Blue-in-Green:RADIO is a contemporary soul/funk/jazz/Latin internet radio station broadcasting an array of incredible shows from presenters and DJs from across the world.
Here are just a few of the tracks that we've recently uploaded to our Liberation's Frequency playlist of Blue-in-Green:RADIO and some that are really worth your time... 'World Gone Crazy' by The Haggis Horns featuring Lucinda Slim
One of the UK's finest funk and soul acts are poised to unveil their brand new album, currently due November 2017. And with great excitement, their first single has just been released featuring the vocals of Lucina Slim and the EP it can initially be found on - arrives 6th October and features remixes from a dream team lineup of Smoove, Lack of Afro and Sam Redmore.
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'Think (About It)' by Barbara Tucker
Barbara Tucker hooks up with Spen & Thommy D for an excellent reworking of Lynn Collins' classic record. Remixes galore due mid-October through Quantize including the ever-popular Spen & Thommy Summer of Dub Mix.
--- 'Maceo' by Lakecia Benjamin
In prepararation for GetToKnow... Motema Records (which airs this Monday at 6pm UK, only on Blue-in-Green:RADIO), we took the opportunity to delve back into saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin's excellent album 'Retox' and reintroduce songs into our LF playlist. Nenjamin's 'Retox' is packed with great songs and brilliant guests including Amp Fiddler, Melanie Charles, Mavis 'Swan' Poole, Jesse Fischer.
The screaming eagle of soul. If you've listened to a Charles Bradley album before then you know that's an apt description of the prowess of the marquis act at Daptone's Dunham Records, and with each of his three album releases, it was a moniker that he embraced more and more.
So it's with the utmost sadness that Daptone Records released the news days ago that Charles Bradley had lost his battle with liver cancer at the age of 68.
Bradley's was the ultimate in Cinderella stories: having been inspired to sing following the chance to see James Brown perform, it would take many years before he was able to have his dream fulfilled on the global scale that it did. Bradley spent many years performing in small clubs under the name Black Velvet and covering mostly James Brown songs until he was discovered by Daptone founder, Gabriel Roth, in his early-60s; Roth subsequently introduced him to Thomas Brenneck, who went on to produce all three of Bradley's album releases and introduce the made-in-heaven union of Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band to the world.
Much has been made of Charles Bradley's story: Abandoned by his mother at eight months of age, spending years drifting from town to town and working as a cook, the premature death of his brother... all life-shattering experiences that went on to shape the sincerity of Bradley's music and what fans would really go on to connect with.
This marks such a tragic loss, made all the more painful so soon after the passing of Sharon Jones in late-2016. If you've never purchased a Charles Bradley album, please now take the time to do so. 'No Time For Dreaming', 'Victim Of Love' and 'Changes' are timeless and poignant pieces of soul music that warrant your attention so don't let the memory of this incredible artist slip through your fingers.
Canada has had its fair share of outstanding soul acts: Tanika Charles is currently doing great things with her 'Soul Run' project on Italy's Record Kicks label, Kellylee Evans has developed a stunning discography over the years, and Dawn Pemberton has established a loyal following from her album 'Say Somethin' on Do Right Music.
But another act that has been bubbling under the surface since 2012 - and an act more than worthy to be listed amongst the aforementioned contemporary soul music luminaries - are Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound. Based in Nova Scotia, this eight-piece soul band have a refined act which uses their affection for the classic sound of Motown Recordings artists as a starting point to build upon and develop their own soul aesthetic.
The band's debut album, 'Don't You Know?', was initially released in 2014 and features blissfully sweet soul gems like 'Baby Don't You Know', 'Puppet' and 'Mistakes'. Continued live performances around the country including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec have resulted in an ever-increasing list of accolades: The Galaxie Rising Star Award, Nova Scotia's Urban Recording of The Year, New Artists Recording of The Year and Halifax's Coast Gold Award for Best R&B Band. All of which add up to a band with limitless potential and who are just getting better every time they perform and every time they record, as subsequent singles 'Let's Work It Out' (2016) and 'Show Me' (2017) demonstrate.
While loyal fans wait patiently for a new full-length release from Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound, 'Don't You Know?' waits patiently for many of the yet-to-be-converted. Be it a studio recording though or a live performance, music by Roxy & Co is to be embraced wherever possible: Roxy Mercier soars in either environment over the lush musical soundscapes that the band paint for her.
We're thrilled to have secured time with lead vocalist, Roxy Mercier, to discuss the music and what the future holds.
How did members of the band come together to form Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound? Roxy: Myself and Ian (Bennett), the bass player/musical director, met through music school. We found a shared passion for the music within our ensemble led by Robbie Crowell who lives and works out of Nashville now. He continues to gives us advice and insight that helps us push ourselves to the next milestone.
The rest of the band all met playing around the city. If we played with someone we thought fit the group and asked them to play. Some members we met when regular players would have to sub out for other commitments.
Who are some of the biggest musical influences in shaping the band's sound?
We pull from all kinds of genres, but mostly old and new R&B, Hip Hop and a lot of local artists like Jessie Brown and Walrus. Halifax has such a wealth of great bands. We're always left being inspired and questioning what we've been doing with our lives (laughs).
How does the creative process of writing and producing music work for the band?
Myself and Ian usually write separately then get together and share our ideas to come up with the final product. The band also adds their own touch. For example, if Ian can't think of something for the horns [then] they come up with it. Sometimes jams happen during soundcheck and a few of those ideas have become songs. Can you talk a little about your debut album 'Don't You Know?'.
The album is becoming a little dated now, as we evolve. But, it's always been special, in the fact that it was our first album and we had a lot of fun doing it. It was a great learning experience and we were lucky to have our producer, Erin Costelo, and her partner, Clive McNutt, guiding us.
How does the new music you're working on differ from the last record?
We've kept the R&B thing there. But put more of a new inflection on it. Yet, still keeping that old soul. The songs for the album we are working [on] are a few years old so it's more like catching up with ourselves. I would describe the first album as being more Motown driven. This one has a broader mix of soul and funk styles. Still some Motown but with more Southern soul, straight funk and even some disco elements. We've started to change the sound quite a bit in the last few months and are really looking forward to getting album number three started!
You have an excellent video for your track 'Show Me': how was the video to shoot and what made you decide on that song?
The video was actually a lot of fun! Done with one camera and two guys carrying it around between us. The only difficulty was, since we did in the winter, we had to do it fast or else we would've lost our natural light. ‘Show Me’ has always gone over great with audiences so figured, why not do it live off the floor and film it.
You have a host of excellent live videos on YouTube: how do you find your music transfers to a live stage?
We feed off our crowds a lot for energy. It's just that groove that gets you going and you see the real emotion of how the songs connect to us. The biggest difference is live we can stretch things out. Jam out, talk to the crowd or get them involved.
Who would be a dream artist for you to collaborate with?
Oh boy.. I mean.. that's a hard one.. mainly because a lot of them are no longer with us. Like, Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones.
For more from Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound, please visit: http://www.roxyandtheundergroundsoulsound.com/bio/ https://roxyandtheundergroundsoulsound.bandcamp.com/album/dont-you-know
Already a strong year for Jalapeno Records following the release of Soopasoul's 'Pushin Weight', Volume 2 of the label's 'Soul Sisters' compilation and Izo Fitzroy's 'Skyline' album, amongst several others, The Allergies breaks-filled dancefloor funk serves as a strong highlight for Jalapeno in 2017.
DJ Moneyshot and Rackabeat - the Bristolian duo who comprise The Allergies - have brilliantly captured the essence of classic funk and soul records along with what everybody loved about 90s golden era hip-hop, repackaging it all for modern day consumption.
Long-term friend and collaborator of the group, Andy Cooper, guests on several of the album's tracks providing a nice extension to their previous collaborations (be sure to check out Cooper guesting on The Allergies previous release , 'As We Do Our Thing', and The Allergies remix to Cooper's Bring It To Me' for more from their excellent chemistry); Dr Syntax also manages to jump on a track and shines on 'Remedy', while Canadian vocalist Honey Larochelle breathes incredible energy into album highlights 'Love That I'm In' and 'Entitled To That'.
'Push On' is a solid release for fans of the hip-hop and breaks-inspired funk fusion which The Allergies have turned into an artform. Here's to looking forward to more from the group and to what else Jalapeno has up their sleeve for the remainder of 2017.
Exclusive to Blue-in-Green:RADIO, the GetToKnow series showcases the work of awesome producers and musicians and primarily their work for other artists so here's us examining the work of the producer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist and head of LOA Records... Adam Gibbons aka Lack of Afro.
'Now I Feel Good' - Lack of Afro f/t Elliot Cole 'Greenbacks' [LOA Remix] - Deep Street Soul 'Soul Power' [LOA Remix] - Kokolo 'Colours' - Frootful 'Fool's Gold' - Angeline Morrison 'Give Me One More Chance' [LOA Remix] - Diplomats of Solid Sound 'Papa Never Was A Genius' - Pitch & Scratch f/t Wayne Martin 'Cassius Can' - Junior Oliver 'It's Real' [LOA Remix] - Hot 8 Brass Band 'Hurt Me So' [LOA Remix] - Diplomats of Solid Sound 'Fool' - Lack of Afro f/t Angeline Morrison 'When The Sun Goes Down' - Lack of Afro
The GetToKnow... series airs every Monday at 6pmUK only on www.blueingreenradio.com
