I will be the first to admit that many of the songs in this gallery
may be too old-skool for the Manila girls of today. The truth of the
matter is I have a great respect for the masters, and am just an old
skool fanatic. After the 80s, I must say, I did not find the R&B of the
90s, and today appealing at all. I do not enjoy drum machined beats,
and Mariah Carey-like vocal excercises. I prefer music with real live
instruments, and singers who belt out tunes with heart, and soul,
who know when to be gentle, and when to go crazy.

The songs chosen for this gallery do not all fall under the line of 'soul'
either. For example, Nat "King" Cole, while really soulful at what he does,
is really a crooner, he falls into that crooner category. "Come To Me" by
France Joli is a disco tune, I know that. The intention of the gallery was to
match the lyrics to the photos, and have fun while doing it. It also gave me
a chance to depart from my usual straight-on style, and experiment a bit
with effects, and post-processing in Photoshop. Yes indeed, that means I
went Hollywood! :)

Thanks to all who stopped by. I'd like to leave you with my top-ten picks
for the ultimate slow jams. Obviously, there are so many I cannot fit in here,
and the music is of course, a personal choice. But I believe that if you do not have
at least one of these tracks in your collection, you're missing on the love...

X-Man's Ultimate Slow Jams::

1) "You Are Everything" by The Stylistics:
Whenever a song is covered by the greats (Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Michael McDonald,
Rod Stewart, David Sanborn, Mary J Blige and more!) as well as the mediocre (J-LO), you
know the song is a classic. From the sitar-hook intro to the soulful pleas on the fade out,
the song is classic Philly soul. Smooth as silk. Just remember "You are everything, and
everything is you."

2) "Always And Forever" by Heatwave:
What can I say? It's syrupy, it's catchy. It's played in a million weddings. It's classic soul.

3) "You Make Me Feel Brand New" by The Stylistics:
Another beautifully penned tune by the talented team of Thom Bell, and Linda Creed. Beautiful harmonies,
and arrangements, the sound is undeniably 'Philly.' This song, and "You Are Everything" showcase The Stylistics
at the height of their musical prowess. A legendary group whose influence can be heard in acts such as Boyz 2Men,
Hall & Oates, Simply Red, and countless others.

4) "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green:
The Reverend Al, as he is known today, was a hot young kid when this tune came out. The steady beat, and
Al Green's smooth vocals make for a very memorable classic.

5) "Until You Come Back To Me" by Aretha Franklin:
Usually powerful, Aretha is soft, and vulnerable on this one. This is my favorite from the Queen Of Soul.

6) "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" by The Spinners:
I've always felt that The Spinners were a little under-rated compared to other 'Philly' groups. This tune
shows their undeniable power to move you. Beautiful vocals, and chord changes, and the string/brass
solo just makes you feel happy.

7) "Ooh Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson:
The list would not be complete without something from the poet of love, Smokey. With so many great tunes
under his belt, I couldn't decide, but I chose this one because I like the heartache. Linda Ronstadt's cover is
also top-notch.

8) "Ribbon In The Sky" by Stevie Wonder:
Just a beautiful, soulful ballad, Stevie is flawless. Love the piano work. You can't help, but feel the love.

9) "Hello Stranger" by Barbara Lewis:
Though the production, and recording definitely sound like it's from the 60s, Barbara Lewis'
vocal performance is absolutely brilliant. Her control, and technique is superb, and listening to this
track is like taking a vocal lesson.

10) "Distant Lover" by Marvin Gaye:
For all the reasons I mentioned in the 'Distant Lover' photo. The lover-man knows how to say 'please?' and make
it work.

Bonus Track: "The Lady In My Life" by Michael Jackson:
Overshadowed by everything else on the monster album "Thriller," this Rod Temperton penned song was
a hidden gem. In his day, Michael Jackson could slow jam with the best of them, and this song is one of
his best efforts. Over the years, the beauty of this great track has been rediscovered, and the song has
become a pop-jazz standard. Covers by the likes of guitarist Stanley Jordan, and others can be heard on
Smooth Jazz stations around the country. If you can forget what Jackson has become, this song is
worth a listen.

Top Blue-Eyed Soul Picks:

1) "Sharing The Night Together" by Dr. Hook:
My boy Dr. Hook was a funky white brother! I once knew a Jamaican guy who used to drive with this song
blasting. When you've got street credibility, you know you've made it.

2) "Sara Smile" by Hall&Oates:
Forget all their other 'poppy' tunes, if you want classic, soulful Hall&Oates, this is it. Their Philly soul roots
can be heard, and felt on this one. Way back, living in the slums of the Bronx, I had a neighbor who blasted
Hall&Oates all the time. Again, street-cred says it all.

3) "Baby Come Back" by Player:
This is probably one of my favorite one hit wonder tracks! A delicious blend of pop, rock, and blue-eyed soul.