From the early 70’s through the 80’s and beyond, innovative Black composers and musicians have pushed structural and stylistic boundaries of Rhythm and Blues, incorporating elements of progressive rock, psychedelic and jazz-fusion. Progressive Soul features an eclectic range of influences, from both African and European sources, with complex, ambitious and relevant compositions. Artists like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind and Fire, and others, created album-oriented musical concepts and socially conscious lyrics based in the African-American experience.
The original progressive soul movement peaked in the 1970s, but later, both American and British artists have recorded music in its tradition. The Neo-Soul wave of the 2000’s, is considered a derivative of the Progressive Soul genre. Hear an hour of JD’s favorite prog-soul songs, on Thursday from 2-4 PM…
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