Soul Striving with The Duke of Soul

In the age of satellite radio, ipods and mp3 downloads, it's hard to believe there are still folks that long for the touch and crackling sound of spinning vinyl. That's right. With a current generation that can't even conceive the use of a walkman, there happens to be a steady growing movement of classic soul record collectors here in San Jose.

American funk and classic soul by far is one of the most loved and popular genres of music to be collected worldwide, crossing generations, borders, and all color lines. I myself am a soul lover and host of a radio show by the name of San Jo Soul on 91.5 fm KKUP. (Bay Area/Central Coast). My show specializes in rare classic soul and serves as an outlet for Bay Area collectors to showcase their music.

I was able to catch up with San Jo native Art Cordova a.k.a. “The Duke of Soul.” The Duke has been collecting for about 15 years now, not bad for a 32-year-old. Although considered young by most in the game, his deep love and extensive knowledge for the music has earned him the “Duke” title and respect from older and serious collectors nationwide. World-renowned collector Tommy Siqueiro gives the Duke his props, stating that within a short amount of time, he has already passed up many seasoned collectors who have been in the game twice as long. Siquero says, “When I first met him years ago, I could see that he was hungry for the music. He has definitely made his mark amongst collectors.”

The Duke got started collecting back in his teens. Like many young Chicanos, he grew up listening to oldies. But it wasn't till he heard the jam “Gotta Try To Get You Back” by Mike Kirkland that inspired him to look beyond the common stuff and start digging deeper. “I was intrigued by the rawness and depth of that song,” says Duke. He wasn't satisfied with a CD copy; he wanted to see the original record spin.

“Soul music comes straight from the heart,” explains Duke. “It's the melodies and lyrics, the pleasure and pain, that is captured on that little 7-inch record that gets people hooked.” Collectors could spend anywhere from fifty to a few hundred bucks on a single piece of vinyl, and serious collectors could drop thousands. “It's not about the money. It's about the individual's connection to that Rola (song),” says Duke.

Soul collectors all tend to have their own style and flavor. Some seek the slow paced ballads and group soul harmonies known as "tear jerkers," and others prefer the up-tempo Northern soul sound known as "movers and groovers."

There are also different eras and national regions that have their own distinctive soul sound, like Philadelphia, Detroit, and even Ohio for example. The Duke says that we are fortunate to be in the Bay Area because it's one of the most musically sought after regions in the world. “We had some of the baddest groups come out of the Bay,” says Duke, like the E.14th St. Band, The Fuller Brothers, Jesse James, and The San Francisco T.K.O's, to name a few.

I asked the Duke: what makes a good collector? He says it's all about being educated in the music. Knowing artists, dates, and record labels are the fundamentals. Good collectors are constantly studying their soul bibles (record catalogs), knowing what’s out there along with its value, and how to hunt for it. The Duke’s gone as far as contacting the family of old band members while on the hunt for records.

Being connected to the web is also crucial for any soul seeker. “The scene has gone from hitting the local record shops to hitting the internet,” explains Duke. Competing for bids on sites like E-Bay are now commonplace for collectors, as it is now a globally connected community. Duke laughs, “Them boys out in England swooped up on all our soul,” stating that the collectors from the UK currently have some of the rarest soul 45’s in existence. And with contacts made on the web, he is now able to track them down.

And, currently, because of the bad economy, it's an exciting time to be on the record hunt. Says Duke, “There's a lot of big collectors right now hurting for cash.” And, as a result, there are a lot of rare and exclusive 45's starting to pop up on the scene. On top of that, there's also an underground soul movement in full swing right now making things interesting. Contemporary soul artists like “Lee Fields” and musical groups such as "Kings Go Forth” are recording new music in true tradition of the 60's soul era.

Overall, the Duke of Soul is a humble and modest homeboy with straight passion for that sweet soul sound. Although he possesses a soul collection any heavy collector would kill for, he would never claim to have them all. “There's just so much music out there,” claims Duke, and for that reason, he will continue to stay steady on the hunt.