*Please note -New time for the Electric Soul Show is Now on Sunday’s – Time – 10am to 12 noon - (English Time) - The new date of the new show time will be 5th April, 2009*
My last Wednesday on ICR FM (105.7FM). Yes its official, it’s my last Wednesday on the station. On entering the building and heading towards the Radio studio within the station I was greeted by Nick Greenland. Mr Greenland is our stationmaster, and it has been agreed and worked out that ICR Radio station was re-vamping the Radio schedule. I was put out of my misery so to speak, as I was told that I wasn’t one of the Dj presenters or their shows that was going to be asked to make way for new presenters and shows altogether.
With a huge sigh of relief on hearing the news that my show was to be kept on the schedule I literally sailed over to the studio. However, there was a sting in the tail. My show was now being moved to a Sunday. Time for the show would be 10am to 12noon (English time). Different time for the show, but an extra 30 minutes. Well I can’t complain can’t all be bad? I will miss playing on a Wednesday though. I had gotten used to my old time slot (20:30pm to 22:00pm). But at least I had a show so be grateful for that I told myself.
With that in mind I decided to drop a new tune that I had just managed to acquire. Slakah the Beatchild featuring Drake – “Bad meaning good” (released in 2008 on the album called “Soul Movement). Wow I missed this one. In fact I’ve only just picked this up. Shame on you Dj Mistri, call yourself a Dj? All I have to say about this track is that it is lovely. A real nice track, which I enjoyed playing from start to finish. First of all it sounds so much like a summer track. I love the simple acoustic guitar chord strums employed by the Slakah the Beatchild. What they say about giving less to appear that you are giving more is true. I love the bass line on and the drum pattern that just touches on giving you a Hip hop feel, but it is heavily influenced by funk. The whole vibe on the song though is heavily influenced by Soul Music. I love Slakah voice (It reminds me slightly of Dwele!) However it’s prefect on this tune, as is the rap provided by Drake. Drake’s rap doesn’t over power the tune; it allows the tune to breath and have another musical option. I’m going to check out the album if this is anything to go buy in regards to hearing this tune. Wow this is good. Please have a listen to the track yourself by clicking on the track yourself below.
I love this next tune that I dropped. In fact I played this tune only last week on the show. It still makes my head nod and yet at the same time makes me sing a couple of verses of the track. Marsha Ambrosius is from London, England, and moved over to the Usa about 7 years ago to see if she could make it in the music industry within the Usa via the group that she was in called Floetry. The move worked as it Floetry had underground club success with single and album releases that they bought out over there. However, Marsha Ambrosius has recently bought out a mixtape called “Yours truly” (Released in December, 2008). On this particular mixtape there is a track called “Sunshine” by Marsha Ambrosius feat Phonte Coleman (From Little Brother and Foreign Exchange fame) they have a great track in their hands. It’s so funky, and yet soulful at the time that each particular musical vibe is not contradicting each other vibe on this track. Marsha voice is starting to be loved all over America if you are a straightforward Rn’b fan. Where’s as the rapper called Phonte Coleman on this track of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange fame have already secured a huge Underground following from where they are based (which is North Carolina) to New York and Los Angeles, is superb.
Phonte Coleman performance in fact (The rapping!)is first class. It isn’t rushed, the timing and pace of the rap is spot, and the lyric that he chooses makes you smile when you think of them. He and the group that he is in Little Brother and Foreign Exchange have bought back memories of how RAPPING used to be delivered in the days of the Native Tongues collective (A Tribe called Quest, Da La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Mone Love). Please have a listen to this tune by clicking on the link below.
The next track is back to the Soulful side of Rn’b music once again. Novel is a Rapper, Singer, Songwriter and producer all in one we are all told. The track in question is called “Makes you happy” (released in 2009 – to be released on the coming album called “Autobiography”). Reminds me slightly of Raheem Devaughn, or something that he would release if it were also to feature a RAP on his release. You know what I mean? A big sounding bass line and Drum pattern on this tune, which is sweetened by good vocals from Novel on this track. Also soulful keyboards give this track a mellow edge as well. Novel is helped on this track by some underrated background vocals as well. As I mentioned before earlier on within this page that the vibe of Soul music either directly or indirectly is really making its mark on release within the Rn’b and Hip Hop music world for 2009. Lets hope it continues. Please have a listen to the tune below by clicking on the link and hearing the tune in full.
Went back in time for my next track “Let me be the one” by Intro (released in 1993 from the album called “Intro”), which is still loved by people today. This track came from the group’s debut album, and was considered a smash. The lead singer on this cut being Kenny Green really does sing his heart out here. And is helped along brilliantly via their backing vocals from Clinton Buddy Wike and Bandanna. It has that New Jack swing beat running along in the background of the song. You have to remember that we were in the height of the New Jack swing craze of 1993 then. Still sounds fresh when listening to this “jam”. I still think it could be a hit today if it was released all over again in 2009. Please have a listen to the track in question by clicking on the link below.
Went back to the decade of 2000 from the 1990’s and touched on Rick James via one of the last great tracks that he did before he died in 2005. The track was called “Taste” (released in 2006 on the Soul Together album volume 1), and I have to say that is brilliant. It’s the bass line and the simple guitar riff that sets this song apart from the rest. No the bass line is not difficult or hard to pick up. It’s just so infectious. The drums on this are equally simple as well. The keyboards on this are also kept simple. That Guitar riff that goes really makes you pay attention to the tune. However, the vocals of Rick James are a combination of being half sung, and half spoken on this. He is helped as well on this track on occasion via great sounding backing vocals. A real pleasure to play this tune for my listeners today; please have a listen to the tune yourselves by clicking on the track below.
The next track that is up is by Marsha Ambrosius featuring Busta Rymes with the track called “Dat shit” (released in 2008 on the mixtape called “Yours truly”).
I love Marsha voice. As you have already noticed that I have already played on track from her this evening on the show. However, one once again falls within that Rn’b vocalist combining with an established Rapper. This time around the Rapper is Busta Rhymes. Need I say anymore? Love the beat on this track. Nice and slow, but one that will make your head nod, its that funky. The drum line alone makes you think of Hip hop alone. However, the opening lyrics are all sung by Marsha, and aided with some background singers this time around. Three quarters through the song comes Busta with a few expletives in his rapping. But the flow of his rap matches the song perfectly (but Busta keep it clean please there’s children listening!). Maybe I will hunt around for a clean version next time I want to play this. If you want to listen to this track please click on the link below.
Another track that sees me whizzing back to the 1990’s and to the era of New Jack Swing music and all that jazz was with the group called Jodeci with the track called “Gimmie all you got”(Released in 1993 on the album called "Diary of a Mad Band"). However, on this occasion I would have to say that this is an out an out Funk cut. It really is. This song features a monstrous bass line and drum line right at the start of the song together with the group singing “Gimme all you got” line, and those Jazz Rhodes chords firmly in the background. Every so and often a blast of a sampled trumpet riff is heard coming in and out of the track as well.
Eventually everything settles down and we the stage is set where we just hear a lead singer and the rest of the band coming in just singing the songs hook – which is “Gimme all you’ve got”. Whatever is happened though we are never left alone by that monstrous bass line and drum pattern. This is probably the funkiest cut I have played tonight. Please have a listen to this track if or when you get the chance. Please just click the link below please.
Yeap you’ve guessed it. It was time for me to play the Rare Groove selection part 1 of the show. For those of you that listen in each week I need not say anything more. For those of you that are new to this well. Each week I play two sections of the Rare Groove selection. 3 songs in each part. These songs are either bonafide rare grooves, or songs that people have simply forgotten about. (However, if you want to know what was played in this part of the show you will have to listen to the show!)
As the last throes of the last song within the Rare Groove selection was finishing. I had already decided on playing some more Hip Hop music within the show (I always seem to play HipHop after the Rare Groove Selection these days?) This came within the form of the group called Joker Starr featuring Micall Parknsun and Ghost Town and the track was called “Its all love” (Released 2009 from London, England). I like this one. I’m not just saying that. I really love the slow funky vibe and groove on this cut. You might have gathered that I’m a sucker for the music of funk, and this has plenty of it within it. However, on this occasion a more Hip-hop vibe takes over the track then just the vibe of funk music does. Joker Starr and the boys give a nice little story line within this tune as well. You can actually envisage what they are telling us through their raps in our minds. Please have a listen to this track by clicking on the link below. You might take two or three plays to appreciate it. However, when you get it you will love it.
I decided on staying with the same format, and also giving up and coming talent a chance of their material being heard over the airwaves. I played this last week as it happens and the artist that I did play was called Kastaway, Chicago, Usa. I found this artist over the Internet whilst looking and researching for new talent within the Hip hop world. The track that I wanted to play from them was called “Wanna Know why” by Kastaway (released 2008 on the mixtape called “1934” Chicago, USA).
Very soulful sounding and I have to say that sounds like they have taken a sample from one of those 1970’s soul groups and then beefed it up a bit. Love the atmospheric feel that this track has on it, and also liked the drum pattern and bass line on this. This makes me nod my head, which is always a good sign.
I like the rapper (Kastaway) on this. He delivers a poetry styled like rap on this tune. He gives us an insight about a girl who he really likes and what she means to him. It’s one of those tracks that you have to listen to a few times and then you will fall in love in a big way. It will hit you over the head in which you will not fully recover from in fact. Give it a listen you will eventually love this track. Please click on the track link below to hear it.
Decided to move away from the Rap/Hip hop scene for a bit. But not from giving up and coming artist/s or acts a few crack of the whip. This group comes to us by the name of Cool Million. Two people official form Cool Million – one person comes from Germany the other is from Denmark. I have received their full length album recently jammed packed with quality songs.
Its that good when ever I opened it up to play anything from it that I spend at least 5 minutes staring at the music selection list deciding what to play. On this occasion I decided on playing “Get up on the Floor” by the Cool Million featuring Donald McCollum(released in 2008 from the album called “Going out tonight). Sounds so 1980’s complete with Keyboard riff, Rhodes jazz like chord progression and with a horn section blowing their hearts out as well! Nice to hear this type of Soul/RNB being made today though hard to believe that it was made in 2008.
The vocalist(Donald McCollum)is not straining in anyway in getting his vocals over to us on this tune. He believes in delivering them without the least effort possible. Have a listen to this track. I bet you will be pressing the repeat button a few times to hear this song again.
The next track was one of those tracks that never really did anything and yet is such as nice tune. Falls in the category of today’s Soulful Rn’b set if anything. The track was a combination between P Diddy and Jamie Foxx called “Partners for life”(Released in 2006, Usa). It has such a nice groove to it that it could be used for a rapper like of Phonte Coleman to rap over. However, on this occasion P Diddy does all the rapping on this cut whereas the singing is all by Jamie Foxx. Boy can this fella sing.
I will be honest to you I have only just picked this up myself after all those years. And to me this is something. I love the melody of the music on this. Very Soulful, and touches of Funk with the bass line and the drum pattern and yet every so often so very faint and nice Jazz Chords are thrown in. One of those cuts that got away, but it doesn’t mean that can’t listen to it. Please click on the link below to hear it please.
Well, yet again I ended the show with the playing the second of part of the Rare Groove selection part 2 on the show. Time just rushed away with me again this week. No I'm not going to tell you what I played. Listen in, and you will find out.
Well, time is now up and I'm away until next Sunday's show. I have to say Sundays from now on! If you want to leave any comments that I have made about any tracks that were played; or any stories that I mentioned relating to the tracks as well. Then please add your own personal comments below via clicking on the "Comments button" OK? Don't be afraid to have your say here.
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