Soul and R&B music have a rich history in Denver. And a team of
promoters wants to bring some of that goodness 100 miles west of the
state capital to Vail.
One of the most exciting voices in neo-soul, Raphael Saadiq, will perform Friday at the Vail Soul Music Fest. See our interview on Page 8E. ( Valery Hache, AFP/Getty Images )
So why host a soul-music festival in Vail, of all places?
"Why not Vail?" asked event planner Rhonda Jackson. "It's beautiful and majestic. When we decided to bring soul music to the state of Colorado, we interviewed a few locations. The town of Vail stepped up and said, 'We get it.' Jazz is prominent in this state, and they were delighted to host the very first soul fest. They have a beautiful venue, too -- the Ford Amphitheater is new, and it has that great outdoor element."
The festival lineup includes up-and-comers and a few well- known names. Headliner Raphael Saadiq is best known for his work in the early-'90s pop-R&B act Tony! Toni! Tone! but he since has reinvented himself as one of the most revered voices in neo-soul. Detroit artist Dwele also specializes in hotly produced, beat-heavy neo-soul.
Jackson and her team came to the idea of a soul-music festival by looking at what Colorado summers lacked.
Source: Ricardo Baca, The Denver Post
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