Yep, it's all Just Soul, Cliff...
(...Except that 'Modern' stuff...
...that's just Disco!)
Some interesting comments on the 'Todays People' thread, don't you think?
Somehow, in '76, uptempo NEW stuff was generally accepted on the Northern scene. Sure, we'd had the Boby Franklin issue at the Casino, but that was cos it was deemed too 'funky' rather than because it was 'new' or 'Modern'.
The examples from Pete: Johnny Williams 'Kinda Mellow', Creative Source "Don't Be Afraid", East Coast Connection "Summer In The Parks" were definately just seen by the regulars as 'Northern' for that period. They certainly weren't (in my recollection) tagged as 'Modern Soul' - as a genre.
Personally agree with you that over the past 30 odd years we've all allowed it to become complicated and that has restricted some listeners to only the stuff that 'pigeon holes' nicely into a particular style, genre or period.
Guess that's the magic of Soul Essence. Everything SOULFUL from all eras, all tempo's and to suit all tastes.
Can hardly wait!
Sean