SoulTrackers were all around at the "I Got Soul" music conference July 13-15 in Dallas. And they got their weekend’s worth with a terrific three days of music. Special kudos to that NeoSoul Café team of Frances Jaye and Velisa Crayton, along with Jodine Dorce, Carmen Rogers, Asya Shien, Nina Morena, Tabilah Wortham and the rest of the planners, for putting together a soul lover’s dream weekend.
There was great music coming from multiple stages around downtown Dallas throughout the day on Friday and Saturday with performances from the likes of Yahzarah, Sy Smith, Eric Roberson, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Liv Warfield, Lina and more.
And while some of Friday night’s revelers were still sleeping, many of the younger artists 
spent early Saturday afternoon attending panel discussions on such topics as working with record companies, media coverage and music branding.
But the highlight of the weekend was the IGS All-Star Tribute Show, a great concept concert that had nearly a score of artists taking turns covering classic soul and funk songs of the past forty years. The Dallas crowd was blown away by performances of some the top indie soul singers, including Roberson, Smith, Yahzarah, Anthony David, Choklate, Russell Taylor and Geno Young. And just when folks were beginning to recover from Liv Warfield’s killer performance, Atlanta singer RAHBI stole the show with an energetic, lady-pleasing, leaping-into-the-audience take on Prince’s "When Doves Cry." A local noise ordinance forced the show to end at 11:30, but not before Dallas native Carmen Rogers gave a near-perfect closing performance.
With I Got Soul volume two, the IGS crew took it up a notch and created what is developing into one of the highlights of the musical year. It takes a lot to make me want to go to the heat of Dallas in the Summer, but I’ve found my reason. Congrats to the I Got Soul team for making a weekend to remember.
By Chris Rizik
Photographs courtesy of Stevie’s Soul
