Aloe Blacc sang selections from the great American soul songbook at the Jazzablanca Festival in Morocco.
Headlining the mainstage on Friday in Casablanca, the US singer punctuated nearly half of his set with classic pieces from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, in addition to extended medleys featuring reggae staples by the likes of Bob Marley.
Could this herald a change of approach for the solo artist, known for his own hits such as The Man, I Need a Dollar and Wake Me Up, his collaboration with Avicii?
Judging by the reception received in the Moroccan city, it could be a winning formula.
The singer's mellow croon made smooth work of Wonder’s Superstition and Gaye’s What’s Going On?, while also dialling up the temperature with an energetic take of James Brown’s I Got You (I Feel Good).
Fortunately, Blacc’s own material also fared well when sandwiched amid these classics.
The breakout hit I Need a Dollar resonates with its urgent arrangement and social commentary and You Make Me Smile is the kind of understated sentimentality recalling the soul great Bill Withers.
Speaking to The National in Casablanca, Blacc alludes that his performance is part of a new “soul show” he is working on.
That said, he still plans to perform his original songs from 2020’s solid yet overlooked album All Love Everything.
"Upon reflection, I could be happier with the reception it received," he says.
"It would have been nice if there was no pandemic, and I had the chance to travel and tour to make sure that everyone got a chance to experience the music the way I wanted to share it with them."
Then again, Blacc is confident the album's universal themes of family and relationship, epitomised in standout tracks such as I Do and Hold on Tight, will eventually get their due.
As for the next album, Blacc says he is already working on new music – expect a more strategic approach.
"I love making albums because I enjoy creating cohesive bodies of work that thematically and musically fit together," he says.
"But in this current market and the way streaming works, I don't know if it benefits albums in general.
“I think I'll have to release singles and package the album at the end of releasing it all.”
Blacc knows all about the power of a hit single.
While I Need a Dollar reached number two on the UK charts, it paled against the reception of 2013’s Wake Me Up, the joint effort with late DJ Avicii that topped the charts in more than a dozen countries including the US and UK.
As 2023 marks five years since his death in Oman, Blacc says the Swedish DJ will be remembered by peers as the consummate collaborator.
"His legacy will always be strong," he says. "Avicii was not shy about finding the best songwriters and his music is going to live on. This is not just because of the lyrics, but also the musicality behind the songs."
