Akeelah & The Bee by Original Soundtrack (CD, Apr-2006, Lion's Gate)

After seeing "Akeelah & the Bee," I wanted to enjoy the music which includes a mix of Motown classics (Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and the Spinners "Rubber Band Man") along with original compositions. Since much of the music plays behind dialogue and action that steals the viewer's attention or is abbreviated to fit the scene requirements, anyone wanting the "full" version of each song needs to buy the CD. I was not disappointed. Much of the music has an uplifting quality like the movie. However, this is not a consistent "mood-setting" CD. The selections vary widely in tempo and style. One of my favorite selections includes the lyrical question: "What have you done today to make you feel proud?" This original composition expresses the film's theme and does so in gospel style with soul. Excellent sound quality throughout even on the "oldies" cuts.