STIRRING THE SOUL by Steve Holt
What is it about soul music? How
Respect, and I Heard It Through the Grapevine,
words, “glorious.” “To have a full symphony on
Gonna Come, which became an anthem for the
exactly does it reach deep down
made famous by artists including Aretha Franklin,
this music is a dream,” she says.
Civil Rights Movement. Darius also cites Stevie
inside, grab us, and hold on to create
Al Green, Solomon Burke, Tina Turner, The
Chicago-born co-star Darius de Haas followed
Stylistics (Philly’s own!), and Marvin Gaye.
a similar musical journey, but he grew up in a
indelible memories? How has this musical mixture of joy and pain managed to survive and thrive, while
Capathia and Maestro Krajewski came up with the concept for Classic Soul, then very quickly added Darius to the mix. “Darius and I created a
other genres flare out after bursting
wish list of songs we would love to sing,” recalls
onto the scene and ruling the music
Capathia. “We met with Michael to formulate the
charts for a time? The roots of soul hold the key. The earliest practitioners of soul were steeped in gospel, but they added love, passion, heartbreak, betrayal — and yes, sex — to the mix. This combination of the heavenly and earthly gave soul its unique power. This power still resonates today, brilliantly demonstrated in our show, Classic Soul, starring Broadway star and Philly POPS favorite Capathia Jenkins, guest vocalist Darius de Haas, and, of course, The Philly POPS, conducted by Music Director Michael Krajewski. “This concert is a very All-American style of music that I think everyone enjoys. We are filling the lineup with universally known hits,” says Krajewski. Those hits include Natural Woman, Let’s Stay Together, Proud Mary, You Are Everything, 14 | Encore! | The Philly POPS
jazz family. His father Eddie is a bassist who played with some of the industry giants: Miles Davis, Gene Krupa, and Chet Baker, to name a few. Little Darius got to go along on some of
Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Al Green as sources of inspiration. Anyone not familiar with these artists or their music will hear a great sampling in this show. “Hopefully that will make them want to hear more of this music,” explains Darius. “It’s a real treasure trove!”
his dad’s gigs, and he says that made a lasting
While Capathia admits present-day soul artists
impression. Meanwhile, mother Geraldine sang in
may not be on par with the legends in this show,
a trio with renowned jazz bassist Andy Bey and
she believes every generation makes its mark on
also performed in plenty of musical theatre. Like
music history. “The legends that we celebrate in
A Brooklyn native, Capathia says she always knew
his co-star Capathia, Darius has an outstanding
Classic Soul were of a different time,” she clarifies.
she would sing, and her path into music was the
Broadway track record, including Kiss of the
“That said, there are artists today that I love
church. But with older siblings in the house, there
Spider Woman with the legendary Chita Rivera.
and enjoy very much. Lately, I’m grooving to
was no shortage of a more secular kind of music,
Darius sees no conflict between his Broadway and
D’Angelo!”
which she describes as “everything from Earth
soul sides. As far back as Hair, through Pippin and
Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight &
The Wiz, to more recent jukebox musicals such as
The Pips, The Temptations ... you name it! From
Motown, Broadway has happily borrowed from
the time I could speak, I was singing along with
soul to great advantage.
program, decide the order of songs, the backup singers, and the overall flow of the show.”
a hairbrush as my microphone.”
The singers of Classic Soul feel a special
Music studies in high school and college widened
attachment to some of the brightest stars in soul’s
her musical horizons, leading her eventually to
firmament. Capathia calls Gladys Knight “hands
Broadway. Her impressive resume on the “Great
down” her favorite singer of all time. “She sings,
White Way” includes roles in Disney’s Newsies;
and I cry — I am so moved by the sound of her
Caroline, Or Change; and Martin Short: Fame
voice, coupled with her soul.” And Darius’ favorite
Becomes Me. But soul music remains a passion,
soul artist to channel in the show? Sam Cooke,
and singing it with The Philly POPS is, in her
especially the King of Soul’s classic A Change Is
Darius cites Sam Smith, Adele, Annie Lennox, and John Legend as present-day performers with a shot at being “artists for the ages.” Of course, we won’t get the final verdict on that until some time in the future, but we do know who’s already made it into the pantheon — and we can thrill to their music yet again in Classic Soul.
Classic Soul | February 2015 | 15