One of the speakers at Michael Jackson's memorial compared his dancing to Jackie Wilson & James Brown.

Although a Jackie Wilson fan myself I wasn't aware that he was a dancer up there with the best. When I think (& thats not as often as I would like) of the premier soul dance acts I always think of James Brown & The Temps.

So, was jackie Wilson that good?

Obviously I've done a bit of research & haven't come up with too much on you tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUmW_sAj4II&feature=related

Hopefully soomebody will tell me who was the best soul artist dancer?

Anita Harris?

You're in a quirky mood tonight. Who's upset you?

I'm discounting artists on the verge of bankruptcy. For legal reasons I say no.

You're in a quirky mood tonight. Who's upset you?

I'm discounting artists on the verge of bankruptcy. For legal reasons I say no.

Very droll, Colin. You've cheered me up no end.

In a serious answer to the question I honestly think James Brown had few rivals when it came to innovative and influential dancing from the stage. In the group stakes I'd have to say The O'Jays in their prime were far better movers than The Temptations.

well isn't that how Michael Jackson got his dancing learning from Jackie Wilson

I always think Jackie Wilson was a prime mover and is by far up there as the best.

In clips of Jackie singing he does have some good foot moves, but wonder if a lot was to do with the fact in the old days you wasn't allowed to move to much of your body about!!!!

I remember seeing a clip once of Frankie lymon and the teenagers dancing... incredible.. 2 of them were doing the splits while one stood in the middle and bounced them up and down like a yo yo...

There used to be a video on U tube of The Flamingos on stage(cant find it now) and boy could Tommy Hunt do the business. one of the best I've ever seen.

Saw James Brown in the early 70's and he blew me away too

regards

Ian

Perhaps a bit OT, but I like the clever dubbing (which doesn't normally work) of a Northern track to the utterly awesome Nicholas Brothers.

Shows where an awful lot of the soul dancing comes from. Even got some breakdancing.

Talking to various people down the years who were on the US soul scene in the 50s and 60s there is little doubt as to who was the greatest dancer. Virtually everyone I have talked to pauses and makes it quite clear that there was no one to compete with Jackie Wilson as a performer. Bill Curtis from the Fatback Band drummed on a lot of package tours and was in the Apollo house band says it, and Latin producer Bobby Marin who grew up in East Harlem and spent a large part of his formative years hanging around the Apollo told me this when we were discussing great live acts 'James Brown? I saw him so often I got bored of him, but Jackie Wilson, I could watch forever'....

As other people have said, if you talk to veteran Soul fans in the US they will almost unanimously declare that JACKIE WILSON was the greatest stage performer and that his dancing was incomparable. I believe it was JACKIE WILSON who originally brought us the backdrop and splits as part of his stage show, a style of dancing that somehow eventually found it's way to the north of England and the rest is history! In a current thread I have already commented on this exact subject, pointing out that if JACKIE and JAMES BROWN had been given the production values, budgets and the video artistry of today, then they would probably have been easily viewed as superior dancers and performers. Just my opinion thats all and also taking on onboard the genuine 'Soul' content of their material throughout their career unlike JACKSON who bleached himself out both physically and musically to become the king of pop.

Edited July 9, 200915 yr by chorleysoul

I think it was Ritson & Russell on the radio talking about NS dancers and their inspirations. They mentioned live performances by Alvin Cash & The Crawlers at the Wheel I think, with the Crawlers doing backflips on stage..

well i think that the 5 chimps on youtube, stomping to HAVE SOME EVERYBODY is just great !

from susan xx

well isn't that how Michael Jackson got his dancing learning from Jackie Wilson

I always think Jackie Wilson was a prime mover and is by far up there as the best.

Doesn't it say something in the "Nowhere To Run" book that MJ learned his stagecraft from standing in the wings at The Apollo watching JB? To my eyes, if you watch MJ dancing, there is an awful lot of James Browns routines in there, certainly in the early days.

One of the speakers at Michael Jackson's memorial compared his dancing to Jackie Wilson & James Brown.

Although a Jackie Wilson fan myself I wasn't aware that he was a dancer up there with the best. When I think (& thats not as often as I would like) of the premier soul dance acts I always think of James Brown & The Temps.

So, was jackie Wilson that good?

Obviously I've done a bit of research & haven't come up with too much on you tube

https://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Hopefully soomebody will tell me who was the best soul artist dancer?

JACKO was a shite dancer!! And the rest just copied and built on the Nicholas Brothers roots..