Charles Bradley and the refined art of not losing faith

A basic feature of R & B and consequently also of Soul, Funk, Hip Hop and everything that came after is that they are derived musical concepts of pain, effort and even suffering.

Originating in the early 40s, R & B, their sound and their songs were derived from the same stories of American blacks and all its aspirations, missteps, economic or love problems; besides sex, hard work, racism and more.

Although over the years the genre has mutated , like everything, serving as inspiration for new generations of exponents like Chris Brown or what you are doing Zayn , to name very current examples, initially beyond the romanticism and sensuality, sound It was inspired by the pain and suffering that blacks lived at the time.

There is that special feeling of musical legends like James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Smokey Robinson and many more. Artists who knew how to translate those real stories for them, through interpretations and truly genuine and soulful songs.

In that case, there is no better profile that fits this concept as that of Charles Bradley. A summary of his life could be fast, although it is unfair to how difficult it can be to star.

His mother abandoned newborn to leave with her ​​grandmother, but then looks for him and his brother when just are some children and takes them to live in Brooklyn, with small drawback that it is unable to maintain and has aggression problems . This forces Charles, almost a teenager without any formal education, to take to the streets and subways of New York as his home, including homeless and drug addicts.

Over the years and multiple jobs to survive, he manages to discover music and above all, passion for using his throat and interpret their pain as an instrument. So it does become a professional impersonator of James Brown and even invent their own character Black Velvet; facets with which kicked the bars without any success for over 40 years.

Much of these stories, as well as the murder of his older brother, his near-death experience due to an allergic reaction, the musical revival and even reconciliation years later with his mother, are narrated along 'Soul of America ' , a documentary about Bradley premiered at the South by Southwest Festival 2012.

But this is not nearly as shocking of all. In addition to the tragic stories of his life, the audiovisual also recorded as Charles never loses faith, passion for music and love for life and others. Under that philosophy of life manages to meet people from Daptone Records, to slowly and painstakingly take steps to realize an almost impossible his 62 years of life dream: Edit their first album.

This happened in 2011 with the launch of 'No Time For Dreaming', a first LP not only full of R & B, Soul and Funk; but also of all those stories but now in the form of songs, that contextualize his heartfelt interpretations. He wrote songs that helped its musicians and while learning to read and write with a tutor.

The album comes out, it pushes the film and Charles becomes a viral event that manages to give tours in more than 20 countries worldwide, far exceed sales expectations Album (included in the top 50 that year according to Rolling Stone), presented at festivals such as Bonnaroo or Austin City Limits and even in major TV shows like Jay Leno, Carson Daly or Jools Holland.

As there is no time to lose, in 2013 would publish with also very good receptivity his second plate "Victim of Love 'and today, 67 years old, ACADA released their third studio album entitled' Changes', which is also a great Black Sabbath cover included therein.

At the risk of intense PauloCohelista, I do believe that Charles Bradley is a tangible example that there are rewards for hard work, it's worth doing what you love and it's never too late to start from scratch.

Just as there are legendary artists sweating Rock & Roll, the pores of Charles Bradley leaves the pure R & B, Soul and above all, a lot of faith.