Soul City Art Urban

These eight lectures are a celebration of humanity and the rich texture of human experience. They are a fascinating focus on the complex artistic representations of city life from the 18th to the 20th century. Join Professor Weinstein as he reveals the portraits of humanity that came from several of the period's greatest artists, writers, and thinkers.

"In the City" is the 3rd studio album by American soul/R&B group Tavares, released in 1975 on the Capitol label. The album peaked at #8 on the R&B albums chart. It also reached #26 on the Billboard 200. The album features the singles "It Only Takes a Minute", which peaked at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, The Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride", which charted at #8 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and #52 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "The Love I Never Had", which reached #11 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Benny Sings’ music could well be described as intimate lo-fi Disney hip hop songs. The terms AOR and Yacht Rock are often used to define his sunny 70’s and 80’s melodies. But it’s not all retro: Benny’s happy-sad songwriting, late ‘90s R&B beats and buttery production shape a sound bringing to mind the soundtrack to a just released indie comedy.

This collection is a pair of D-Train's earliest efforts, 1983's "Music" and the following year's "Something's on Your Mind"; for better or for worse, their sound is completely a product of its era, and while some listeners will find the disc thoroughly dated, others will enjoy its nostalgic charms.

"Innervisions" is the 16th studio album by American musician Stevie Wonder, released August 3, 1973, on the Tamla label for Motown Records, a landmark recording of his "classic period". The nine tracks of Innervisions encompass a wide range of themes and issues: from drug abuse in "Too High", through inequality and systemic racism in "Living for the City", to love in the ballads "All in Love Is Fair" and "Golden Lady". The album's closer, "He's Misstra Know-It-All", is a scathing attack on then-US President Richard Nixon, similar to Wonder's song a year later, "You Haven't Done Nothin'".

Starpoint was an American R&B sextet from Maryland that began recording in the 1980s, releasing a string of solid albums first on the Casablanca sub label "Chocolate City", and later on Elektra. Their earlier albums, especially 1980's "Keep on It" were more funk than R&B, but vocalist Renee Diggs brought the R&B elements to the forefront with her powerful vocals which had both presence and sophistication, coupled with near perfect pitch and very pleasing tone.