Soul

The soul in many religions, philosophical and mythological traditions, is the incorporeal and immortal essence of a living being. According to Abrahamic religions, only human beings have immortal souls. For example, the Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas attributed "soul" (anima) to all organisms but argued that only human souls are immortal. Other religions (most notably Jainism and Hinduism) teach that all biological organisms have souls, while some teach that even non-biological entities (such as rivers and mountains) possess souls. This latter belief is called animism.

Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle understood that the psyche (ψυχή) must have a logical faculty, the exercise of which was the most divine of human actions. At his defense trial, Socrates even summarized his teaching as nothing other than an exhortation for his fellow Athenians to excel in matters of the psyche since all bodily goods are dependent on such excellence (The Apology 30a–b).

Anima mundi is the concept of a "world soul" connecting all living organisms on the planet.

Soul II Soul

Soul II Soul are a British musical group formed in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and US Top 5 hit "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)". They won two Grammy Awards, and have been nominated for five Brit Awards – twice for Best British Group.

Career

The group initially attracted attention as a sound system, playing records at house and street parties (where their clothing style, dubbed "Funki Dred", started a line of clothing). Founded by Jazzie B and featuring a changing roster of other musicians – notably Penny Ford, Nellee Hooper, Simon Law, Phillip 'Daddae' Harvey and Caron Wheeler – Soul II Soul's experiments in music-making of their own resulted in the dub plate "Fairplay," which secured them a recording contract with Virgin Records.

Their first singles in 1988 failed to make the UK Top 40, but the group went on to commercial success in 1989 with the singles "Keep on Movin'" and "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)", which topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks, and was the fifth best-selling single in the UK that year. Both tracks, which featured Wheeler on vocals, were taken from their debut album Club Classics Vol. One which reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. In July 1989, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Soul II Soul had to pull out of their scheduled live appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops programme, following a dispute with the programme's producer.

Soul music

Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues and jazz. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States; where record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential in the civil rights era. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music and the music of Africa.

According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testifying". Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and extemporaneous body moves, are an important feature of soul music. Other characteristics are a call and response between the soloist and the chorus, and an especially tense vocal sound. The style also occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls and auxiliary sounds. Soul music reflected the African-American identity, it stressed the importance of an African-American culture. The new-found African-American consciousness led to new music, which boasted pride in being black.

Soul Train

Soul Train was an American musical variety television program which aired in syndication from 1971 until 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco and gospel artists also appeared. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer.

Production was suspended following the 2005-2006 season, with a rerun package (known as The Best of Soul Train) airing for two years subsequently. As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence during later seasons contained a claim that it was the "longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated program in American television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005-2006 season. Despite the production hiatus, Soul Train will continue to hold that honor until at least 2016, if and when its nearest competitor, Entertainment Tonight, completes its 35th season. If ET does not complete a 35th season, Wheel of Fortune will surpass it in 2018 if it continues to air.

Soul Clap

Soul Clap is an American DJ and production duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Active in the club scene since 2001, the group has released a number of mixtapes, EPs, singles, and albums. In 2012 they released their first full-length album, EFUNK. According to XLR8R, Soul Clap "[tempt] the listener into the darker, more abstract corners of house (and its relative offshoots) by dressing them up with smooth, jazzy trimmings." The BBC wrote "they blend neon-splattered nostalgia with a crisp futurism thanks to their experimental production techniques."

Soul Clap tours frequently, often with the DJ duo Wolf + Lamb, and have performed at festivals such as Electric Forest Festival, Rhythm & Vines, Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Osheaga Festival, and the Decibel Festival. They have worked with musicians such as Ben Westbeech and released official remixes for groups such as Laid Back, Metronomy, Little Dragon, Robert Owens, and DJ Harvey. Soul Clap operates Soul Clap Records in Boston, which releases music both digitally and on vinyl. Soul Clap Records is a part of Crew Love, a publishing and touring group formed with Wolf + Lamb and Double Standard Records.