Dear Soulsisters and Soulbrothers,
The SWEET SOUL MUSIC REVUE we will take you on a musical journey "Down Funky Street" to a 50s, 60s and 70s America. The Revue is a deep bow to the great artists of this time and homage to the no less important record labels.
With this two-and-a-half-hour show, we pay tribute to soul icons such as Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ike & Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations and more. More soul legends will follow…
Our aim is to present to you, our audience – fans of soul music who have grown up with these great artists´ greatest hits – a passionate and authentic stage show that gives you a broad and representative view of the soul scene of the era.
Younger generations are increasingly enthused by the passionate rhythms of old school soul, and we often find up to three generations of soul fans in the audience at our concerts and revues.
Now I would like to say "Thank you" to all of our fans. Thank you for your loyalty, your many returns, your contaminating of friends and family with the soul virus, your enthusiastic comments in our guestbook, your suggestions and constructive support of the project... Because of you, the ever-multiplying community of fans, we know that: SOUL WILL NEVER DIE.
SWEET SOUL MUSIC REVUE
A Change Is Gonna Come
It is August 1955 in Mississippi and a 14-year-old African American, Emmet Louis Till, is being dragged out of his bed by white men. They brutally torture and then drown the boy, because Emmet had whistled at the white village beauty queen and called "Bye, bye babe" after her.
The court acquits the murderers. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, an elderly African American lady, refuses to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. She is arrested and taken to court for violating segregation laws.
These events in 1955 mark the beginning of the African American Civil Rights Movement, which will grow into a proud, political force under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King. By 1968 it will have put an end to the arbitrary injustice caused by racial segregation in the U.S.
There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long / But now I think I'm able to carry on / It's been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come – This soul anthem, composed by Sam Cooke in 1963, speaks of the hope for change during these times.
Closely linked to the Civil Rights Movement, soul music delivers the soundtrack for this period of political change and upheaval in the United States.
Sweet Soul Music expresses the new sense of black confidence more than any other art form in Afro-American culture. Its success strengthens black people´s sense of self-worth and belief in their own abilities.
The gift that these former slaves give to the world is their art, instilling in us a love for music born of true feeling – deep feeling from the heart and soul.
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States of America. For many Americans – especially African Americans – this election signals hope. They see it as a chance that Dr. Martin Luther King`s dream – expressed in his famous speech `I have a dream` – that a person´s course of life will not be determined by the color of their skin but by their skills and the content of their character, can finally become a reality. "Obama has added colour to the White House", says Ron Williams in the revue.
The Sweet Soul Music Revue is conceived as a homage to the heroes and heroines of soul. In it we hope to keep alive the spirit of these pioneering `Soul People`. With our revue we would like to honor the remarkable individuals who have enriched our blue planet and made it so much more beautiful through their art and work.
