A stroll through New Orleans in the 50s, 60s and 70s illuminates the genesis and proliferation of the Crescent City’s own Soul music identity. In contrast to more well known songs that caricature New Orleans around Mardi Gras tourism, this slice aims to paint a more universal picture of artists recounting love, pain, and spiritual communion. Countless dancey oddities and mystical bops of the era mostly failed to reach a national audience despite the scene’s thriving insular world. A closer look, however, reveals global threads of influence that weave a very soulful epoch.

Episode 1: A spread of choice New Orleans soul, in no particular order, to kick things off and cast the vibe. Look forward to future episodes with more specific focus on certain years, producers, labels and flourishes.