Offer The Soul

INTEGRALE 1956-1962

Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul and probably much more: the Queen of American singers, a much- disputed title her impressive discography can easily claim. This double album includes the first six years of her recordings, going forward from her beginnings as an exceptionally gifted gospel singer aged fourteen. She went on to become one of the most extraordinary vocalists in music history, thanks to the intensity of astounding recordings like “Today I Sing the Blues” or “Maybe I’m a Fool.” Bruno Blum tells her story. Patrick FRÉMEAUX

“Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade — our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace.” Barack OBAMA

The ABC - Paramount Years 1959-1962

In 1959-1962, Ray Charles’s career was in the heavens, and this definitive set prepared by Joël Dufour draws on the most intense period of Ray’s recordings. The ability of “The Genius” to produce new things artistically could no longer be judged by the same standards, with Ray showing rare eclecticism. Expressing his talents without reserve, he delivered his greatest hits, from “Georgia on My Mind” to “Hit The Road Jack” and “Unchain My Heart”… The titles here are precious evidence of the period when a very gifted rhythm & blues artist transformed into the eternal idol of pop.
Patrick FRÉMEAUX

CD1 : THEM THAT GOT • WHO YOU GONNA LOVE • MY BABY (I LOVE HER, YES I DO) • GEORGIA ON MY MIND • MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT • MOON OVER MIAMI • BLUE HAWAII • CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO • BASIN STREET BLUES • DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS • MISSISSIPPI MUD • ALABAMY BOUND • CALIFORNIA HERE I COME • NEW YORK’S MY HOME • CARRY ME BACK TO OLD VIRGINNY • I WONDER (SINGLE VERSION) • STICKS AND STONES • WORRIED LIFE BLUES • NANCY • RUBY • STELLA BY STARLIGHT • CHERRY • CANDY • DIANE.

CD2 : MARGIE • SWEET GEORGIA BROWN • HARD HEARTED HANNAH • ROSETTA • MARIE • JOSEPHINE • MOANIN’ • STRIKE UP THE BAND • FROM THE HEART • STOMPIN’ ROOM ONLY • MISTER C • I’VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU • THE BIRTH OF THE BLUES • ONE MINT JULEP • I’M GONNA MOVE TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN • LET’S GO • INTRO: GOODBYE WE’LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN • ALONE TOGETHER • EV’RY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE • FOR ALL WE KNOW • COCKTAILS FOR TWO.

CD3 : YOU AND I • TAKES TWO TO TANGO • SIDE BY SIDE • BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE • TOGETHER • PEOPLE WILL SAY WE’RE IN LOVE • JUST YOU JUST ME • UNCHAIN MY HEART (SINGLE & MONO LP VERSION) • HIT THE ROAD JACK • THE DANGER ZONE • BUT ON THE OTHER HAND BABY • BYE BYE LOVE • CARELESS LOVE • HEY GOOD LOOKIN’ • HALF AS MUCH • JUST A LITTLE LOVIN’ • IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE NOW • AT THE CLUB • HIDE NOR HAIR.

CD4 : I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS • YOU DON’T KNOW ME • I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU • BORN TO LOSE • YOU WIN AGAIN • WORRIED MIND • YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE • MIDNIGHT • SOMEDAY (YOU’LL WANT ME TO WANT YOU) • DON’T TELL ME YOUR TROUBLES • OH LONESOME ME • NO LETTER TODAY • YOUR CHEATING HEART • MAKING BELIEVE • I’LL NEVER STAND IN YOUR WAY • TAKE THESE CHAINS FROM MY HEART • HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME • TEARDROPS IN MY HEART • I WONDER (ALTERNATE TAKE: LP VERSION) • UNCHAIN MY HEART (ALTERNATE TAKE: STEREO LP VERSION) *BONUS TRACK (ON CD FOR THE FIRST TIME): GOING TO THE RIVER (ALTERNATE TAKE OF “MISERY IN MY HEART”).

DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : JOËL DUFOUR

It is out of New Orleans that Fats Domino surged up to become the greatest black star of the 1950s and the first true rock superstar — a giant among giants. His worldwide hits, such as “Blueberry Hill,” became so famous that they overshadowed the best of his excellent output. Yet one should not overlook the great blues performer, the Boogie Woogie piano virtuoso and the fundamental pioneer who let the world first discover the rock genre. Domino managed to cross over to the white, general public, and embodied racial segregation tensions during the early Civil Rights movement. Bruno Blum tells the unthinkable triumph of this simple man who, far from his smiling image, caused riots all over the country. There is no way around these six discs, which are indispensable to any rock or blues lover. This hand-picked selection highlights the cream of often overlooked works by an essential figure. — PATRICK FRÉMEAUX

Her deep voice and the funky sophistication of her piano have made Nina Simone a timeless icon of American music. Her extreme sensitivity as a militant artist in the struggle for civil rights was matched only by her unrivalled talent as a vocalist and instrumentalist: nobody could come close to her when she infused jazz with soul, or classical music with rhythm and blues. Here Olivier Julien has brought together a complete set of Nina Simone’s effervescent recordings from her early period, featuring a great number of her hits including the emblematic “My Baby just Cares for Me”.
Patrick Frémeaux

CD 1 : MOOD INDIGO • DON’T SMOKE IN BED • HE NEEDS ME • LITTLE GIRL BLUE • LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME • MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME • GOOD BAIT • PLAIN GOLD RINGFREMEAUX264YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE • I LOVES YOU PORGY • CENTRAL PARK BLUES • BLUE PRELUDE • CHILDREN GO WHERE I SEND YOU • TOMORROW (WE WILL MEET ONCE MORE) • STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY • IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING • YOU’VE BEEN GONE TOO LONG • THAT’S HIM OVER THERE • CHILLY WINDS DON’T BLOW • THEME FROM “MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT” • CAN’T GET OUT OF THIS MOOD • WILLOW WEEP FOR ME • SOLITAIRE.
CD 2 : BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY TRUE LOVE’S HAIR • EXACTLY LIKE YOU • THE OTHER WOMAN • UNDER THE LOWEST • YOU CAN HAVE HIM • SUMMERTIME • SUMMERTIME (VOCAL) • COTTON EYED JOE • RETURN HOME • WILD IS THE WIND • FINE AND MELLOW • DO NOTHIN’ TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME • I GOT IT BAD • HEY, BUDDY BOLDEN • MERRY MENDING • SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR • YOU BETTER KNOW IT • I LIKE THE SUNRISE • SOLITUDE • THE GAL FROM JOE’S • SATIN DOLL • IT DON’T MEAN A THING.
CD3 : TROUBLE IN MIND • BLUES FOR PORGY • LITTLE LIZA JANE • YOU’D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO • FLO ME LA • NINA’S BLUES • IN THE EVENING BY THE MOONLIGHT • RAGS AND OLD IRON • NO GOOD MAN • GIN HOUSE BLUES • I’LL LOOK AROUND • I LOVE TO LOVE • WORK SONG • WHERE CAN I GO WITHOUT YOU • JUST SAY I LOVE HIM (ENGLISH VERSION) • MEMPHIS IN JUNE • FORBIDDEN FRUIT.
CD4 : JUST IN TIME • HE WAS TOO GOOD TO ME • HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN • BYE BYE BLACKBIRD • BROWN BABY • ZUNGO • IF HE CHANGED MY NAME • CHILDREN GO WHERE I SEND YOU • AFRICAN MAILMAN • FOR ALL WE KNOW • HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS • IF ONLY FOR TONIGHT • NOBODY KNOWS YOU • WHEN YOU’RE DOWN AND OUT • COME ON BACK, JACK • I WANT A LITTLE SUGAR IN MY BOWL.
DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : OLIVIER JULIEN