Clearly, this was a great night of music at the Dakota in Minneapolis. fDeluxe create infectious grooves that stick in your head.

Largely self-taught, Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones learned most of his early craft on the bass from listening to albums from the Stax and Motown legacy. You May Also Like: Paul McCartney says the Beatles used Motown as a template – for what not to do Durand Jones – DurandRead More

Recorded live at the peak of their powers in May 1974, ‘Hipper than Hip’ finds Tower of Power setting a Long Island radio-station soundstage ablaze.

As part of Booker T. and the MGs, Steve Cropper played on countless hits, though often the record-buying public had no idea of their involvement. The guitar legend explains why that never mattered. You May Also Like: Inside Booker T. and the MGs’ stirring ’90s-era comeback: ‘It went by likeRead More

Beyoncé’s eponymous fifth album took many by surprise with its release on December 13 via iTunes without any hype or promotion, but perhaps what’s most surprising – and exhilarating – about this release is the actual music You May Also Like: Peter Erskine New Trio – In Praise Of ShadowsRead More

Remember the video for “I Can’t Go For That”? It’s there. Live Aid? There, too. Early TV performances of “Rich Girl” and “Sara Smile”? Yep. But whatever happened to John Oates’ modified ’58 Strat? You May Also Like: John Oates on the thing he hates most about Hall and Oates:Read More

Otis Redding got on a roll at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and he just kept going – right past an agreed upon curfew.

Otis Williams, nicknamed “Big Daddy” for his imposing presence, stands as the only surviving original member of the Motown hitmaking juggernaut known as the Temptations. You May Also Like: The Temptations – All Directions (1972): On Second Thought Hall and Oates honored heroes on Live Aid’s worldwide stage: ‘We reallyRead More

It’s an interesting thing to hear the teenaged Kevin Coelho take to an instrument like the Hammond B3 organ. In part, this is because said instrument is often associated with the more “old-fashioned” side of life. You May Also Like: Ross Hammond and Kevin Corcoran – ‘Music For Lighthouses 2’Read More

Here’s the answer to that question, “what to do for an encore after such a note-perfect quiet storm groove tune as ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’?” You May Also Like: The Main Ingredient – Greatest Hits: The Encore Collection (2000): On Second Thought Violent Femmes, “Love Love Love LoveRead More