What say you?

yup

Just based on his songwriting?

scriptgirl said:

Just based on his songwriting?

Mainly his songwriting..

Especially the early motown stuff he did for other artists

Great singer as well

When it comes to composition and production, he was a prodiguous talent as well as a hitmaker. Though I also give kudos to Marvin Tarplin, Claudette & Robert Rogers, Ronald White and Warren Moore for contributing a whole lot to it as well as the Funk/Soul Brothers (or in-house Motown band) and the arrangers and conductors like Dave Van DePitte and Paul Riser.

Timmy84 said:

When it comes to composition and production, he was a prodiguous talent as well as a hitmaker. Though I also give kudos to Marvin Tarplin, Claudette & Robert Rogers, Ronald White and Warren Moore for contributing a whole lot to it as well as the Funk/Soul Brothers (or in-house Motown band) and the arrangers and conductors like Dave Van DePitte and Paul Riser.

yup...them too

Genius...dunno. However he's super talented every area he touches. He's def one of the best songwriters out there and a fantastic singer.

The stuff he did for Mary Wells was just badd!!!

HuMpThAnG said:

The stuff he did for Mary Wells was just badd!!!

What I wanna know is how he was able to get the influence of ska or calypso music into Mary's music? I mean seriously some of the early Motown music sounded like ska music man. I know Jamaicans were grooving to this!

^^^ He said he liked Harry Belafonte Timmy, but there was a tiny moment for ska and calypso in some big cities in the US circa 61-62. Millie Small, the Skatalites, Mighty Sparrow, etc...I figure Smokey'd be hip!

[Edited 6/27/12 15:42pm]

brooksie said:

^^^ He said he like Harry Belafonte Timmy, but there was a tiny moment for ska and calypso in some big cities in the US circa 61-62. Millie Smmal, the Heptone, Mighty Sparrow, etc...I figure Smokey'd be hip!

Hell I about wondered how American musicians were able to do that. Yeah I do remember Smoke saying that.

LOL...I had to change the spellings on a few things and add the seminial Skatalites, but yeah....some of themusic came in where there was a sizeable Caribbean community.

Too bad it was only a short trend in the mainstream US scene,because the 60-70s were killer in Jamaica and Trinidad for music! I'd have loved to see how it would have influenced soul, rock, and funk.

brooksie said:

LOL...I had to change the spellings on a few things and add the seminial Skatalites, but yeah....some of themusic came in where there was a sizeable Caribbean community.

Too bad it was only a short trend in the mainstream US scene,because the 60-70s were killer in Jamaica and Trinidad for music! I'd have loved to see how it would have influenced soul, rock, and funk.

For the time it was out, it was infectious. I loved the ska flow in Mary's "Old Love" for example.

Yes-His voice is just smooth as butter and he has written some of the greatest songs in history. Genius indeed

what cha know bout the quiet storm Script?

TD3 said:

Yes, "Motown's a family" Robinson is a brilliant composer/writer of music.

Absolutely. The man's track record is unbelievable and varied. Not to mention his legacy at Motown.

HuMpThAnG said:

smooth as they come

Yes and a legend. The history of Motown is in this man's

finger.

Am I the only one who thinks he has weak, reedy voice?

damn!! that harmonica

scriptgirl said:

Am I the only one who thinks he has weak, reedy voice?

yes you are

brooksie said:

Genius...dunno. However he's super talented every area he touches. He's def one of the best songwriters out there and a fantastic singer.

An American Poet ~ Bob Dylan

Figures

Just got A Quiet Storm on CD yesterday.

And the answer is yes, him and Curtis Mayfield were the best writers of that period.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Just got A Quiet Storm on CD yesterday.

And the answer is yes, him and Curtis Mayfield were the best writers of that period.

Now ya talking