, because 1) The brother has already established himself to be versatile, so cool, we still got a variety of stuff to go back to(not only his solo/TTT stuff, but the stuff he produced for other people which IMO are terrific) and 2) He's easily bored this won't be for too long, he'll soon jump on another style.

I have no complaints about him, but I do wish he would invest just a lil' time into his lyrics. Other than that, he's giving me what many nowadays have failed to and thats gravy & rice from my end.

I hope you are right cause I am soo OVA it.

sosgemini said:

Harlepolis said:

I won't dwell on this retro bag he's on too much, because 1) The brother has already established himself to be versatile, so cool, we still got a variety of stuff to go back to(not only his solo/TTT stuff, but the stuff he produced for other people which IMO are terrific) and 2) He's easily bored this won't be for too long, he'll soon jump on another style.

I have no complaints about him, but I do wish he would invest just a lil' time into his lyrics. Other than that, he's giving me what many nowadays have failed to and thats gravy & rice from my end.

I hope you are right cause I am soo OVA it.

He was on the 70s kick for two albums(Instant Vintage & Ray Ray) and he's been on the 60s kick for two albums now. I'm assuming, this kick is is wearing itself out right about now

Graycap23 said:

I'm a fan of Saddiq but I'm not loving this 1960's sound at all. Get back 2 the 21st Century.

P L E A S E.

Same here!! Love him.. but, that whole 60's thing musically and visually---wearing the Temptation suits and the David Ruffin glasses (something that R. Kelly recently aped), isn't really my thing.

listen to the new release here

http://www.npr.org/series...rst-listen

so far, I am really loving it

There's a hidden track on the disc that features Larry Graham!!!!!!

woogiebear said:

There's a hidden track on the disc that features Larry Graham!!!!!!

yeah, I was surprised how often he mentioned Larry Graham during his interview

sometimes I think if it were not for knowing so much about Larry "Jehovah" Graham and his brainwashing of baby brother Prince, I would like him a lot more