VA - Wattstax '72 Soul’d Out, The Complete Wattstax Collection [2023] (12 x CDs)

WATTSTAX

VA - Wattstax '72 Soul’d Out, The Complete Wattstax Collection [2023] (12 x CDs)

This monumental 12-CD box set released by Craft Recordings, captures the full sweep and soul of one of the most powerful cultural events in American music history. This comprehensive collection finally brings together the entire 1972 Wattstax concert, its associated satellite shows, and previously unreleased material, offering a deeper, more vivid picture of the event often called the "Black Woodstock."

Held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and attended by over 100,000 people, Wattstax was a celebration of Black pride, resilience, and artistry. This set showcases a staggering lineup of Stax Records legends, including Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Albert King, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, and William Bell, as well as gospel greats, comedians like Richard Pryor, and community leaders who lent their voices to the event's social and political message.

The collection goes beyond the iconic highlights. You'll hear full-length sets, not just snippets, from artists like The Bar-Kays, Eddie Floyd, David Porter, and The Rance Allen Group. Tracks like Luther Ingram’s “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right” and Little Milton’s electrifying blues performances are presented in their complete form, many for the first time. The set also includes rare speeches, interludes, and crowd ambiance, capturing the energy of the day with stunning clarity thanks to remastered audio from original tapes.

What truly sets Soul’d Out apart is its scope. It includes satellite concerts from Los Angeles clubs and churches, expanding the narrative of Wattstax into a week-long cultural festival. The beautifully designed packaging and a 164-page hardcover book round out the experience, offering essays, photographs, and reflections from artists, scholars, and attendees.

This is a time capsule. Wattstax '72: Soul’d Out doesn’t just revisit a historic moment; it immerses you in it, reminding us of the unifying power of soul music and the urgency of its message. If you are discovering Wattstax for the first time, this collection is nothing short of essential.

Take a journey through time, sound, and soul, these recordings aren’t just music, they’re living stories meant to move, inspire, and connect across generations. (B)

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Track lists

CD01

01 Dale Warren - Salvation Symphony 19:20

02 Kim Weston - The Star Spangled Banner 3:24

03 Tommy Jacquette - Opening Announcements 11:16

04 Kim Weston - Lift Every Voice and Sing 4:23

05 Melvin Van Peebles - We're Here to Consecrate, Not Desecrate 2:02

06 Staple Singers - Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom) 3:37

07 Staple Singers - Are You Sure 4:03

08 Staple Singers - I Like the Things About Me 6:05

09 Staple Singers - Respect Yourself 4:36

10 Staple Singers - I'll Take You There 5:46

CD02

01 Tommy Jacquette - Wattstax Day Proclamation 7:48

02 Jimmy Jones - Somebody Bigger Than You and I 4:54

03 Louise McCord - Better Get A Move On 4:23

04 Deborah Manning - Precious Lord Take My Hand 4:44

05 Eric Mercury - I Shall Not Be Moved 4:39

06 Freddie Robinson - At The Drive In 4:00

07 Lee Sain - Them Hot Pants 4:25

08 Ernie Hines - What Would I Do 3:34

09 Little Sonny - Wade in The Water 4:33

10 William Bell - I Forgot to Be Your Lover 2:49

11 Newcomers - Pin The Tail on The Donkey 2:57

12 Eddie Floyd - Knock on Wood 4:40

13 Temprees - Explain it to Her Mama 3:11

14 Frederick Knight - I've Been Lonely for So Long 3:59

15 Golden 13 - Old Time Religion 3:52

16 William Bell - Al Bell Award Presentation 7:06

17 Rance Allen Group - Lying on The Truth 3:17

18 Rance Allen Group - Up Above My Head 3:54

CD03

01 William Bell - David Porter Introduction 2:48

02 David Porter Show - Introduction 4:58

03 David Porter - Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) 5:15

04 David Porter - Can't See You When I Want To 8:29

05 David Porter - Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) 3:03

06 William Bell - The Bar-Kays Introduction 3:39

07 Bar-Kays - Son of Shaft / Feel It 9:58

08 Bar-Kays - In The Hole 2:52

09 Bar-Kays - I Can't Turn You Loose 3:47

10 William Bell - Tommy Tate Introduction 1:38

11 Tommy Tate - I Remember 3:01

12 William Bell - Please Move Back Into The Stands 1:58

13 Tommy Tate - Help Me Love 3:50

14 Tommy Tate - School of Life 3:31

CD04

01 William Bell - Carla Thomas Introduction 11:11

02 Carla Thomas - Pick Up The Pieces 2:38

03 Carla Thomas - I Like What You're Doing (To Me) 3:36

04 Carla Thomas - B-A-B-Y 3:06

05 Carla Thomas - Gee Whiz 3:24

06 Carla Thomas - I Have A God Who Loves 4:03

07 John Kasandra - Albert King Introduction 3:00

08 Albert King - Match Box Blues 4:39

09 Albert King - Got to Be Some Changes Made 5:31

10 Albert King - I'll Play The Blues for You 5:39

11 Albert King - Killing Floor 3:36

12 Albert King - Angel of Mercy 6:09

13 John Kasandra - Rufus Thomas Introduction 1:27

14 John Kasandra - Rufus Thomas Entrance 1:34

15 Rufus Thomas - The Breakdown 3:54

16 John Kasandra - Kindly Go Back to Your Seats 3:07

CD05

01 Rufus Thomas - Do The Funky Chicken 11:26

02 Rufus Thomas - Do The Funky Penguin 12:24

03 Jesse Jackson - I Am, Somebody 6:27

04 Soul Children - I Don't Know What This World is Coming To 6:37

05 Soul Children - Hearsay 7:25

06 John Kasandra - Let Us Stand and Raise Our Fists Together 7:01

07 Billy Eckstine - If I Can Help Somebody 2:59

08 Billy Eckstine - There is A Curfew Here 20:20

CD06

01 Jesse Jackson - Isaac Hayes Introduction 4:43

02 Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft 4:34

03 Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft 5:09

04 Isaac Hayes - Soulsville 4:12

05 Isaac Hayes - Never Can Say Goodbye 5:27

06 Isaac Hayes - Part-Time Love 7:53

07 Isaac Hayes - Your Love is So Doggone Good 8:17

08 Isaac Hayes - Ain't No Sunshine / Lonely Avenue 18:07

09 Isaac Hayes - I Stand Accused 5:36

10 Jesse Jackson - Let Everybody Stand and Join Hands 4:56

11 Jimmy Jones - If I Had A Hammer 6:24

CD07

01 Rufus Thomas - Rufus Thomas Introduction 5:24

02 Rufus Thomas - Comedy Set 12:34

03 Rufus Thomas - Night Time is The Right Time 19:34

CD08

01 Rufus Thomas - Johnnie Taylor Introduction 0:39

02 Johnnie Taylor - Take Care of Your Homework 4:55

03 Johnnie Taylor - Little Bluebird 7:12

04 Johnnie Taylor - Steal Away 6:18

05 Johnnie Taylor - I Don't Wanna Lose You 6:43

06 Johnnie Taylor - Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone 3:26

07 Johnnie Taylor - Who's Making Love 5:06

08 Johnnie Taylor - Hello Sundown 9:35

09 Johnnie Taylor - Steal Away 7:46

10 Johnnie Taylor - Stop Doggin' Me 6:15

11 Johnnie Taylor - Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone 10:21

CD09

01 Sons of Slum - Think (About It) 7:46

02 Sons of Slum - Respect 2:28

03 Sons of Slum - The Man 2:47

04 Sons of Slum - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone / Dance to The Music / Music Lover / I Want to Take You Higher 11:33

05 Emotions - So I Can Love You 6:23

06 Emotions - Blind Alley 2:38

07 Emotions - Introductions 2:15

08 Emotions - Show Me How 3:53

09 Emotions - When Tomorrow Comes 8:46

10 Emotions - I Could Never Be Happy 5:39

CD10

01 Little Milton - Open The Door to Your Heart 8:24

02 Little Milton - Let Me Down Easy 7:00

03 Little Milton - Grits Ain't Groceries (All Around The World) 3:01

04 Little Milton - Blind Man 8:39

05 Little Milton - I Can't Quit You Baby 7:44

06 Little Milton - That's What Love Will Make You Do 5:00

07 Little Milton - Walking The Back Streets and Crying 7:45

CD11

01 Mel & Tim - Introduction 0:27

02 Mel & Tim - Warm it Up 5:40

03 Mel & Tim - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) 5:08

04 Mel & Tim - Groovy Situation 3:49

05 Mel & Tim - Good Guys Only Win in The Movies / Ain't No Sunshine 9:20

06 Mel & Tim - Backfield in Motion / Starting All Over Again 14:19

07 Mel & Tim - Friendship Train 9:13

CD12

01 Emotions - Peace Be Still (Rehearsal) 7:59

02 Emotions - Peace Be Still (Take 1) 9:56

03 Emotions - Peace Be Still (Take 2) 8:56

04 Isaac Hayes - Rolling Down A Mountainside 5:27

05 Isaac Hayes - Rolling Down A Mountainside 4:59

06 Staple Singers - Oh La De Da 4:57

07 Eddie Floyd - Lay Your Loving on Me 3:29

08 Dramatics - Whatcha See is Whatcha Get 3:57

09 Mel & Tim - I May Not Be What You Want 3:04

10 Richard Pryor - Saturday Night / Blue Note / Backroom 3:41

11 Richard Pryor - Arrest / Line-Up 4:01

12 Richard Pryor - Niggers 0:31

13 Richard Pryor - Negroes 1:42

14 Richard Pryor - Handshake 0:29

15 Richard Pryor - Wino Get A Job 1:11

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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