Laurence Jones

The Happening! (Events Spring – Summer 2016)

Hi y’all! This DJing-lecturer thing is going swimmingly (despite Saturn in Sagittarius, HA). There’s a bevy of things that I’m up to these days, so get in where you fit in. Sunset Soul Second Friday (With DJ Larsupreme) Friday, May 13th marks the 2nd Sunset Soul Second Friday. The next ones will be Friday, June…

The Myth and Magic of Mary Wells

It’s oft the story that Mary Wells is the forgotten Queen of Motown. She is that, for sure, but there’s a lot to be said about her career that spanned nearly 30 years past her exit from the label as well. She’s sort of the mythological Lilith of Motown in that way. She made the…

The Four Seasons “Marlena”(Vee Jay 539-B, Pop# 36, 1963)

The Four Seasons “Marlena”(Vee Jay 539-B, Pop# 36, 1963) It might seem weird to feature a group of White men on this blog.In reality, R&B music has always been a rather intersectional venture that’s welcomed other outsiders. I’d make the statement that Italian wasn’t fully accultured into whiteness even by the early 1960’s. In addition,…

Lesley Gore “Look The Other Way”(Mercury 72867-B, 1968)

Lesley Gore “Look The Other Way”(Mercury 72867-B, 1968) There’s a hole in our collective hearts where America’s Sweetheart meets Queer Icon Lesley Gore doesn’t exist anymore. Since she passed away last year, not much has been done to cover the scope of her art or activism. It’s to be remembered that within 9 months time,…

Taurus Talent at its finest: The Too Short Times of Tammi Terrell

I think of Tammi Terrell’s short 24 years on this planet, nearly 34 years old, and think I’m really wasting time. It didn’t exactly take that much time for her to establish herself as a legend. I don’t know whether her early death elicits moments of sadness, because she fought up until she went into…

Beltane Blues and Taurus Tunes – Melodies For Your Mid~Spring Dreams

The later part of Spring starts to thaw and sparkle and sing. Seeds go in the ground. Taurus Season settles and abounds. It’s more than time enough for yet another mix of music courtesy of your favorite DJ ain’t it? This time there’s nothing particular agenda other than everything being easy, breezy and beautiful, like…

I’ll Try Anything: The Master Vocal-Cultural Intersection Class as Taught by Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield, older I get, is someone that I love more, although she causes some grand complications being a fan of hers. She’s *that* Blue-eyed soul singer that reigns over all others. She’s *that* early queer icon that at least publicly identified as Bisexual far ahead of anyone else. She’s that British Invasion artist wholly…

The Magic of Marvin: Sovereign Soul and Sweetness, The Crown’d Prince of Motown

If you don’t have a special connection to Marvin Gaye, immediately I question your humanity. Chances are I’ll never like you. He left this earthly plane with a gunshot shortly before I turned 2 years old 32 years ago today, right before he turned 45. In just over 25 years, he evolved from being one…

Sarah Vaughan “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” (From the LP Snowbound, 1963)

Sarah Vaughan “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” (From the LP Snowbound, 1963) *Happy Birthday Sarah Vaughan* The Divine, Sassy, Sailor was born 92 years ago today. Through a career that spanned every acre of popular music, Sarah Vaughan is yet another timeless voice that shaped the concept of Popular music for ages. From Jazz…

The Supremes “Too Hurt To Cry, Too Much In Love To Say Goodbye” (1965, Unreleased. From Never-Released-Before Masters, 1987)

The Supremes “Too Hurt To Cry, Too Much In Love To Say Goodbye” (1965, Unreleased. From Never-Released-Before Masters, 1987) I’m like a number of people. When we look back on Diana Ross’s success as a performer for the past 57 years, I’m prone to put the metric of that squarely on her charisma and unstoppable…