Soul Reincarnated

Review by DJ Phaze

The first time I listened to Facts of Life/ The Soul of Bobby Womack, the new album from crooner Calvin Richardson, I was preparing to crack the album at a listening party hosted by Gypsy Soul in Baltimore. As a result of the title, I did my research and was compelled to compare each rendition to the original. It may have been unfair to do, but it gives me perspective, especially when artists choose to cover prior works.

I must say Calvin did a good job paying homage to Soul Man, Bobby Womack. The production of Richardson’s latest works was well done. Overall, if you are not familiar with the original works recorded by Bobby, you can certainly still get the feel of your parents spinning records in the basement. The “new school” version certainly has an appeal to a specific audience.

During a Gypsy Soul Sound Check Session (what you would call a listening party), I noticed when playing it for an audience mostly of my age-mates, it was quite obvious that across the board they had the collective facial expression as if they we were listening to a lecture on Shakespearean works, and earnestly trying to relate to what they were hearing. It was quite clear that most of the crowd was not familiar with Bobby Womack and his arsenal of hits.

The women tended to have a more open mind and you could tell who had old soul ears. Their heads were rocking rhythmically to songs like “You’re Welcome, Stop on By” and the undeniable crowd favorite “Daylight”. The men seem to be looking to the women for cues as to how good the album was as the songs were presented. All in all, the more upbeat groovy songs like “I Can’t Understand It” had more appeal to the audience present. Personally, the appearance of Ann Nesby on “Love has Finally Come At Last” was quite refreshing and is a great duet! Can you guess who did the original with Bobby?

In short, Calvin kept the attention of listeners with the energy of the songs and his voice matched the studio-recorded instrumentation well. I am sure the new-schoolers appreciate the “clean” sound of Calvin’s Facts of Life/ The Soul of Bobby Womack. This clean sound coupled with Calvin’s crisp vocals did not match the “Soul of Bobby Womack”. Calvin’s voice is almost identical to Bobby’s with regard to tone and octave range but there is a signature throaty raspy hint to Womack’s voice most evident is songs like “American Dream”, and probably his best known “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” which justifiably, can’t be duplicated.

Calvin Richardson certainly put his stamp on the Womack hits. I’m looking forward to hearing him perform live. Maybe the gritty soul will shine through in a live setting. Hearing this album should certainly prompt listeners to get more familiar with the originals by the great Bobby Womack. If you get Calvin Richardson’s Facts of Life/ The Soul of Bobby Womack you may just catch yourself seeking out the Womack collection… Here’s an opportunity to raise your aural IQ quite a few points.