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WHAT’S GOG ON AT 50: MARV GAYE’S MASTERPIECE IS STILL SO TE TO LIFE

* is marvin gaye jazz *

Marv Gaye’s classic 1971 rerd What’s Gog On turns 50 this month, which means more people than ever will have ocsn to note how timely is. “He uld have wrten What’s Gog On yterday, ” poet Nikki Gvanni noted an terview last tumn, explag that the ver portra of her 2020 llectn, Make Me Ra, pays homage to Gaye’s album ver, picturg Gvanni a raat, her llar upturned. The rerd’s endurance – most movgly displayed by Nelson Manla, who, shortly after his release om prison 1990, reced l om the album at Tiger Stadium Detro – has practilly bee a one is wrong, of urse, to say that Gaye’s album cuts as eply today as did 1971.

A dively spired work driven by social rage – one that braid doo-wop harmoni, jazz and the hymns Gaye had loved as a child – What’s Gog On was also Gaye’s claratn of creative pennce om Berry Gordy’s Motown mache. After a of polished pop hs, Gaye, now his early 30s, revealed there was a lot on his md: the outrage of the war Vietnam (What’s Happeng Brother?

MARV GAYE

Marv Gaye was a soul sger-songwrer wh Motown the 1960s and 1970s. He produced his own rerds and often addrsed ntroversial them. * is marvin gaye jazz *

The surgent subject matter was acpanied by a change Gaye’s personal style: he stopped wearg ti and grew a beard. ”What’s Gog On remas val, above all, for how turns away om that “Ameri” and stead addrs the tle qutn to a closer-kn group – those people gathered at the hoe party Gaye stag the album’s openg moments; the “mother, mother” and “father father” he lls out to (and that the party settg might emboln him to ndidly addrs).

MARV {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 19, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1939-1984){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS MARV GAYE?MARV GAYE SANG HIS FATHER'S CHURCH AND THE MOONGLOWS BEFORE SIGNG WH MOTOWN. HE RERD SONGS BY SMOKEY ROBSON BEFORE BEG HIS OWN PRODUCER ON THE PROTT ALBUM WHAT'S GOG ON (1971). GAYE'S LATER RERDS VELOPED HIS PRODUCTN STYLE AND YIELD SEVERAL HS, CLUDG "LET'S GET IT ON," "SEXUAL HEALG" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE." GAYE WAS KILLED 1984 DURG A DOMTIC DISPUTE WH HIS FATHER.EARLY LIFESGER MARV PENTZ GAYE, JR., ALSO KNOWN AS THE "PRCE OF SOUL," WAS BORN WASHGTON, D.C., ON APRIL 2, 1939. GAYE WAS RAISED UNR THE STRICT NTROL OF HIS FATHER, REVEREND MARV GAY SR.—MARV GAYE JR. ADD THE "E" ON THE END OF HIS NAME LATER LIFE—THE MISTER AT A LOL CHURCH, AGAST A BLEAK BACKDROP OF WISPREAD VLENCE HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THROUGHOUT HIS CHILDHOOD, GAYE OFTEN FOUND PEACE MIC, MASTERG THE PIANO AND DMS AT A YOUNG AGE. UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, HIS SGG EXPERIENCE WAS LIMED TO CHURCH REVIVALS, BUT SOON HE VELOPED A LOVE FOR R&B AND DOO-WOP THAT WOULD SET THE FOUNDATN FOR HIS REER. IN THE LATE 1950S, GAYE JOED A VOL GROUP LLED THE NEW MOONGLOWS. THE TALENTED SGER HAD A PHENOMENAL RANGE THAT SPANNED THREE VOL STYL AND HE SOON IMPRSED THE GROUP'S FOUNR, HARVEY FUQUA. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE GAYE AND FUQUA BOTH ME TO THE ATTENTN OF DETRO MIC IMPRAR {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BERRY GORDY JR. AND WERE SIGNED TO GORDY'S LEGENDARY MOTOWN RERDS.MOTOWN RERDSGAYE'S FIRST CERTIFIED H UNR HIS OWN NAME WOULDN'T E UNTIL 1962, BUT HIS EARLY YEARS AT MOTOWN WERE FULL OF BEHD-THE-SCEN SUCCS. HE WAS A SSN DMMER FOR MOTOWN LEGENDS SUCH AS LTLE STEVIE WONR, THE SUPREM, THE MARVELETT AND MARTHA AND THE VANLLAS. SHOWG HIS STRIP AS MOTOWN'S RENAISSANCE MAN, GAYE WENT ON TO BREAK TO THE TOP 40 FOR THE FIRST TIME ON HIS OWN 1962 WH HIS SOLO SGLE "HCH HIKE." THROUGHOUT THE 1960S, GAYE WOULD SHOW HIS IMMENSE RANGE, CHURNG OUT SOLO DANCE HS AND ROMANTIC DUETS WH H-MAKERS LIKE DIANA ROSS AND MARY WELLS. "CAN I GET A WNS" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE" WERE SOME OF GAYE'S BIGGT HS OF THE PERD, THE LATTER ACHIEVG S PLACE AS MOTOWN'S BT-SELLG SGLE OF THE 1960S. FOR THREE HIGH-FLYG YEARS, GAYE AND TAMMI TERRELL WOWED THE UNTRY WH THEIR SOARG DUET PERFORMANC OF SONGS LIKE "A'T NO MOUNTA HIGH ENOUGH" AND "IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU." UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR REIGN AS THE ROYAL COUPLE OF R&B END WHEN TERRELL SUCCUMBED TO A BRA TUMOR 1970. HIS BELOVED PARTNER'S ATH HERED A DARK PERD FOR THE SGER, WHO SWORE NEVER TO PARTNER WH ANOTHER FEMALE VOLIST AND THREATENED TO ABANDON THE STAGE FOR GOOD.POLIL MSAGEIN 1970, SPIRED BY LATG VLENCE AND POLIL UNRT OVER THE VIETNAM WAR, GAYE WROTE THE LANDMARK SONG "WHAT'S GOG ON." DPE CLASH WH MOTOWN OVER THE SONG'S CREATIVE DIRECTN, THE SGLE WAS RELEASED 1971 AND BEME AN STANT SMASH. ITS SUCCS PROMPTED GAYE TO TAKE EVEN MORE RISKS, BOTH MILLY AND POLILLY. WHEN WAS RELEASED THE SPRG OF 1971, THE WHAT'S GOG ON ALBUM SERVED TO OPEN GAYE UP TO NEW DIENC WHILE MATAG HIS MOTOWN FOLLOWG. DEPARTG OM THE TRIED AND TE MOTOWN FORMULA, GAYE WENT OUT ON HIS OWN ARTISTILLY, PAVG THE WAY FOR OTHER MOTOWN ARTISTS LIKE WONR AND MICHAEL JACKSON TO BRANCH OUT LATER YEARS. BEYOND FLUENCG HIS PEERS, THE ALBUM GARNERED WISPREAD CRIL ACCLAIM, WNG THE ROLLG STONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR AWARD.CROSSOVER SUCCSIN 1972, GAYE MOVED TO LOS ANGEL AND SOON MET JANIS HUNTER, WHO WOULD LATER BEE HIS SEND WIFE. INSPIRED PART BY HIS NEWFOUND PENNCE, GAYE RERD ONE OF THE MOST REVERED LOVE ANTHEMS OF ALL TIME, "LET'S GET IT ON." THE SONG BEME HIS SEND NO. 1 BILLBOARD H, CEMENTG HIS CROSSOVER APPEAL ONCE AND FOR ALL. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, MOTOWN PHED GAYE TO TOURG TO PALIZE ON HIS MOST RECENT SUCCS; RELUCTANTLY THE SGER-SONGWRER RETURNED TO THE STAGE. THROUGH MOST OF THE MID-1970S, GAYE WAS TOURG, LLABORATG OR PRODUCG. WORKG WH DIANA ROSS AND THE MIRACL, HE PUT OFF RELEASG ANOTHER SOLO ALBUM UNTIL 1976. HE NTUED TOURG AFTER THE RELEASE OF I WANT YOU (1976) AND, AFTER SRG A NO. 1 H 1977 WH THE DANCE SGLE "GOT TO GIVE IT UP," RELEASED HIS LAST ALBUM FOR MOTOWN RERDS (HERE, MY DEAR) 1978. (DES LATER, "GOT TO GIVE IT UP" WOULD BEE THE CENTER OF A BIG NTROVERSY. IN 2013, GAYE'S TATE ASSERTED THAT PRODUCER/SONGWRER PHARRELL WILLIAMS AND SGER/SONGWRER ROB THICKE HAD MTED PYRIGHT GEMENT BY TAKG MAJOR MIL ELEMENTS OM THE DIS TRACK FOR THE MEGA-H "BLURRED L." AFTER A SE WHICH THICKE TTIFIED THAT HE'D HAD LTLE TO DO WH THE WRG OF THE SONG, THE JURY LED FAVOR OF GAYE'S FAY, WHO WERE AWARD $7.3 LN DAMAG AND PROF SHAR. THE JURY ALSO LED THAT NEHER WILLIAMS OR THICKE HAD PURPOSELY MTED GEMENT.) AFTER TWO S AT MOTOWN, GAYE SIGNED WH CBS'S COLUMBIA RERDS 1982 AND BEGAN TO WORK ON HIS LAST ALBUM, MIDNIGHT LOVE. THE LEAD SGLE OM THAT ALBUM, "SEXUAL HEALG," BEME A HUGE EBACK H FOR THE R&B STAR AND EARNED HIM HIS FIRST TWO GRAMMY AWARDS AND AN AMERIN MIC AWARD FOR FAVORE SOUL SGLE.PERSONAL LIFEIN 1975, GAYE'S WIFE ANNA GORDY—BERRY GORDY'S SISTER—FILED FOR DIVORCE, AND TWO YEARS LATER GAYE MARRIED HUNTER, WHO HAD BY THEN GIVEN BIRTH TO THEIR DGHTER, NONA (BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1974) AND THEIR SON FRANKIE (BORN NOVEMBER 16, 1975). GAYE ALSO HAD AN ADOPTED SON (MARV PENTZ GAYE III) OM HIS PREV MARRIAGE. THE SGER'S MARRIAGE TO HUNTER PROVED SHORT LIVED AND TUMULTUO, ENDG DIVORCE 1981.DEATH AND LEGACYDPE HIS SUCCSFUL EBACK THE EARLY 1980S, GAYE STGGLED BADLY WH THE SUBSTANCE ABE AND BOUTS OF PRSN THAT HAD PLAGUED HIM FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE. AFTER HIS LAST TOUR, HE MOVED TO HIS PARENTS' HOE. THERE HE AND HIS FATHER FELL TO A PATTERN OF VLENT FIGHTS AND QUARRELS THAT RELLED NFLICTS THAT HAD HNTED THE FAY FOR S. ON APRIL 1, 1984, MARV GAYE SR. SHOT AND KILLED HIS SON AFTER A PHYSIL ALTERTN; THE FATHER CLAIMED HE ACTED SELF-FENSE BUT WOULD LATER BE NVICTED OF VOLUNTARY MANSLGHTER. THREE YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, GAYE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. CREATG BETIFUL ART OM A TROUBLED LIFE, GAYE AGA AND AGA BROUGHT HIS VISN, RANGE AND ARTISTRY TO THE WORLD STAGE. AT THE END OF HIS REER, HE ADMTED HE NO LONGER MA MIC FOR PLEASURE; STEAD, HE SAID, "I RERD SO THAT I N FEED PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY FEEL. HOPEFULLY, I RERD SO THAT I N HELP SOMEONE OVERE A BAD TIME."{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: MARV GAYEBIRTH YEAR: 1939BIRTH DATE: APRIL 2, 1939BIRTH CY: WASHGTON, D. C.BIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL THEM.INDTRIPOPASTROLOGIL SIGN: ARIINTERTG FACTSBEFORE MAKG AS A SOLO ARTIST, MARV GAYE PLAYED DMS FOR ARTISTS SUCH AS STEVIE WONR AND THE SUPREM.DEATH YEAR: 1984DEATH DATE: APRIL 1, 1984DEATH STATE: CALIFORNIADEATH CY: LOS ANGELDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECKWE STRIVE FOR ACCURACY AND YOU SEE SOMETHG THAT DON'T LOOK RIGHT,NTACT !CITATION INFORMATIONARTICLE TLE: MARV GAYE BGRAPHYAUTHOR: EDORSWEBSE NAME: THE WEBSEURL: ACCS DATE: PUBLISHER: A&E; TELEVISN NETWORKSLAST UPDATED: APRIL 19, 2021ORIGAL PUBLISHED DATE: APRIL 2, 2014QUOTES

” the speaker asks What’s Happeng Brother?, checkg the claims of those power agast the thory of everyday Black is one thg to celebrate Gaye’s endurg and prcient mo of creatn; another to appld the ntued ronance of his album’s ncerns.

We should not be sangue, for stance, that Gaye’s unrstated blu crique of “trigger-happy policg” has stayed so relevant; or that anti-Black vlence has so persisted over the last 50 years that remas necsary for Black artists and everyday people to approach the task of survivg and thrivg Ameri wh the energy, elegance and grace that Gaye molled this landmark work.

This, any se, is the imprsn I get when watchg Gaye troduce the tle track at the Montrx jazz ftival the summer of 1980. Maybe he was tired – was the last song of a long set – but the 40-year-old Gaye, his illed whe shirt and sequned red su jacket, appears to not jt work the crowd but panr to wh some ntempt: “This was our very first No 1 rerd ever the world, ladi and gentlemen. Photograph: US Army/Getty ImagThis is precisely the kd of galvanisg work that Gaye was dog wh What’s Gog On, for his own people his own time – a historil pot that is often obscured when we fixate on the rerd’s timelsns.

CELEBRATG THE JAZZ OF MARV GAYE – Y, JAZZ! – #JAZZAPPRECIATNMONTH (LISTEN)

Gaye’s crique of the Vietnam war, for example, which was rmed by his brother Frankie’s experienc of the nflict, was disarmgly distctive. So, too, was Gaye’s growg matury, which Black fans heard both his mment to Black life and their own potential.

”Vcent se Gaye’s actns as “the drivg force” behd Stevie Wonr’s polil turn at Motown, as well as the rigoro funk of Sly and the Fay Stone and the righteo soul of Aretha Frankl’s 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black. The stars, along wh untls ssn micians, were “dog their bt work ever at this ccial moment time” – settg the standard, the se of Gaye and his llaborator David Van De Pte’s meticulo strg, nga, bass and vol arrangements – for what Vcent lls “soul mic as high art” be sure, What’s Gog On is an impecbly posed sue.

Listen to how Gaye cranks the volume back up jt as the tle track starts to fa out – a sign of rilience as well as a petty refal to let a track that Gordy hated end whout a fight.

JAZZ LOV MARV GAYE

” Here is a nvivialy you make jt by showg up, where you don’t have to know someone to be glad they Gaye the stud 1973. Photograph: Jim Brt/Getty ImagWhat I listen for now are moments like the, which, spe repeated plays, ver versns and sampl of Gaye’s songs, still sound disrdant and unrolved. (oh, for the children), ” Gaye sgs, makg his way up a hntg and haltg mil sle, as if toward a future jt out of reach.

In this portn of the rerd, timg and melody e unmoored, as Gaye mak room for hard, even spairg qutns: is possible to “save a world that is sted to die”? If at first Gaye seems ncerned wh parsg good om bad actors, “those of who simply like to socialise” v “those of who tend the sick and heed the people’s cri, ” he also gathers them all to an affirmative, right-on roll ll that mellows out to an oblique paean to sex: “And my darlg, one more thg / If you let me, I will take you to live where love is kg.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* IS MARVIN GAYE JAZZ

Marv Gaye - Death, Father & Songs .

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