PREVIOUS GUESTS

Robert Cutarella

Twist & Soul: The Beatles Reimagined: Where Liverpool meets Motown.

Welcome to Twist & Soul, this weeks deep dive into the extraordinary intersection of Beatles songwriting and Black musical genius. While the Fab Four began their career covering American R&B pioneers, they ultimately created a catalog that inspired some of the greatest soul and jazz artists of all time to reinvent them.

Every episode, we put the original recordings head-to-head with soul-stirring covers—exploring how Otis Redding brought grit to a rock melody, how Aretha Franklin turned a ballad into a gospel anthem, and how Stevie Wonder added pure funk to a classic.

What to Expect
The Original vs. The Reinterpretation: We play the Beatles classic, followed immediately by a transformative cover, exploring changes in tempo, genre, and emotion.
Contextual Commentary: Exploring the influence of Black music on the Beatles and how they returned the favor by championing artists like Billy Preston.
Genre-Bending Highlights: From Ray Charles’ iconic version of "Eleanor Rigby" to Earth, Wind & Fire’s funk-driven "Got to Get You Into My Life".

Sample Playlist Comparison
"We Can Work It Out" — The Beatles (1965) vs. Stevie Wonder (1970)
"Yesterday" — The Beatles (1965) vs. Marvin Gaye (1970)
"Come Together" — The Beatles (1969) vs. The Meters (1970)
"Help!" — The Beatles (1965) vs. Tina Turner (1984)
"Blackbird" — The Beatles (1968) vs. Dionne Farris (1990s)

Twist & Soul: The Beatles Reimagined: Where Liverpool meets Motown. Welcome to Twist & Soul, this weeks deep dive into the extraordinary intersection of Beatles songwriting and Black musical genius. While the Fab Four began their career covering American R&B pioneers, they ultimately created a catalog that inspired some of the greatest soul and jazz artists of all time to reinvent them. Every episode, we put the original recordings head-to-head with soul-stirring covers—exploring how Otis Redding brought grit to a rock melody, how Aretha Franklin turned a ballad into a gospel anthem, and how Stevie Wonder added pure funk to a classic. What to Expect The Original vs. The Reinterpretation: We play the Beatles classic, followed immediately by a transformative cover, exploring changes in tempo, genre, and emotion. Contextual Commentary: Exploring the influence of Black music on the Beatles and how they returned the favor by championing artists like Billy Preston. Genre-Bending Highlights: From Ray Charles’ iconic version of "Eleanor Rigby" to Earth, Wind & Fire’s funk-driven "Got to Get You Into My Life". Sample Playlist Comparison "We Can Work It Out" — The Beatles (1965) vs. Stevie Wonder (1970) "Yesterday" — The Beatles (1965) vs. Marvin Gaye (1970) "Come Together" — The Beatles (1969) vs. The Meters (1970) "Help!" — The Beatles (1965) vs. Tina Turner (1984) "Blackbird" — The Beatles (1968) vs. Dionne Farris (1990s)