Michael Powers is generally considered a jazz artist, but the Seattle guitarist’s tastes in music have always covered a wide range. Lately he has been exploring his interest in soul. The result of this exploration can be found on his newest album, “Soul School,” released earlier this summer.

“I have always been interested in this type of music,” he said. “This music is part of my DNA. I grew up listening to it.”

Powers wished to do more than play some great soul covers. He wanted to research the songs and the artists who wrote and recorded them.

Powers wrote liner notes about each of the songs. “To go back and explore this music has been a great learning experience,” he said. Thus, the title refers to his learning process.

Powers originally picked 20 songs for the album then narrowed this down to 12. Songs that made the final cut had to be not only a great tune, but also have been recorded by a significant artist.

Some songs he made demo recordings then dropped them after determining they were not special enough for what he had in mind.

Artists covered on the album include Sam Cooke, Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield. For some artists he chose major hits; other songs are a bit off the beaten path. An example he gives of the latter is “If You Want Me To Stay” by Sly and the Family Stone.

Powers noted all the artists are male. As he thought about the significance of Aretha Franklin, he realized there could be an album of covers of songs by female soul singers. “Maybe that will be volume two,” he observed.

He placed the songs in reverse chronological order, with “Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke as the last track.

“The response has been fabulous,” Powers said. “People like learning stuff. They enjoy getting this historical overview.”

A special treat on “Soul School” is that each song is introduced by Sir Mix-A-Lot in a radio disc jockey manner.

Powers and the local rapper have known each other for about 20 years, first meeting at an awards show where they were both winners.

They also collaborated on MTV’s “The Real World” the season the reality show was filmed in Seattle. A female cast member wanted to sing in a recording studio and they were brought in to lend their talents.

Powers went on to play guitar on some of the legendary rapper’s biggest hits, including “Baby Got Back.”

“We have been friends for years,” Powers said. “I found him to be a very straightforward guy. We are both very involved in all aspects of the production of our albums.”

Powers is pleased Sir Mix-A-Lot could appear on one of his albums. “This was the first situation where it made sense,” he said. The rapper wrote the song introductions. “I just said the names of the artists and he came up with all of that stuff. He is a definite student of that genre.”

Powers is looking forward to his annual appearance at Ethnic Fest. It is among his favorite gigs of the year. “It celebrates the diversity of the area,” he said. Unlike events that have one style of music, such as a blues fest or jazz fest, Ethnic Fest brings a wide array of styles to one location. “This crosses all the genres, all in one festival.”

While Powers lives in Seattle, he plays Tacoma often and gets booked by Metro Parks for events each summer.

“A lot of people in Tacoma think I am from here,” he observed. “Tacoma has been very good to me.”

After releasing albums for 20 years, Powers has a lot of material to choose from for gigs. For Ethnic Fest, about two-thirds of the songs will be from “Soul School.”

“It is a daunting task. After releasing 12 albums, what do I play live?” Powers mused.

A few old favorites, like “Sarah Smile,” he feels compelled to play. “People are not happy if I do not play that one,” he observed.

Some songs get dropped for a year or two then are resurrected. “That is a fun process, bringing an old song back,” he said.

At this point in his career, Powers is happy to please audiences with his live performances while challenging himself as a musician in the recording studio. “I am lucky and blessed to do what I do for a living.”

Powers plays Ethnic Fest at Wright Park at 2 p.m. on July 26. For more information on the new album and upcoming gigs, visit www.michaelpowersmusic.com.