(May 10, 2006) — I cannot emphasize enough how much soul music has shaped the course of all music. I mean, I just can’t. You can’t credit Hendrix and “Bootsy” Collins without their start with James Brown, the Godfather of Funk and Soul, and there’s no denying the excess of hip-hop samples ripped from Isley Brothers tracks to Brown’s “Funky Drummer.” It becomes sadly apparent when you hear a sample of “Between the Sheets” recycled in a Gwen Stefani’s single, and no one recalls Ronald Isley’s soulful falsetto on the original track. It’s without a doubt that soul music has infl uenced most musical artists in some way, but the actual genre itself has diminished in appeal except for a few given mainstream acts. But what about the roots? From the screaming leads of Parliament’s “Cosmic Slop,” and its infl uence over rock, to Roger Troutman’s (from Zapp) voice on Tupac’s “California Love,” here’s the fi ve soul albums that have infl uenced most of mainstream music, and are keeping the grassroots growing. 1. The Revolutionary Soul Album: Complete Bitches Brew Sessions- Miles Davis This album defi nitely sheds light on a new jazz sound, fusion, which can be considered to be a major subcategory of the soul, jazz, and r&b collective. It was said to be the most important sessions of Davis’s career. The experimental half hour tracks broke all barriers by fusing jazz, the psychedelic soul of Sly Stone, and trademark stylistics of Miles himself. Although not the typical model for mainstream soul music, it was defi nitely responsible for the birth of fusion, progressive and avant-garde which would become more apparent in more modern soul/fusion acts like Spirit Music Jamia. 2. The Pivotal Philadelphia Soul album: Collector’s Items- The O’Jays If you ask most connoisseurs of the R&B type what is the “Philly Soul,” they’d probably mention the O’Jays fi rst. Most popular for their hit “Love Train,” the O’Jays became the archetype for the Philadelphia soul sound, characterized by its smooth orchestral arrangements, Collector’s Items is a compilation of the group’s works between 1972 to 1976. It features hits like “Love Train,” “Backstabbers,” and my favorite “I Love Music.” 3. The Defi nitive Funk Soul album: One Nation Under a Groove- Parliament/ Funkadelic This album speaks for itself. Headed by the funky George Clinton and his “Funkadelic Main-Invasion Force,” the album features an impressive lineup of session bass greats, like the fl amboyant “Bootsy” Collins, the edgy Rodney Curtis, and synth legend Bernie Worrel. The album proves to be one of the most sampled works every produced. So funky, it’s stellar, which I’m sure Clinton intended it to be. 4. Soul Hip Hop Fusion: Baduizm- Erykah Badu She had her peak during 1997, and I think she’s one of the fi res that continues to burn, even after her fan-mania. Baduizm, I believe is one of the most overlooked neo-soul albums, and one of the most underappreciated for it’s fusion of jazz and classic 70’s soul. Her “conscious” lyrics and creamy grooves, I think were monumental in their own right and her collaboration with underground hip-hoppers The Roots made this album that more worth listening to. This is best classifi ed as a diamond in the rough amidst the other recordings in its time, and no wonder that it earned her two Grammy’s that same year. 5. Keeping the roots growing: Change it all- Goapele It’d be safe to say that this girl will be the new face of soul. Still fairly underground, she has yet to claim the fame that her beautiful voice and infectious grooves have earned for her. With tracks like the slow jam-esque “First Love” to the dance fl oor pulse of “4 AM,” it should be soon that Goapele (Gwa-pa-lay) Mohlabane will write a new chapter in soul music.