When the Vail Soul Music Fest debuts next weekend, Raphael Saadiq will represent in more ways than one. One of the most exciting voices in neo-soul, Saadiq will perform at the festival on Friday. And his presence is also a signal of soul’s current, enlivened state.
Soul never went away, but some of today’s neo-soul artists — Saadiq included — are bringing the music back to the forefront of the mainstream consciousness.
We spoke with Saadiq, who has reinvented himself as a modern soul impresario since his mainstream ’90s heyday in Tony! Toni! Tone! about the state of soul music, his adoption by the indie-rock set and his new record.
Q:How does it feel to be your generation’s modern-day torchbearer for soul music?
A: It feels great because I love this kind of music. I love all kinds of music. I don’t just look at is as soul music or even music. I look at music as art. I’m glad I can represent art at this time in my life. To keep music in that art category — you look at Phish and Green Day, groups like that, and people like Stevie Wonder and Al Green, who both like country music — it’s all art. And to be a representative of art is the biggest reward for me.
Q:Do you see yourself as some sort of unofficial spokesperson for soul music in 2010?
A:No. I wouldn’t accept it anyway. There are so many people that do it well. You can call some guy up the street and he can tell you better than I can.
Q:What is the state of soul music, from your perspective?
A: It’s healthy. It’s always been healthy. It’s whatever you drink. If you drink it, you know where to find it. I just left Chicago, and so many people are there playing it. Memphis, too. It’s really alive.
Q:Do you still live in Oakland?
A: My heart is in Oakland. But I live in Los Angeles now.
Q: Is there much of a soul scene in L.A.?
A: Los Angeles seems to be about a lot of different indie rock. There’s a lot of great artists making great music there, though.
Q: Speaking of indie rock, you’ve really been adopted by the indie- rock community, which is predominantly white, in the same way they might love Sharon Jones or Black Joe Lewis. What do you think it says about these times when these fans are so increasingly drawn to soul and blues and R&B?
A: I guess it’s because we all strive for the same thing — great sounds and instrumentation and people who actually play. And it’s hard to find people who really play in the market. People know that I’m into what they’re into. We have a great time and share that.
Q:You’re playing a soul-music festival here in Colorado, and I’m curious how festivals agree with you as an artist.
A: I love festivals. It’s what music is all about: bringing artists and a lot of other great people together at the same time. Everybody’s striving for the same great feeling. What better function to put together to enjoy music?
Q:Tell me about your new music. Is it recorded, mastered?
A: It is recorded. The new music is more aggressive. The sound is more album-to-album — (“The Way I See It”) was placed in the ’60s. This one is more late-’60s and early-’70s. I don’t think of it as ’60s or ’70s, I guess. It’s really now. Inspirations are from so many places that I don’t recall where they all come from at one time. I can’t wait to add these songs into the show.
Q:Might you play a new song in Vail?
A: Maybe one new song. I think it’s called “Heart Attack.”
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com; @rvrb on Twitter
