Patrick Forge's Podcast

1. Skymark - Find A Place In This Crazy World 2. Wojciech Karolak - Discopus Nr.1 Pts 1&2 3. Pete Josef - Live Your Life 4. Monette Sudler - Time For A Change 5. Catalyst - New-Found Truths 6. Pacific Eardrum - Man Of Mystery 7. Richard Davis - Fancy Free 8. Toquinho - Carolina Carol Bela 9. Claudia - Deixa Eu Dizer 10. Grupo Zurana - Extracao De Independencia 11. Antonio Carlos E Jocafi - D'Angola E Camara 12. Skymark - Rhode E Serenidade 13. Motion - You Love Me Only 14. Dave Valentin - Sea Pines 15. Cymande - The Recluse 16. Voices Of East Harlem - Rare So Rare 17. T'Spoon - Sweetness 18. The Blackbyrds - Love Don't Strike Twice 19. Leslie Smith - It's Something 20. Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Take All The Time You Need 21. Russian version of Another Star? 22. Ziad Rahbani - Abu Ali

It's often the way these days that I hardly have the opportunity to take stock of what I'm doing especially the one weekend in a month when I have back to back radio shows. Consequently by the time I came round to editing this, I'd more or less completely forgotten what I'd played. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed listening back (or at least skimming through to remind myself), hope the same goes for you... 1.Michael Kiwanuka - Black Man In A White World 2. Kellis Etheridge - Quickie Nirvana 3. Terrace Martin ft Tone Trezure - Push 4. Pete Josef - Travelling Song (Kyoto Jazz Sextet Remix) 5. Gato Barbieri - Maria Domingas 6. Gato Barbieri - Fiesta 7. Gato Barbieri - Tupac Amaru 8. Nomade Orquestra - Samurai 9. Norman Connors - Butterfly 10. Luiz Eca - Jerzy Milewski Ensemble - Mestre Bimba 11. Don Ellis - Dew 12. Brandee Younger - Ruby Echo 13. Patrick Gleeson ft Walter Hawkins - Metropolis 14. Khadja Bonet - Honeycomb 15. Dylan Howe - Subterraneans 16. Anna Farrow - Spring Is Back 17. Ernestine Anderson - 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) 18. Natacha Atlas - Visions 19. Paul Horn - Cleopatra's Palace Music 20. Gregory Charles Royal - Dancer 21. Hubert Laws - We Will Be 22. Ramsey Lewis - Skippin' 23. Dick Morrisey & Jim Mullen - Bristol Boogie 24. Grupo Zarana - Extração Da Independência (just a few seconds....)

1. Daniel Crawford - You On Point Phife 2. A Tribe Called Quest - God Lives Through 3. A Tribe Called Quest - Buggin' Out 4. Native Dancer - In Clouds 5. Pete Josef - Live Your Life 6. Cro-Magnon-Jin - First Landing 7. Dave Burns - Rhodesian Rhapsody 8. Daymé Arocena - El 456 9. Joyce - Feminina (long version!) 10. Aécio Flavio & Quartesanato - Zero Grau 11. Antonio Carlos & Jocafi - Ossain 12. Donald Byrd - Cristo Redentor 13. Hiroshi Suzuki - Romance 14. Antonio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina - Aguas De Marco 15. Viva Voz - Fugitivos De Azul 16. Native Dancer - Big Blue 17. Oz - Beautiful 18. Carl Anderson - Buttercup 19. Bridge - Stella 20. Julien Babinga - M'Bongui Percussions 21. Kabbala - Ashewo Ara 22. NYCC - Express Yourself

I wish I had the time to write!! With one of my 8 month old twin boys perched on my knee, and the other screaming in his chair it's a tad tricky. However my weekly music refuge on a Sunday night is a little sanctuary from all the joys and strains of parenthood. The Cosmic Jam is a twenty one mile round trip by bike and an hour and three quarter journey to the far reaches of my musical mind... or something like that... still. I also am enjoying getting out there again to play for the people and this Saturday it's a welcome return to the lovely Brilliant Corners for a strictly vinyl session on their audiophile system along side the Feeling Good don Harv Nagi and Southern Soul Festival supremo Marko Pavlovic. Two of London's most dedicated purveyors of jazzual radio sounds teaming up for a proper session. Check us if you can! https://www.facebook.com/events/1661667644100263/ Until next time... Peace! 1. Terrace Martin - Think Of You 2. Lars Bartkuhn - Nomad 3. Inga - Mamae Oxum 4. Jeb Loy Nichols - To Be Rich Should Be A Crime 5. Quintaessencia - Cravo E Canela 6. Jazzwheel - Broadway No.7 7. Sonar - Parati 8. Namaz - Mystic Latin 9. Burnier & Cartier - Mirandolina 10. Stan Getz - Wives And Lovers 11. Flavia Coelho ft. Tony Allen - People Dansa 12. Brandee Younger - Soul Vibration 13. Astrud Gilberto - Beginnings 14. Lars Bartkuhn - Nomad (reprise) 15. Chantae Cann - I Change 16. Woody Shaw - Love Dance 17. Howdy Moon - And You Never Knew 18. Pete Josef - Many Signs 19. Terrace Martin - Valdez Off Crenshaw 20. Midnight Star - Follow The Path 21. Carlos Dafé - Escorpiao 22. Andrae Crouch - Lookin' For You 23. Ozone - You, On My Mind 24. Harvey Mason - Say It Again

1. Pete Josef - Travelling Song (Kyoto Jazz Sextet remix) 2. Jasmine Power - Stories And Rhymes 3. Ashley Henry - Déja Vu 4. Snowboy & The Latin Section - The Triple Bluff 5. Bobby Montez - Titoro 6. René Bloch - Mr Latin's Mambo 7. Paris Smith Quintet - Thought Seeds 8. Haki R. Madhubuti - Children 9. Jon Hassell - Voodoo Wind 10. Egberto Gismonti - Kalimba 11. Nana, Nelson Angelo, Novelli - No Sul Do Polo Norte 12. Sharon Redd, Ula Hedwig, Charlotte Crossley - Maiden Voyage 13. Ricardo Marrero & The Group Time - Feel Like Makin' Love 14. Chantae Cann - Waterfall 15. Ultra High Frequency - We're On The Right Track 16. Doctor Music - Sun Goes By 17. The Dells - It's Up To You 18. Feather - Be Real

1. Louie Vega ft Zara McFarlane - Because We Love It 2. Snowboy & The Latin Section ft. Marc Evans - New York Afternoon 3. Snarky Puppy ft. Chris Turner - Liquid Love 4. Al Green - Love Ritual 5. Kendrick Lamar - Untitled #6 6. Joao Donato & Paula Morelenbaum - A Ra 7. Alaide Costa - Catavento 8. Quinteto Tenura - Leao De Bronze 9. Orquestra Imperial - Me Deixa Em Paz 10. Carl Hudson - Deploy The Subaquatic Probe 11. Sylvia St.James - Motherland 12. Potter & Tillman - Just Passing Thru 13. Chantae Cann - For The Children 14. Izzi Dunn - Visions 15. Max Bryk - Reverie 16. Carl Hudson - Lunar Footprint 17. Chantae Cann - The Journey Continues 18. The People's Workshop - Chocolate Coated People's Song 19. Doug & Jean Carn - Contemplation 20. McCoy Tyner - Coming Home 21. Ashley Henry - Altruism 22. Doug Lucas - When It Be The Morning

1.Snowboy&The Latin Section ft Jen Kearney - Oxen Free 2. Clare Fischer - African Flutes 3. Eliane Correa & El Aire Project - Tengo Una Piedra En El Bolsillo 4. Bill Laurance - The Pines 5. Daymé Arocena - Toi Mon Amour 6. Wynton Kelly Trio - South Seas 7. Pete Josef - Travelling Song 8. Da Lata ft Vanessa Freeman - Free 9. United Vibrations - Grow 10. Jeb Loy Nichols - To Be Rich (Should Be A Crime) 11. Carl Hudson - Two Steps Ahead 12. Donato-Deodato - Where's JD? 13.The People's Workshop - Let's Get High 14. Valerie Carter - Ooh Child 15. Adrian Younge - Sandrine 16. Stanley Cowell Trio - Ibn Mukhtarr Mustapha 17. Vibration Black Finger - In Rhythm 18. Jae Mason - Let It Out 19. Leon Thomas - Just In Time To See The Sun 20. Doug Carn - Western Sunrise 21. Kyoto Jazz Sextet - Melting Pot

A man who shone so brightly, lifted so many hearts, who provided a million dollar backbeat to so many hits before he took his mission West and forged in the Serpentine Fire of spiritual potential the greatest, most transcendent music machine to have walked this planet. Maybe it's easier to think of Maurice White as passed than waylaid by Parkinson's, his fire will burn ever brightly, for now and always. Are you satisfied In your life and time Does it clear you mind With all the hurt you find? Built on Mother Earth They were meant to stay Nations bloom today On gifts of yesterday Born of the Earth, are nature's children Fed by the Wind, the breath of life Judged by the fiery hands of God World goes by the hand Of the master plan Can't you understand You're but a grain of sand Do you need a guide To make you feel satisfied? Head to the sky Will tell you why Born of the Earth, are nature's children Fed by the Wind, the breath of life Judged by the fiery hands of God 1. Ramsey Lewis Trio - Uhuru 2. Ramsey Lewis - Eternal Journey 3. Ramsey Lewis - Whenever Wherever 4. Minnie Riperton - Rainy Day In Centerville 5. Earth Wind And Fire - Moment Of Truth 6. Earth Wind And Fire - Power 7. Earth Wind And Fire - Drum Song 8. Earth Wind And Fire - In The Stone 9. Earth Wind And Fire - Serpentine Fire 10. Earth Wind And Fire - Evolution Orange 11. Earth Wind And Fire - Beauty 12. Earth Wind And Fire - Head To The Sky 13. Earth Wind And Fire - That's The WayOf The World 14. The Emotions - Blessed 15. Earth Wind And Fire - Earth Wind And Fire 16. The Emotions - Flowers 17. Earth Wind And Fire - Fantasy (Blaze Shelter DJ Mix) 18. Ramsey Lewis - Sun Godess 19. Deniece Williams - That's What Friends Are For 20. Earth Wind And Fire - Faces

1. Eliane Correa - 2. Gerard Presencer - Footprints 3. Natacha Atlas - Something 4. Anderson Paak - The Bird 5. Anna Farrow - Happy Fool 6. Funky Knuckles - Kyle's Dance 7. Roy Haynes - Modette 8. Bobby Hutcherson - Black Heroes 9. Ken McIntyre & Eric Dolphy - Geo"s Tune 10. Dylan Howe - Art Decade 11. Black Vibration Finger - Empty Streets 12. Gil Scott- Heron - Blow Wind Blow 13. Nathen Page - Free (Not Really) 14. Sapphire - Searching On 15. Dave Valentin - Times Long Gone 16. Ulla - Space Lady 17. Charles Earland - Revelation 18. Samuel Jonathan Johnson - Sweet Love 19. Stevie Wonder - Bird Of Beauty

1. Vibration Black Finger - In Rhythm 2. Giants - In Your Heart 3. Michael White - Spaceslide 4. Submotion Orchestra ft Andrew Ashong - Needs 5. Claffy - Blossoms As They Wilt Away 6. Erik Truffaz Quartet - Kudu 7. Coalition - Kenya's Horizon 8. Cecilia Stalin - You Are 9. Outside - Big City 10. Herbie Hancock - Spiralling Prism 11. Gene Harris - Prayer 76 12. Ronnie Foster - Love Satellite 13. Funk Factory - Rien Ne Va Plus 14. Marilyn Scott - Highways Of My Life 15. Carrie Cleveland - Love Will Set You Free 16. Jon Lucien - How 'Bout Tonight? 17. Cameo - Is This The Way? 18. Herbie Hancock - Just Around The Corner 19. Ed Motta - Heritage Deja Vu 20. The Funky Knuckles - 16 Bars

I'm of that generation, I experienced the "Starman" moment seeing David Bowie on Top Of The Pops with a shock of orange spikes, dressed in clothes that defied description, putting his arm around Mick Ronson in a way that seems so innocuous today but was extraordinary then. At school the following day it felt as though the world had rearranged itself overnight to accommodate this beguiling new presence, similarly when the news broke on Monday morning it was like losing one of the major coordinates of my world, I felt disorientated and adrift, this time in a bad way. David Bowie was just a phenomenal artist who defined the seventies, the decade belonged to him; from glam to soul to ambient, from straight up rock'n roll to new contours of sonic wizardry, Bowie took us on a helter-skelter ride reinventing himself again and again, and all with a consummate cool and a fiery creativity. I wouldn't pretend that Bowie made a telling contribution to black music, and Luther Vandross had quite enough talent to make it without a leg-up from the Thin White Duke, yet it's impossible to understand Bowie's oeuvre without looking at his relationship with it. From stealing Mingus titles "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" to taking inspiration from James Brown for Ziggy Stardust's "Rock 'n Roll Suicide".. the soulful side of Bowie is never far from the surface. Then in '74, riding the crest of a wave of his (glam) success, Bowie makes the kind of radical move that would go on to define his career, he makes a soul record. Recording at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound and bringing on board the likes of Vandross, Sly & The Family Stone drummer Andy Newmark, and guitarist Carlos Alomar, Young Americans is a record that stands both within and outside tradition. A lush, sensuous and emotive album that Bowie himself would describe as "plastic soul", self effacing as ever, as he was about his singing voice, Young Americans and several cuts from the following Station To Station are as good as it gets when it comes to a white artist making soul music in their own way.....after all "Fame" and "Golden Years" were good enough for U.S. tv's definitive Soul Train... But hey, I don't need to justify Bowie's brilliance, begrudge him and you can stand outside with the real weirdos!!!! Concentrating on this mid seventies period, when coincidentally Bowie was taking vast quantities of the old marching powder, and dipping into both preceding and subsequent phases, here's two hours of appreciation and celebration. Let's not lament too much, yes Bowie's is an irreplaceable talent, but we should be grateful for all he gave through those golden years. 1. 1984 2. Golden Years 3. Fascination 4. Luther Vandross - Funky Music (Is A Part Of Me) 5. Fat Larry's Band - Fascination 6. Look Back In Anger 7. Alladin Sane (live) 8. Changes 9. Robert Glasper ft. Bilal - Letter To Hermione 10. Sound and Vision 11. Ashes To Ashes 12. Young Americans 13. Fill Your Heart 14. Warszawa 15. Win 16. Sweet Thing/Kandidate (live) 17. Wild Is The Wind 18. Can You Hear Me? 19. New Career In A New Town 20. John I'm Only Dancing (Again) 21. Stay 22. Heroes (live) 23. Dollar Days

1. Dego & Kaidi - Black Is Key 2. Hiatus Kaiyote - By Fire 3. Kendrick Lamarr - These Walls 4. Kamasi Washington - The Rhythm Changes 5. Bill Laurance - U-Bahn 6. Daymé Arocena - El Ruso 7. Young Gun Silver Fox - So Bad 8. Ben Cox Band - When Ends Appear 9. Jamie Woon - Sharpness 10. Theo Jackson - Camberwell Butterfly 11. Nat Birchall - Ngozi (Vision) 12. Greg Foat Group - Hygeia 13. The Rebirth - Caterpillar 14. Jill Scott - Can't Wait 15. Jeb Loy Nichols - The Wintering Of The Year 16. D'Angelo - Betray My Heart 17. Shaun Martin - Madiba 18. Deep Tenor City - Oba 19. James Mason - The Dance Of Life

1. Native Dancer - Love 2. Eska - Shades Of Blue 3. Brandee Younger - Respected Destroyer 4. Rhonda Thomas - Honey 2 A B 5. Ajoyo - Benskin 6. Mbongwana Star - Shegué 7. Dele Sosimi - E Get No Better 8. The Foreign Exchange - Milk And Honey 9. Emily Saunders - Residing 10. Harold Mabern ft. Gregory Porter - Afro Blue 11. Tulivu Donna Cumberbatch - Sugarplums 12. Corrie Dick -Soar 13. Thundercat - Lone Wolf And Cub 14. Jay Nemor - Don't Wait For Time 15. Matthew Halsall ft Josephine Oniyama - Into Forever 16. Thundercat - Lone Wolf And Cub 17. Alicia Myers - Hallelujah ( Right Here, Right Now) 18. Los Charly's Orchestra ft Xantoné Blacq - All Around The World 19. Lucas Arruda - Solar 20. Dego & 2000 Black Family - Don't Stop (Let It Go) 21. The Rebirth - By Design

1.Gerard Presencer - Blues For Des 2. Primo & The Groupe - Jazz Carnival 3. KING - The Greatest 4. Young Gun Silver Fox - See Me Slumber 5. Jae Mason - Cloud Of Sunshine 6. Killiam Shakespeare ft Ebony Joi - Stars 7. Shokazulu - Sammy Sebastian (dego's KJM edit) 8. Bunny Brunel - You 9. Carlos Garnett - Panama Roots 10. Bill Evans - Peace Piece 11. Doug Carn - Peace 12. Harold Land - The Peacemaker 13. Grant Green - Cease The Bombing 14. Mary Lou Williams - Gloria 15. Curtis Mayfield - We Got To Have Peace 16. Mighty Ryeders - Let There Be Peace 17. The Impressions - Stop The War 18. Father's Children - Who's Gonna Save The World? 19. Jeb Loy Nicholls - The Wintering Of The Year 20. Reverie - In Every Way 21. Lonnie Liston Smith - Visions Of A New World pt.2

1. Red Garland - Manteca 2. Lee Morgan - Nakatini Suite 3. Mongo Santamaria - O Mi Shango 4. Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble - Le Le 5. McCoy Tyner - Horizon 6. Baya - A Vegas Kind Of Guy 7. Azar Lawrence - Theme For A New Day 8. The Dells - Love Can Make It Easier 9. Carmen McRae - You Can't Hide Love 10. Freda Payne - Tell Me Please 11. Patti Labelle - Love Is Just A Touch Away 12. Phyllis Hyman - Living Inside Your Love 13. High Fashion - Feelin' Lucky Lately 14. The Ramonas - I Don't Want You Back 15. Damon Harris - It's Music 16. Sylvester - Over And Over 17. Wood Brass & Steel - Funkanova

1. Seven Samurai - Cosmic Jam 2. Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am ( Modified Man Remix) 3. Max Labor - Mama Says 4. Jamie Woon - Celebration 5. Jeb Loy-Nicholls - That's How We're Living 6. Young Gun Silver Fox - In My Pocket 7. Greg Dean ft Chantae Cann & Jarrod Lawson - Unconditional Love 8. Carlos Garnett - Samba Serenade 9. Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia - Uno Esta ( Spiritual South Remix) 10. Tullivu Donna Cumberbatch - Come Sunday 11. Chanan Hanspal - Sensuous 12. George Benson - Ode To A Kudu 13. Jesse Fischer - Refuge 14. Adam & Kizzie - Dachsund 15. Lenny White & Twennynine - Slip Away 16. Michael Henderson - Whip It 17. Benny Golson - Walkin' & Stalkin' 18. The Antilles - Simon's Melody 19. Jesse Fischer - Nomads 20. Vula Viel - Bewa

1. Red Clay 2. Just Give Me Time 3. The Power Of A Smile (with The Herb Geller Octet) 4. San Francisco 5. Dingwalls 6. Boplicity ( Be-bop Lives) 7. Stolen Moments 8. Two Kites 9. Madalena 10. Empty Faces 11. The Waters Of March 12. Twelve Tribes (with 4-Hero) 13. Beauty And The Beast 14. We Could Be Flying 15. I Don't Want To Cry Anymore 16. Laura ( with The Metropole Orchestra) 17. Senor Blues (with London, Meader, Pramuk & Ross) 18. Why And How 19. Come And Get Me (with The Five Corners Quintet) 20. Effendi 21. Milestones 22. Young And Foolish

1. The Milk - Wanderlust 2. Jamie Woon - Message 3. Jay Nemor - Music 4. Lars Bartkuhn - Golden Age (Slow Jam) 5. Cleveland Watkiss - The Sea, The Sky 6. Kaidi Tatham - Harmonius pt 2. 7. Tullivu-Donna Cumberbatch - Give Thanks 8. Mongo Santamaria - Promised Land 9. Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Pisando El Cesped 10. Stephen Whynott - Retreat Suite 11. Sergio Mendes - Righteous Life 12. The Sylvers - I Know Myself 13. Greetje Kauffeld - Day By Day 14. Paul Desmond - America 15. Ghalib Ghallab - Little Sunflower 16. Kalapana - All I Want 17. Hilary - Sundancers 18. S.O.S. Band - High Hopes 19. Bill Wolfer - Call Me 20. Merc & Monk - Babyface 21. Beverley Skeete - If The Feeling Is Right 22. Jean Carn - Don't Let It Go To Your Head 23. Eddie Kendricks - Body Talk

O.K. so maybe I could have dug even deeper, but hopefully you'll appreciate that with the birth of my twin boys, crate diggin' time is limited, so recourse to few old favourites in this selection. Nevertheless it's not exactly obvious unless you're one of those chin stroking jazz snobs. I'd been wanting to do a kind of "pure" jazz show for a while, the criteria could have been even more stringent, I could have outlawed all electric instruments, but I did want to keep some variety. I can't remember the last time I played something from the Riverside label on the show, so slipping a couple into the first half hour was kind of satisfying, great tunes from Jimmy Heath and Clifford Jordan. Then there's vocals, a scat masterclass from Jon Hendricks, Ann Young tearing up a standard and The Metronomes with silky smooth harmonies. I also decided to do a mini Prestige feature.... what's the difference between Blue Note and Prestige, a day's rehearsal.... yes it is the kind of ugly sister of classic jazz labels, more "blowing dates" less recording sessions. Yet of course there are some awesome titles in the Prestige catalogue, Frank Wess' "Southern Comfort" is certainly one of those, soul-jazz with a Latin twist and really punchy well balanced recording. As always the mellow meltdown in the middle is fun to do, it's what radio's for in my opinion. Listening to Duke Pearson's Sweet Honey Bee album again for the first time in ages, the beauty of "After The Rain" left me quite astounded, Pearson was the quintessential Blue Note artist, he acted as an A&R man for Alfred Lion, and composed the timeless "Cristo Redentor" for which he should be duly honoured as it is one of the most beautiful melodies of all time. "After The Rain" comes close to that peak of sublimity. Continuing the rainy theme the Masabumi Kikuchi composition "Drizzling Rain" from his album with Gil Evans is just as beguiling, with a Japanese lyricism, a kind of Jazz haiku. "En Passant" performed by West Coast stalwarts Shelly Manne ands His Men is an early composition by the great John Williams from U.S. tv series Checkmate, Williams' list of film credits is ridiculous , probably the most successful composer of the twentieth century? All that instrumental grace is followed by a trio of vocal cuts with a morning theme....lushness from Carmen McRae, the brilliant Lorez Alexandria, and Andy Bey ripping some conscious flavour through Gary Bartz NTU Troops leftfoot jazz-funk. Closing the show the last sequence gets lowdown and funky, and a bit abstract! Drums and basslines, a touch of James Brown in Roy Haynes' "Guadalupe", and some electronic undertow in Julian Priester's " Love Love" which I played just a portion of as it covers a whole side. Shame that I only squeezed a the first bit of Monette Sudler's "Brighter Days For You" as it takes me back to my early days of The Cosmic Jam all those years ago.... still love it, and the title says it all. Peace, love and music P.x 1. Jimmy Heath Orchestra - Big P 2. Jon Hendricks - Good Ol' Lady 3. Benny Bailey - Little B 4. Ann Young & Yuji Ohno Trio - Speak Low 5. Hector Costita - Tokio 6. Mary Lou Williams & Friends - Prologue 7. Clifford Jordan - Bearcat 8. The Metronomes - On Green Dolphin Street 9. Sun Ra - The Others In Their World 10. Tadd Dameron & John Coltrane - Mating Call 11. Frank Wess - Blues For Butterball 12. Charles Earland - Letha 13. Duke Pearson - After The Rain 14. Gil Evans & Masabumi Kikuchi - Drizzling Rain 15. Shelly Manne & His Men - En Passant 16. Carmen McRae - Just A Little Lovin' 17. Lorez Alexandria - Morning 18. Gary Bartz NTU Troop - Rise 19. Doug Hammond - Kone Pone 20. Roy Haynes - Guadalupe 21. Julian Priester - Love Love 22. Byron Pope Speed Of Light - No Boundaries 23. Monette Sudler Sextet - Brighter Days For You

The really important issues of the day like the fate of Labour under Jeremy Corbyn and the mysteries of infant colic are things The Cosmic Jam has no licence to deal with. Whatever else is going on in the world or in my life melts away for two hours on a Sunday night, and that's the way it should be. Music is our sanctuary through all times. 1. Third Stream - In A Galaxy Far Away 2. Johnny Hammond - Detroit Rainbow 3. Lucas Arruda ft Leon Ware & Guida De Palma - Stop Look And Listen 4. The Gingerbread Express - Missed Another Day 5. Nancy Wilson - Call Me 6. The Foreign Exchange ft Carlitta Durand - Disappear 7. Ben Cox Band - Blessed Are The Bleak 8. Matthew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra - Badder Weather 9. Sekou Sundiata - Days Going By In Broken English 10. Nat Birchall - Njozi (Vision) 11. Christian Scott - Of A New Cool 12. Malcolm Cecil - Gamelonia Dusk 13. Mathhew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra - Daan Park 14. Seeds Of Fulfillment - The Provider 15. Lindsey Webster - Open Up 16. Zé Ze Motta - Oxum 17. George Duke ft Flora Purim - Yana Aminah 18. Johnny Hammond - Why Can't We Smile? (unreleased version) 19. Milton Nascimento - Marie Trés Filhos 20. Milton Nascimento - Viola Violar (live) 21. Milton Nascimento - Cravo E Canela 22. Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Des Nude Soul 23. Jay Hoggard - Sao Pablo 24. Kathryn Moses - Music In My Heart 25. Ulla - Space Lady.

I've always tried to keep my personal and professional life separate, but these days it seems the lines are increasingly blurred. It's no secret that much to my amazement and delight I've become a father again which accounts for my recent sabbatical from the radio. So, whilst I was reconciled to the idea of parenthood returning to the agenda despite my (ahem) advancing years, I never anticipated..... twins!!!! A double blessing for sure, but that's easily said by those who've never actually experienced the reality of dealing with two wee ones simultaneously! It's relentless, they sleep deprivation is a form of torture but mainly I'm just delirious, doolally and drunk on the delights of nappy changing, cooing, comforting and generally easing the passage of my identical twin boys into this world. Funnily enough when we eventually arrived home with the boys there was a record shaped package amongst the piles of bills and junk mail which turned out to be my copy of Malcolm Cecil's "Radiance". I've long been fascinated by Cecil's career, as an obsessive devourer of record sleeve credits I eventually pieced together Cecil puzzle from his work alongside Robert Magaloueff with Stevie Wonder, and their pioneering electronic ambient excursions as Tonto's Expanding Head Band, to his production with Gil Scott-Heron And The Isley Brothers, but his solo album from 1981 had so far eluded me. It's very much in the classic T.O.N.T.O style, The Original New Timbral Orchestra being the vast modular synthesiser on which the album is entirely played, (apart from a contribution from Paul Horn's flute on the second track we include in the show). So "Radiance" ended up being the soundtrack to our first days at home with Quincy and Sebastian.... and you know who the former is named after! Ambient music certainly seems the most appropriate for the frayed and dazed days of new parenthood, gentle and slightly surreal, time dissolved into a continuum of caring and getting through. So maybe instead of my musings about cycling to South London my podcast will become a blog about twin parenthood? Actually I look forward to the day when I can get back to cycling and broadcasting live, and for that matter the days when I can return to my regular work-outs in the pool... of all the things I miss at the moment swimming would have to be top of the list as I tend to think it keeps me sane as much as trim! Anyway it was fairly miraculous to me that I managed to record a show here at Forge Towers, and I wouldn't pretend it's the greatest radio show I've put together, but under the circumstances I'm pleased with the outcome. There's a healthy balance of ancient and modern, with new soulful sounds from Lucas Arruda, Eric Roberson, Dele Sosimi, Kamasi Washington nestling alongside classics from Doug and Jean Carn, Charles Earland, Deodato and others. Of course Doug and Jean's rendering of Wayne Shorter's beautiful "Infant Eyes" was an obvious choice even if it was originally dedicated to a baby girl, it has all the tenderness and wonder of life inside the baby bubble. Of course for all the vagaries of sleepless nights and other sacrifices the joys of witnessing a new life are so much greater, unfathomable, therapeutic and profound. As for the music, well it was definitely therapeutic to get back to my vinyl, and the one advantage of recording the show at home is that affords the opportunity for more spontanaeity. Certainly the last half hour was completely impromptu, other than kicking it off with Nick the Record's rework of a Lincoln Olivetti Brazil boogie nugget, the rest were just pulled out off the cuff. (Which is easy as my twelves are all in the racks behind my decks, whereas the jazz is mainly on the other side of the room!). If I'd been planning a show more meticulously I'd probably thought "better" of playing Level 42's "Starchild" and Deodato's "Whistle Bump", so there you go. I also particularly enjoyed the start of the show with the Malcolm Cecil segué into an often overlooked version of "My Favourite Things" ( thank you Jean Claude Thompson). As I mentioned on the show I've been reassessing my Charles Earland collection as he is undoubtedly my favourite jazz organist, so expect more buried treasure from the king of the Hammond in weeks to come...Generally to my ears nothing screams "Acid Jazz" more than the sound of a funky organ groove, as that was the dominant sound at the birth of that "genre". So it was to my surprise that when I eventually dipped into the the third disc of the Kamasi Washington album to find that "Cherokee" was very much in that kind of rare groove style. However it must be said that the thing that stands out to me about the vocal tunes on The Epic is that they have something of a "show tune" quality, the melodies are almost archaic on "Cherokee" and "The Rhythm Changes", which is no bad thing. Of all the new music I played this week, I have to say that having vinyl copies of the Dele Sosimi and Lucas Arruda albums has increased my appreciation of those works exponentially. Of course I'm a vinyl fan, but beyond any discussion about sound quality, what makes an enormous difference to me is that I'm less likely to listen to a file on my main sound system and even though I run my laptop through a nice pair of speakers (in the kitchen), the whole sonic perspective is very different when playing off vinyl on my "semi-audiophile" set-up with my decks. So the Dele Sosimi album which benefits from being recorded in one of London's best analogue studios sounded much mightier from vinyl. As for Lucas Arruda's "Solar", it's a delightful set which owes much to classic Brazilian crossover fusion and soul, and even though it bears his influence quite obviously even Ed Motta is a fan, as indeed am I; a maturing talent for sure. More musings on fatherhood and music (definitely not) for dad dancing next week. I'm toying with the idea of some specials.... Like shows dedicated to my favourite drummers... Bernard Purdie, Harvey Mason et al, and I think a classic strictly acoustic jazz set is long overdue... Also I'm trying to think of a fitting tribute to my late great colleague Colin Faver who passed away last Saturday after I recorded the show. The man was one of the greatest DJs I've known, so much greater a talent than so many more celebrated names...no doubt he'll be rocking that party on the other side. Until then as one of my favourite comedians, Dave Allen, used to say "may your God go with you" which i think leaves plenty of room for interpretation whether your religious, agnostic or atheist...your God might well be music. 1. Malcolm Cecil - Sun Song 2. Oliver Nelson - My Favourite Things 3. Lucas Arruda - Vento Sul 4. The Foreign Exchange - Milk And Honey 5. Dele Sosimi - E Go Better 6. Kamasi Washington - Cherokee 7. Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Band - What Can You Bring Me? 8. Charles Earland - Charles 3rd 9. Guilherme Vergueiro - Em Cima Da Hora 10. George Cables - Quiet Fire 11.Malcolm Cecil - Gamelonian Dawn 12. Doug & Jean Carn - Infant Eyes 13. Lucas Arruda - Uma Onda 14. Omar - Get Away 15. Eric Roberson ft. King - Just Imagine 16. Famks - Labirinto (Nick The Record rework ) 17. Carly Simon - Tranquilo (Melt My Heart) 18. Airto - The Road Is Hard ( But We're Going To Make It ) 19. Level 42 -Starchild 20. Deodato - Whistle Bump

Cosmic Jam Dingwalls 1.Eddie Jefferson - Jeanine 2.Benny Bailey - Little B 3.Vince Andrews - The One Who Loves You 4.Alive - Afreaka 5.Rimona Francis - Colours Of Excitement 6.Pharoah Sanders - Africa pt.2 7. Boy Kantindig - What I Feel 8. Doug Richardson - Salsa Mama 9. Norman Connors - Just Imagine 10.Wayne Henderson - Lady Bug 11.Victor Burghardt & Mike Barone Orchestra - Hardcore Samba 12.Ramsey Lewis - Slick 13.Irene Kral - Wheelers And Dealers 14.The Janet Lawson Quintet - Sunday Afternoon 15.Rafaella Renzulli Ensemble - Asking Eyes 16.Dee Dee Bridgewater - Afro Blue 17.Doug Carn - Higher Ground 18.Miami University Jazz Vocal Ensemble - Freedom Jazz Dance 19.Chaka Khan - And The Melody Lingers On ( A Night In Tunisia) 20.Raw Soul Express - The Way We Live 21.Earth Wind & Fire - In The Stone 22.NYCC - Make Every Day Count

Weather report; Spring is nestling happily between cool and warm, the way it should be, maybe a bit too dry for the farmers, April showers few and far between, happy days for cycling DJs. Unsurprisingly I start with a tune that references London in the first line, thank you Eska! Your Joni-esque warble at the opening of "To Be Remembered" eventually gives way to something far more full throated and (conventionally) soulful. However it's not just vocal stylings you've learnt from Ms. Mitchell there's something of the same conversational narrative lyric style in this song with it's prosaic mentions of text messages and planting trees. However that's more of a compliment than a gripe and the long awaited album doesn't disappoint, and there's so much that's just Eska. A good way to begin an opening sequence of tunes that have something of a questioning or searching quality in common. Joyce Elaine Yuille's "Chaos" and Liz Elensky's "Distractions" are both "jazz" songs that deal with the more uncomfortable side of life, whereas Bill Laurance's "Red Sand" is testimony to this musician's, to quote Lee Morgan, "search for the new land". A little Jazz-dance classicism never goes amiss as we anticipate another Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls session, now barely a month away. From the lesser known Don Scalletta Trio to the very familiar sound and shape of Miles' "Milestones"... still so fresh, bold and essentially modern. Dingwalls vibes run thick through the massive "discovery" of those days , Dansers Inferno, "Sombre Guitar". As far as I recall this was a discovery of original Soul Jazz duo, Alex and Stuart when they traded records from a shop in the nearby yard, but doubtless the tune may have a deeper history for someone; this would have been around 1990. Anthemic, bold and as happy as the title might say otherwise. "Billy Ballet" is the heavyweight in the pack, killer rhythms from Babatunde! Brazilian music takes over the back to back sequence in the second hour. My love of Jobim's music deepens with every listen, having read his sister's excellent biography of it's hard not to be endeared to this passionate genius. A word not to be bandied about lightly, but I wouldn't hesitate to also describe Egberto Gismonti thus as well, though his music is not as easily accessible as Jobim's more mellifluous approach, both these Carioca composers could be described as fine distillers of Brazilian traditions as they draw influence from far and wide in Brazil's rich and diverse musical culture. Azymuth need no introduction but Pela Cidade is an early work that only appeared on a soundtrack.... I love it! Moody, funky and swinging, a great ode to the urban! The three vocal tracks that follow are all connected and highlight three of Brazil's greatest female singers, finishing with the queen of them all , the late great Elis Regina. Her interpretation of Lo Borges' "O Trem Azul" takes the tune to giddying new heights, Elis truly delivers a stunning vocal which combined with an arrangement from her then husband, Cesar Mariano, stands in complete contrast to Lo and Milton Nascimento's mellower original. Beforehand the minimal funkiness of Gal Costa's "O Vento" is followed by the plangent tones of Nana Caymmi rendering "Club Da Esquina No2" an emotional delight. Soul tunes..... Michael Henderson, romantic singer and bass player for Miles Davis, and a tune that was featured by the great Ed Motta on a rather wonderful little feature of him talking music in his vinyl room. (I'll be chatting with Ed Motta on ntslive.com this coming Monday from 2pm, after my own show at midday!) https://youtu.be/cpNK5H7QmFQ Whilst on the subject of vinyl rooms, my friend James Vyner made a little film of me talking tunes at Forge Towers.... https://vimeo.com/123658175 Rounding off, a great Leon Ware song, and I love Coke Escovedo's version. Then a tune that had me reaching for the Discogs tab when I was reminded of it... looking back I often think to myself that a wiser man wouldn't have been so ready to shed various bits of vinyl when under the influence of a particular zeitgeist. Good music has a way of getting back at me! Maybe Jeff Tyzik's "Sweet Nothings" just conjured a memory or maybe I was just finally appreciating the groove and grace of Steve Gadd's drums! Had to slot in a favourite from Manhattan Rhythm and a slice of The Rebirth before finishing with at least a taste of Azymuth's of Alex Malheiros. Enjoy... and as Roland Kirk once put it, "bright moments". 1.Eska - To Be Remembered 2. Alex Puddu - Cruising By Night 3. Joyce Elaine Yuille - Chaos 4. Ajoyo - Tashikere 5. Bill Laurance - Red Sand 6. Liz Elensky - Distractions 7. Don Scalletta Trio - York's Sauna 8. Nanette Natal - Love Signs 9. Miles Davis - Milestones 10. Danser's Inferno - Sombre Guitar 11. Bishop Norman Williams - Billy Ballet 12. Antonio Carlos Jobim - Tempo Do Mar 13. Egberto Gismonti - Cristiana 14. Azymuth - Pela Cidade 15. Gal Costa - O Vento 16. Nana Caymmi - Clube Da Esquinha 17. Elis Regina - O Trem Azul 18. Michael Henderson - Going Places 19. Coke Escovedo - If I Ever Lose This Heaven 20. Jeff Tyzik - Sweet Nothings 21. Manhattan Rhythm - Sweet Lady 22. The Rebirth - Show 'Em 23. Alex Malheiros - Four Aces And A Joker

This show ended up being broadcast twice as I had to reluctantly abandon last Sunday's show as something crucial and even closer to my heart needed my attention, so it went out again. I'd recorded this one at Forge Towers before I took a few days out on family business, so I thought It might sound pretty stale by the time I got round to listening back. But as I've edited now I've really enjoyed the experience. Nothing exceptional here, just regular Cosmic Jam business, spiced with a couple of all time favourites along the way. A first half hour dominated by the new grooves of Bill Laurance and Hiatus Coyote. Then we revive some Ed Motta, stirring great memories of when he spent some time in London hanging out. There's a Tania Maria tune which is chock full of all her trademark samba fuelled funkiness, some Latin funk from Roland Vasquez and souuuul from Leroy Hutson, and (Xian) flavour from James Vincent, (awesome outro!) and that tune about L.A. that somehow just occupies it's own territory. Second hour new jazzambience from Jessica Lauren and Richard Spaven, before that soulful feeling comes again, shaken and stirred through tunes by Linda Tillery, Gloria Jay, AWB and Gil... ( a happy one that always makes me smile!) Dancing all the way home with boogie and disco to uplift even the most tired and troubled soul. And yes.... "Starlette" is really right up there for me in the echelon of "works of utter genius"!! I'm back with a whole new scheme of things, or at least some different tunes, next week. In the meantime.... hope you enjoy this selection. Peace. P. 1. Cy Gorman ft Will Poskitt - Cool Change 2. Hiatus Coyote - By Fire 3. Bill Laurance - The Rush 4. Marcina Arnold - Forefathers 5. Kyoto Jazz Sextet - Up A Step 6. Gomo - Out Of My Hands 7. Ed Motta - Um Dom Pra Salvador 8. Tania Maria - Bronx 9. Roland Vasquez - Only What Ya Feel 10. Leroy Hutson - I Think I'm Falling In Love 12. James Vincent - The Seventh Day 13. Oliver Sain - Nothing's Real In L.A. 14. Emanative ft. Jessica Lauren - Om Supreme 15. Richard Spaven- Vintage Year 16. Linda Tillery - Heaven Is In Your Mind 17. Average White Band - Digging Deeper 18. Gloria Jay - Know What You Want 19. Gil Scott-Heron & Brain Jackson - Back Home 20. Tom Scott & The L.A. Express - Spindrift 21. Aquarian Dream - Serious Business 22. Adrian Gurvitz - Untouchable And Free 23. Mr. Q - Love And Time 24. Tantra - Get Happy 25. B.B.&Q Band - Starlette 26. Justo Almario - Sho' You Right

Tried though I might to have been the harbinger of Spring last Sunday, fairly inevitably seven days later I'm braced by wintry raw as I'm scudding down the Old Kent Rd. As I write the seasonal change seems to be trying to assert itself again,as nature endeavours to claw its way free from that cold embrace. Even so, around this time of year we tend to start anticipating Summer, contemplating the seemingly impossible shedding of layers, days on the beach, and nights filled with sweet festival sounds..... If you're thinking of heading anywhere this Summer look no further than the tremendous Southern Soul Festival in lovely Montenegro, the line-up is hard to resist.... Whilst the new website is under construction you can check the Facebook, still a few early bird tickets left, grab 'em!! https://www.facebook.com/events/299599816915683/ Whilst on such topics before we get in to the broadcast stuff, a couple more nights to check... A Friday night which bodes of great things... less than a 100 tickets left , so please come and join us if you feel the urge! https://www.facebook.com/events/809590672423254/ And next month there's a rare and maybe never to be repeated session featuring myself alongside my lovely Launette, back to back, in Manchester. https://www.facebook.com/events/1091302944229261/ So, Cosmic Jam..... I enjoyed this one; maybe sleep deprivation is good for me, having had to rise after an hour and a half's kip following another top session at Guzzo in Barcelona; it was the only flight available, at 9am! So I got back to Forge Towers, sorted a little tunage then retired to my pit for some not quite satisfactory shut-eye. Personally, I always find sleeping during the day disorienting, discombobulating and definitely not to be indulged in unless absolutely essential. It's just that it seems to take longer to wake up again, I hate that fuzziness! Of course after my jaunt down South on the bike I felt very much wide awake, and managed to stay focussed through the show; sometimes I hit a wall of fatigue, and doubtless sometimes that's pretty obvious in my delivery. First half hour freshness, female vocals, Nneka, Emily Saunders, Eska, Vanessa Freeman, Rhonda Thomas...actually the Eska track is from 2009, but easily as fresh as the rest. Good news is her album drops soon...at last, though I doubt it will have anything as obviously jazzy as this collaboration with Michael Olatuja. Latin, and harmony? At least so I dubbed the next section of the show. I must say I've been enjoying the Mambo/Descarga/Latin Jazz thing of late, not that I've ever fallen out of love with those hypnotic bass lines and rolling percussion grooves that are best described as by one of my old time record dealers, "dangerous dance music". He had a habit of scrawling on the back of record sleeves, thus diminishing their value considerably, and sometimes the letters DDM would appear next to a track title, just as they do on my copy of "Mighty Mongo". Bless you Brian! Suffice to say that the trio of tunes that closes this section, from Marvin Smitty Smith through Mongo Sanataria to Daniel Ponce are all deserving of the DDM tag. It's funny, but over the years I've observed that so many fans of Soul and Jazz (Fusion) who are avid vinyl buyers often steer clear of the Latin and Brazilian sections despite the pervasive influence of those rhythms and musical cultures in so much of the music they cherish (and buy). Maybe I'm just on the Latin Jazz tip at the moment as it's blatantly not trendy, African compilations, obscure South American or Brazilian funk and boogie, anything like that has got legs for the vinyl punter, but good old Latin (Jazz) barely gets a look in! Prior to that section of tunes the harmony, especially from Lambert Hendricks and Ross, Hendricks' Lyrics to Hi-Fly are hilarious especially when applied anachronistically to the modern hipster, though of course they were written for the original age of "jive cats". The O Quarteto track is sublime beyond words, it must be said the Brazilians have an incredible affinity with the art of harmony singing. Second half of the show and the back to back section is dominated by Quincy's epic Gula Matari which I usually balk at playing on account of its length. On Sunday night I just wanted to hear it again, and relished every note. It seemed to segué nicely out of Paul Horn's "Guinevere" and into Letta Mbulu's "Down By The River". The "funky folk"? tune that closes the section is a recent turn on, thank you Paul Hillery!! (ph on Mixcloud) Boogie to the top always seems to be my mantra for the final section of the show, for many reasons, staying awake, staying alive, keeping the groove, and generally banging the boogie. Hopefully this week's burst of dance-floor energy won't disappointment. 1. Nneka - Believe System 2. Emily Saunders - Summer Days 3. Michael Olatuja ft Eska. - Yi Yipada 4. Gomo ft Vanessa Freeman - Forever Love 5. Rhonda Thomas - I Love It 6. Arn Evans & Tradewinds - Sambatime 7. O Quarteto - Ceu E Mar 8. Lambert Hendricks & Ross - Hi-Fly 9. Marvin "Smitty" Smith - Salsa Blue 10. Mongo Santamaria - Sabor 11. Daniel Ponce - Oromi 12. Paul Horn - Guinevere 13. Quincy Jones - Gula Matari 14. Letta Mbulu - Down By The River 15. Bernie Leadon / Michael Georgiades Band - Callin' For Your Love 16. Tom Browne - Brighter Tomorrow 17. Bobby Humphrey - No Way 18. Samm Culley Band - Walk 19. The Sunburst Band - The Secret Life Of Us (The Reflex Revision) 20. Gwen Guthrie - Padlock

Pinch punch first of the month, tis the season of the mad March hare. Days getting brighter, staying lighter, then in a few weeks the clocks go back, and hey, we're living in a different world. All of which may seem like a strange rumination if you're living in Kuala Lumpa or even L.A., but life in a temperate zone like London pivots around such seasonal adjustments. It had been a raw day, windy, with the last throes of Winter wreaking havoc with anyone dressing according to how the day looked from behind glass. After nightfall everything usually calms down, though there had been an aberrational thunderstorm after the sun had gone down, a brief freak-out of nature. However by the time I was riding South the roads had by and large dried, with just the odd puddle to swerve reminding me of the earlier deluge. So onwards and upwards for The Cosmic Jam. You know what? I'm so grateful to everyone that commented here or on my Facebook page after my mild crisis of confidence last week, all those positive affirmations are hugely appreciated. Faith restored, and once again eager to let the music take your mind, (and mine!). (Not forgetting heart, soul, toes and any other bits it might reach....) So I'm listening back as I write, and I think it's fair to say that the opening string of soulful ditties that lead off this week's show act like a soft start, a gentle intro, all gloriously mid-tempo and full of uplifting warmth. Soooo happy to already have something fresh from Jarrod Lawson, though that's hardly fair on the actual artist in question, trumpeter Farnell Newton, but Lawson's presence definitely steals the spotlight. "Peace and Love" has that Dilla-ish off kilter bounce, a righteous message, sublime harmonies, and glorious trumpet from Mr. Newton whose contribution should really not be eclipsed by the man of the moment. Miles Bonny, I remember being heavily into his "Closer Love" EP back in '07, but strangely I hadn't touched down on anything from his "Lumberjack Soul" album from a 2011...never too late to remedy a notable omission, and "Learning To Fly" is a worthy contender. Finally Rhonda Thomas', the album slightly underwhelmingly called "Vinyl Daze", has some tracks that I like well enough and others like "Reach" which I consider to be top drawer... and they keep getting better the more I listen, which is a good sign. Then we twist...... who'd want to stay in that comfortable Soul groove for too long? Vanessa Freeman's new project Gomo, which I somewhat misleadingly dubbed Gomo Mondo on the show, when actually the album is called "Mondo Romance". Get it? At least I do now....and the music, which climbs to a nice altitude with tunes like "Breathless" combining jazz elements with a new school sensibility, and V's voice which blossoms and grows ever more wondrous....nuff said. Native Dancer, cosmic, strong.... "Speaking Of Happiness" wrought from the best part of the weave, made of the most soulful material, a truly classic cut. Stanley Cowell... a pianist whose compositions and evergreen approach to the music called Jazz should be no stranger to Cosmic Jam listeners. Though some vinyl jazz heads may have prized his contributions to the Strata East stable and maybe his awesome "New World" album for the Galaxy label, they may have missed or not even realised his ever expanding oeuvre of CD only releases, many for the Steeplechase label. The album "Mandara Blossoms" features vocalist Karen Francis throughout, and as it was kind of extended by both bass and drum solos I did a crude edit of "A Whole New World" for broadcast purposes, hope nobody's offended, kind of sacrilegious I know, but too many tunes to bless the session with! Like "Señor Zamora", Harold Vick's Latin fused thoroughbred for Strata East, Joe Bonner on Fender Rhodes, ouch!! Too tough. Keeping the Latin tinge, Fertile Ground's "Peace And Love" had been in my head all day, they've deservedly had a revival at Forge Towers of late; the band was mainly the project of James Collins who played keys and wrote most of the tunes however this one was penned by Navasha Deya who fronted the band and partnered James in love, life and music until they parted ways and Fertile Ground were no more.However their legacy deserves attention, in the wake of so much interest in "Spiritual Jazz" and the kind of community led projects the likes of Horace Tapscott et al were at the forefront of, we shouldn't ignore those who carried that torch into the modern era, themselves struggling with the realities of making spiritual music for a commercial music marketplace. Poncho Sanchez, whenever I mention him in these notes I'm reminded of the day when he and his band stepped out of a tour bus to play at Dingwalls in Camden Lock, some serious L.A. latinos with beards to shame most hipsters. The Banda brothers on timbales and bass!! They were as good as it gets in Latin Jazz, tunes like "Ican" were the reason we went out of our way, and way over our budget, to book them for our Sunday afternoon jazz-dance session. They were happy, in fact so happy they celebrated the occasion with the tune "A Night In London" on their Chile Con Soul release. The Ray Stephen Oche tune is an old favourite, however the African stream flows on with the two tunes that follow, the incredible Ndikho Xaba which starts off the second hour and a tune from the Ice album which had been languishing in my collection for many years without me exploring beyond the funky classic "Racubah", and in many ways I vastly prefer "Ozan Koukle". Bongos, Rhodes, solos...a la bit (Afro)acid-jazz, but lovely all the same, particularly the chanted refrain. Out of Africa to ...... Stereolab, an odd insertion I agree, but it does kind of work, and it gets even odder by following on with Maze....I just had to do it. And then Hey Jude?? Yes, well, Edu Lobo's version is sublime..... Finally we get some boogie groove, with Japanese jazz-funkers Casiopea making a long overdue appearance on the show, followed by my favourite "AOR disco" acquisition of late, the Sweet Vendetta album from Adrian Gurvitz, Adrian straight outta Stoke Newington, has a career with stints alongside powerhouse drummer Buddy Miles (Hendrix Band Of Gypsies) and then with Ginger Baker. So no surprise that this, his first solo album was made with some top notch U.S. session players, including drummers Jeff Pocaro and Ed Greene who features on this tune "Untouchable And Free" which I first heard somebody play at Danny Psychemagick's Magic Forest festival last summer, it was a tune that stuck in my head, though I didn't actually know what it was, didn't ask, and then lo and behold, I pick up the Gurvitz album for a paltry sum, get it on the turntable, and Side One Track One.... it's that tune!! Love it when that happens , oh blessed serendipity! Nice re-edit of Pacific Jam follows, primed for the dance floor, that tune has always been big in my box! Rhyze needs a pitch down, but is even punchier with the bpm lowered and "Free And Easy" suddenly sounds spectacular... a nice way to finish. Loved this one.... Until next time, peace love and pyjamas! P.x 1. Farnell Newton ft. Jarrod Lawson&Tony Ozier - Peace And Love 2. Miles Bonny - Learning How To Fly 3. Rhonda Thomas - Reach 4. Gomo - Breathless 5. Native Dancer - Paris Drive 6. Gloria Lynne - Speaking Of Happiness 7. Stanley Cowell ft. Karen Francis - A Brand New World 8. Harold Vick - Senor Zamora 9. Fertile Ground - Peace And Love 10. Poncho Sanchez - Ican 11. Ray Stephen Oche - Odeiyolaoo 12. Ndikho Xaba and The Natives - Nomusa 13. Ice - Ozan Koukle 14. Stereolab - The Extension Trip 15. Maze - The Look In Your Eyes 16. Edu Lobo - Hey Jude 17. Casiopea - Eyes Of Mind 18. Adrian Gurvitz - Untouchable And Free 19. Pacific Jam - Antes De Mais Nada 20. Rhyze - Free 21. Rene And Angela - Free And Easy

It's probably just as well that when I received the audio file of this week's show the bit at the beginning about having a cup of medicinal mushrooms to drink (chaga), was missing. Of course this was a source of much hilarity to Ross Allen, and nuff jokes abounded in the studio about Cosmic Jam/mushrooms/magic/hippies, which begs the question, am I? A hippy, that is... well I do drink medicinal mushrooms, am more or less vegan, love a bit of yoga/chi gong/meditation, however I don't wear tie-dye, smoke weed, or say "cosmic" much except in the context of the show. Hippies, if such a concept or subcultural group makes any sense in this day and age doubtless do come in many guises, and who's to say what kind of music they should like? In my experience a lot of those who ostensibly advocate the modern version of the "hippy" credo have pretty awful taste in music...psi-trance? Dodgy ambience with clichéd beats? It may be "cosmic", but it also lacks the soul and expansiveness that I search for in life and music. So what do I mean by cosmic? I've always thought of it as referencing Clinton's "Cosmic Slop"and the whole sic-fi, space obsessed vein that runs through music from Sun Ra to Earth Wind And Fire etc, that and the idea that the radio/airwaves/ether is a much more metaphysical space than the dance-floor, a space where music should necessarily and logically be more expansive. However my tastes also have a more terrestrial bent, I don't just spiral off into galactic reveries, at least not all the time! I very much doubt that I'm the best judge of my radio shows, after all they're not really for me. Having said that if I'm not pleasing myself the whole thing would be a fairly pointless exercise, after all the time that I've been in the game, I'd like to declare that I'm not really "in the game"; I'm just doing my thing, and I hope in doing so it reaches a few sympathetic ears and touches the odd soul. All I can say is that for whatever reasons, this particular Cosmic Jam pleased me more than most, maybe it's the balance of the tunes, the way I felt, the fact that I'd noticed the first stirrings of Spring that day, who knows? What I do know is that it kicks off with a cosmic nugget from Joe Claussell and Stefan Prescott's Spiritual Life which was undoubtedly one of my favourite labels during a period when I took much more interest in house music than I dip these days. The "Kuniyuki" remix of Slam Mode's "Pacifica" is certainly something of latter day hippy anthem, suitably expansive and a nice way to set up the show. Staying with newness for the first sequence there's more from The Rebirth, Rhonda Thomas, Native Dancer, and Ben Cox Band, all providing reasons to be cheerful and optimistic about the state of new music. Which is not something I'm feeling when I try to get with the latest crop electronic artists, but it's not for me to shout "emperor's new clothes".... The point I was trying to make about Mark Murphy's interpretation of Michel Colombier and Paul Williams "We Could Be Flying", (Williams also penned the words to We've Only Just Begun, so one might surmise he was something of an optimist!). The tune, which I've always loved, can certainly sound bombastic in the wrong hands, but Murphy brings such fluidity and looseness to proceedings he avoids those traps, and by underplaying the message he possibly nails the quintessential version. Another vocal gem follows, the album produced by (Jamaican born) Esmond Edwards, a man whose career is not often celebrated but whose credentials would rank him way up there amongst the greatest, is by Gloria Lynne, a vocalist who's career again had an enormous span and range, this version of "Out Of This World" is funky, fun, soulful and impeccably arranged. Following glorious Gloria, more lush female vocals from Flora Purim who at this time in the mid eighties was sounding beyond wonderful, her innate Brazilian swing and sweetness embellished by a seasoned huskiness. "Jogral" was written by the incredible José Neto, a Hendrix-like guitar genius who featured heavily in Airto and Flora's bands around this period. I saw Neto perform alongside Airto and Flora with the band Fourth World several times, and his playing never ceased to amaze and inspire. Grupo Afro Cuba Havana, a progressive Cuban outfit licenced to a European label, come with the fusion tinged but authentically lovely "Maria", Kahil El Zabaar I say plenty about on the show, and the Bill English tune "7th Ave Bill" is the kind of Jazz that needs little in the way of explanation, proper. The second hour kicks off with the Detroit Escalator Company's "Twilight Finding", a collaboration between DEC's Neil Ollivierra and Ayro, which may have been DEC's last release (2006), which is sad because Neil Ollivierra made some sumptuously gorgeous music under the DEC moniker. Matthew Halsall never fails to establish a great atmosphere on his recordings, they are conceptually almost flawless, and his treatment of Alice Coltrane's "Journey In Satchidananda" weighs in with the acoustic bass wringing every last drop of heaviness from that timeless line, and follows through with some beautiful flute work, and trumpet from the man himself. Independent and beautifully odd jazz follows in the shape of Jerry Granelli's "Aslan", bass-line heavy once again, as is Lani Hall's version of Lesley Duncan's "Love Song". Keeping the bass but getting supremely analogue synth (you don't get any better than T.O.N.T.O) Malcolm Cecil produced some of Gil Scott Heron's best work bringing his brand of sonic expertise into play, and the combination of that mellifluous synth bass and Gil's redoubtably upbeat "Better Days Ahead" is truly lovely. Last half hour veers between Latin tinged soulfulness and plain funkiness, the rare, the overlooked, the new and old all forming a fitting finale to a show which floated my boat. I hope it doesn't sink yours!! Peace, love, and medicinal mushrooms.. P.x 1. Slam Mode - Pacifica (Kuniyuki Takahashi remix) 2. Native Dancer - Until Frida Speaks 3. Rhonda Thomas - Oh Yay 4. Ben Cox Band - Either Or 5. The Rebirth - Halfway 6. Mark Murphy - We Could Be Flying 7. Gloria Lynne - Out Of this World 8. Flora Purim & Airto - Jogral 9. Grupo Afro Cubana Havana - Maria 10. Kahil El Zabaar Quartet - What It Is 11. Bill English - 7th Ave Bill 12. Detroit Escalator Company - Twilight Finding 13. Matthew Halsall's Gondwana Orchestra - Journey In Satchidanada 14. Jerry Granelli -Aslan 15. Lani Hall - Love Song 16. Gil Scott-Heron - Better Days Ahead 17. Mario Castro Neves - Subtle Chemistry 18. Ondrea Duverney - You What It's Like 19. Pacific Eardrum - Man Of Mystery 20. Boris Gardner - Ghetto Funk 21. Chocolate Milk - Spread A Little Love 22. Bobby Humphrey - Sunset Burgundy 23. The Rebirth - Caterpillar 24. Foreign Exchange - Take Off The Blues (live)

Arriving with barely a minute to spare from The Bussey Building where I'd witnessed a stunning show from Brian Jackson & The New Midnight Band, this was a Cosmic Jam that once again came together in a hurry but I don't think suffers in the slightest as a result. Sometime the most spontaneous.... Native Dancer have a great name ( I think) even if it's cribbed from Wayne Shorter (the album he made with Milton Nascimento no less), and the music is also worthy of that audacious theft. Though a name is all they've borrowed, all the other elements are sufficiently scrambled as to remain traceless, though I'd venture there's everything from broken beat to Joni Mitchell, Weather Report to pop woven in to their sound. Most of the rest of the show isn't quite so contemporary, but next week I'll definitely be playing some/a lot /all of the new Rebirth album which had me seriously mesmerised this afternoon...... Big album alert. However the Intuit collaboration with Andy Bey definitely deserves a reboot as it's something I probably only played a couple of times back when it came out in 2004 and for me has all the hallmarks of a classic. Metheny's "Have You Heard" is the first of two jazz tunes that have that upful buoyancy that I cherish and need to keep me smiling through the dark days of winter. Ditto the smile factor with Woody Shaw's "Rosewood", and Bobby Hutcherson's version is just as strong as the composer's more horn-heavy original. More contemporary flavour jazz with Woodland Conclave, (another name I find rather leasing) and the epic "Celebration Of Live (Song For Simon)" Did they mean life? Who cares, they manage the transition between rolling waltz time to sprightly samba fusion very sweetly, and keep the groove hummin' all the way down the track. Having played an epic, there wasn't quite room for all of Ryo Kawasaki's oddball jazz-funk "The Breeze And I " , I wanted to squeeze in a trio of MPBistas with soulful measures of Brazilian groove before the top of the hour and a dive into classic Cosmic Jam horizontalisms. Second hour segue, a classic hippy space jam/ cinematic jazz workout, Spirit's "Ice" is a long time favourite. Put it this way, I played it long before I heard Common's "Resurrection" (which I also love) that sampled the hook deftly. Sparkling.... Toninho Horta's "Diana" has all the classic melodic/harmonic traits of the Minas Gerais sound I love so deeply and I don't think I'd ever really absorbed that tune before, loveliness. Marion Brown's version of Stevie's Visions is another Cosmic Jam perennial though following it with the evergreen "You Are My Starship" felt very right, even more so the Oliver Nelson beauty that follows.... Last half hour swings from classic 2-step, by way of a "free soul" nugget from the land down under, an Hawaiian reissue, and another from Athens Of the North to a righteous soulful conclusion from Arabi. Sounds outernational?Maybe it is, but mainly it's just soul. Until next time Love, peace and harmony P.x 1.Native Dancer - Love 2. Intuit ft. Andy Bey - Planet Birth 3. Pat Metheny Group - Have You Heard 4. Bobby Hutcherson - Rosewood 5. Gil Scott-Heron&Brian Jackson - Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams) 6. Woodland Conclave - Celebration Of Live 7. Ryo Kawasaki - The Breeze And I 8. MPB 4 - Cravo E Canela 9. Claudia - Toca Chiquinho 10. Marina Lima - Coracoes A Mil 11. Spirit - Ice 12. Toninho Horta - Diana 13. Marion Brown - Visions 14. Norman Connors - You Are My Starship 15. Oliver Nelson - A'Zurte 16. The Futures - Ain't Got time For Nothing 17. Skylight - Get It Happening 18. Linda Evans - I Am Gold 19. Mike Lundy - Rhythm Of Life 20. Straightjacket - The Best Part Of Loving 21. Arabi - Three Times

Back in the groove for a new year, a mild enough Sunday night to make for an enjoyable ride South, and the unexpected pleasure of having X-Press 2 legends Rocky & Diesel live in the Mi-Soul studio standing for the wandering Ross Allen, (as hence he shall be known!). I was excited to be kicking off with a "new discovery" that my girlfriend, the wondrous DJ Launette, had been more on the case tracking down than myself, though if truth be told we'd both heard Andrew Ashong play it at one of the Penge "Jazz In A House" parties. A vocal version of "Teen Town", which is an immediate winner, especially if like me you're a fan of both Weather Report and jazz harmony vocal groups. Anyway it was a nice way to kick off a new year, which hopefully will have plenty of thrills in store, musically and otherwise. However for the opening salvo of 2015 I loaded up some retro bullets, some not so old and others relatively ancient. Going off at a slight tangent from the norm, this edition of the "jam" has less soulful vocals, a touch of Disco, some odd-step spoken word, and a great Beatles cover version. For no particular reason other than they seem to suggest themselves for selection I pulled out a broken beat classic, a slice of kinda "deep house" which was literally I believe an "under the radar" release from trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and the last vinyl releasee from The Rebirth whose album we hotly anticipate this year. All tunes that still sound fresh to me, and are at least vaguely contemporary. Though it's always shocking when you realise something like The New Sector Movements tune is now old enough to drive a car.... lol. Then there's an unlikely Australian groove, the album has such a terrible cover it's hardly something anyone would look twice at, so I'm grateful that I heard it rather than saw it first!! From Australia to a guitarist from Trinidad a singer from the Netherlands and a pianist from Pittsburgh....picking up the rice in a church where a wedding has been!! Second hour, a dreamy "Dreamflower", a Fender Rhodes odyssey from Mr. Barron, an old GP fave from Dingwalls back in the day, and a poetic homage to dancing feet, rounded off by a Herbie tune that more than any other from his early work was portentous of things to come. Last half hour gets a little disco, jazz-funk, Latin to see us through.... until next week. Hope you enjoy it as much.... Peace, love, and blessings for the new year. P.x 1. University Of Miami Jazz Vocal Ensemble - Teen Town 2. New Sector Movements - Voonga Vonge 3. Roy Hargrove - Universe 4. The Rebirth - Love Issue 5. Stylus - Natural Feeling 6. Michael Boothman - Maya Mosquito 7. Henry Franklin - Blue Lights 8. Monika Linges - Running 9. Frank Cunimondo Trio - Eleanor Rigby 10. Tarika Blue - Dreamflower 11. Kenny Barron - Dawn 12. Conjure - Papa La Bas 13. Phavia Kujichagulia - Fancy Footwork 14. Herbie Hancock - Succotash 15. Flora Purim - Angels 16. Tommy Stewart - Fulton County Line 17. Hot Salsa - It's The Rhythm 18. CJ&Co - We Got Our Own Thing 19. Norman Connors - Mr. C

So it was a full moon on Saturday night, but to the naked eye that pale orb didn't look any less replete come Sunday, which prompted me into a fully vocal, soulfully stretched salvo of musical niceness for The Cosmic Jam. Though I never tire of jazz, sometimes it's good to have a few less notes.....lol. Focussing on songs, singers, grooves and less abstract emotions the full moon soul session strays from the beaten path into territory of blue eyed brilliance and boogified danceability with a distinctly jazzy undertow, I love all kinds of Soul music, but I'm not one to dwell on the heartbreak and angst laden side of the tracks, this is (mainly) happy music to lift us beyond the cloying cold of these humdrum winter days. (Obviously not applicable if you're reading this on the other side of the world or in the tropical zones). Keeping it just about 100% vinyl I strapped a selection of vintage goodies on my back and braved the bitter streets of London to deliver this edition of The Cosmic Jam. Maybe these wintry conditions makes me relish the radio even more, or maybe this show was just the tonic I needed... or as I commented during proceedings, maybe it 's just playing tunes that I truly love. Certainly there are some songs here that have lingered with me for many years, the kind of perennial faves that always have the power to come back and reignite that special flame. Extraordinary songs like "Ordinary Joe", which has some of the most killer lines in popular music... "Don't let time and space confuse you, don't let name and form abuse you, just let Big Joe Williams blues you".... always raises and smile and a little shudder of recognition of the utter brilliance of it. Everything But The Girl, Joni Mitchell and Ace may not be everyone's idea of Soul music, but these songs resonate with me in a soulful way. The second hour gets deep with an epic Skip Scarborough tune from Creative Source that rolls and grooves it's way through seven minutes of bliss. Yes we're loved up and spinning some classics, Arnold Blair..... evergreen. Lihue and Stella , beach soul? Then boogified in the final run, with gospel fire digging the sound of music. Ya get me tho? I've obviously run out of worthwhile things to say, so I'll just remind you of a little party we're having, celebrating the talents of three complete dons and having some seasonal fun in a venue that's been close to our hearts for many a moon, and is probably/definitely due to be sold.. sad!! Anyway until next week when the noodle will no doubt be back, be good, be groovy. Peace P.x 1.Ultra High Frequency - We're On The Right Track 2. Don Brown - Don't Lose Your Love 3. Michael Orr & Carey Harris -Spread Love 4. The Dells - It's All Up To You 5. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Somebody's Watching You 6. Lonette McKee - Do To Me 7. Terry Callier - Ordinary Joe 8. Donnie - Do You Know? 9. Everything But The Girl - Each And Every One 10. Joni Mitchell - Help Me 11. Ace - How Long? 12. Jaki Whitren & John Cartwright - Go With The Flow 13. Creative Source - I Just Can't See Myself Without You 14. Dee Dee Bridgwater - Lonely Disco Dancer 15. Arnold Blair - Trying To Get Next To You 16. Nohelani Cypriano - Lihue 17. Bridge - Stella 18. Lou Bond - I'm For You 19. Angela Bofill - The Only Thing I Could Wish For 20. Free Life - Cornerstone 21. Zoom - Distant Destiny 22. Dayton - We Can't Miss 23. Starpoint - Don't Leave Me 24. GQ - Spirit 25. Morris Wilson - Bebopper's Delight

Ross Allen is something of a wanderer these days, which means that I get the call for extra duties on Mi-Soul on a Friday morning. If I wasn't such a "radio tart" this might be a bridge too far , but I not only love doing radio but I also love cycling to South London, though it must be said that the ride south early on a Friday morning is as different as my selections tend to be when I'm standing in for Ross. Actually it could be even more different as I've contemplated digging out some hip-hop for one of Ross' shows, but it doesn't really get much further than pulling out a couple of tunes and deciding that I'm not really feeling it at the moment. Maybe because it would end up being like something of a lament for hip-hop's classic era, lost values etc etc. Of course there's a dominant strain of vintage music on all my shows, but I tend to think of whatever I'm currently getting into as being just that....current! So it's a relatively jazz-free zone, at least by my standards, there's the odd solo, harmonic twist , and vocal inflection that owes a debt to the tradition but by and large we swim in soulful waters.... of many hues. From gentle beginnings to disco dramatics it's two hours of not quite The Cosmic Jam... and I hope you like it. 1. The Peddlers - On a Clear Day 3. Al Jarreau - Spirit 3. The Jackson Five - Ooh, I'd Love To Be With You 4. Junior Mendes - Via Aerea 5. Luther Vandross - A Lover's Change 6. Mario Castro-Neves - Summer Soft 7. Grady Tate - Moondance 8. Gloria Lynne - Out Of This World 9. Jayme Marques - Hooked On Green 10. Stephen Michael Schwartz - Get It Up For Love 11. The Players Association - Everything's Going To Be O.K. 12. Ernie McKone's Tropica - Rainbow Rising 13. Dave Valentin - Marcosinho 14. Letta Mbulu - Normalizo (Jonny Miller re-edit) 15. Jah Wobble, The Edge, Holger Czukay - Hold On To Your Dreams 16. The Lijadu Sisiters - Orere Elejigbo (Jonny Miller re-edit) 17. Fela Kuti - Let's Start 18. Da Lata ft Vanessa Freeman - Free 19. Kimiko Kasai - I Thought It Was You 20. Venus Dodson - Where Are We Headed? 21. The Brothers - Under The Skin 22. Carlos Franzetti - Rhumba Dreams

Horace Silver, an earthy man who made spiritual music and a spiritual man who made earthy music. It's impossible to conceive of the Blue Note label without the contribution of Silver, he's pivotal, essential, inspirational; the lynchpin of the legacy, the godfather of the dynasty. From his pioneering hard-bop beginnings, through his definitive sixties soul-jazz masterpieces to his much misunderstood seventies output. Horace Silver is the tree, the jazz tree, the firm roots, the splaying branches, the foliage that changes with the seasons, he is the gateway, the conduit, the welcoming voice, the musician who exemplified all that was great about jazz, seeking, exploring and soulful, yet never alienating or obtuse, always humble and giving. I swerved a couple of obvious choices in this selection, particularly the tune for which Horace is best known, the mighty, magnificent "Song For My Father". Not because I don't care for it, or that I've tired of it, on the contrary; in fact when my own father passed away I remember playing it at Dingwalls and shedding tears. However, when there was recent false alarm about Horace's passing I discovered probably the best version of the tune, which with the accompanying clip is as engaging a tribute to Horace and his most famous tune as anyone could wish for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1CilMzT55M The other tune that I omitted is not so well known generally, but amongst jazz-dance circles it's become an evergreen classic. From the album "The Tokyo Blues", "Sayonara Blues" is a great though subtle dance-floor journey that maintains an amazing pulse, and I've left it out for that very reason, it's better in a club!!! (And it's long!) So this is not a comprehensive review of Horace's oeuvre, I've steered clear of his early hard-bop recordings and focussed mainly on tunes from the mid sixties through to the eighties, the music from his middle years, ignoring the youthful beginnings and the later mature work. It's just the stuff I love, the classic sixties stylings , the spiritual tunes with Andy Bey's vocals and some of his more fusion based excursions. Horace Silver for sure, but very much my version, because it's personal. Horace the gateway, because so many have found a route into Jazz through his work, the accessible themes and the rhythmic drive of his left hand on the keyboard helped to create music that had an appeal that reached beyond the immediate jazz audience. Horace the conduit, because he channelled the history of Jazz through his playing and because he was always driven by a higher force. Horace the humble man who was inspired to dedicate his life to the exposition of a spiritual, holistic philosophy, and angered many purists and critics with his "United States Of Mind" series for Blue Note in the early seventies when he first started to explore these themes. I can understand why so many found this change of direction upsetting, the approach was song-based, with far less emphasis on soloing. For an artist who had enthralled the jazz world with his dynamic quintet line-ups, introducing so many prodigiously talented horn players to then switch the focus to Andy Bey's (remarkable) voice, and furthermore to adopt the electric keyboard…. it was probably tough to take. However when I first discovered the album "Total Response" I was completely blown away, the music still had the characteristic Silver pulse, but the lyrics and the philosophy they advocated made total sense to me, it became a firm favourite. As i referred to on the show, seeing Horace Silver perform at Ronnie Scott's with Andy Bey during their second phase of collaboration in the late eighties was an unforgettable experience. I met him and in a star struck fashion tried to convey my appreciation of his music, I told him that Total Response was one of my favourite albums. I think he was a little shocked, but I hope he understood that for a new generation of Jazz fans, his "spiritual" music was perhaps even more relevant than the hard-bop and soul-jazz standards he was renowned for. Joining heaven's pantheon of late great jazz stars, I hope Duke has thanked Horace for dedicating a tune to him and calling it The Sophisticated Hippie. I can imagine them having a chuckle about that. 1. The Jody Grind (1966) 2. Nica's Dream (1960) 3. Gods Of The Yoruba (1978) 4. The Cape Verdean Blues (1965) 5. Silver Treads Among My Soul (1964) 6. Old Mother Nature (1970) 7. Music To Ease Your Disease (1988) 8. Cause And Effect (1972) 9. Accepting Responsibility (1981) 10. I've Had A Little Talk (1970) 11. Summer in Central Park (1972) 12. Barbara (1975) 13. Peace (1970) 14. Senor Blues (vocal version) (1958) 15. Que Pasa (trio version) (1964) 16. The Sophisticated Hippie (1975) 17. Assimilation (1976) 18. In Pursuit Of The 27th Man (1972) 19. Nutville (1965)

Summer's hotting up, Wimbledon, The World Cup, festivals galore, it's the season for love, fun and music. So, despite my reservations concerning the political and social ramifications of The World Cup in Brazil, and despite the (inevitable) demise of Hodgson's England it would seem somewhat churlish if not downright rude to forsake the opportunity of celebrating a branch of the world's music tree that I've grown particularly fond of over the years. Though I have to say I'm more of an enthusiast than an export and this is a personal selection that barely scratches the surface of Brazil's rich and diverse music culture. Furthermore my focus is by and large on vintage music, the inspirational sound of Brazil in the classic era of MPB that continues to inspire a new generation of music makers who are now in the vanguard of the renaissance of those great traditions. The first section is samba in slightly purer form without getting down into the deep folkloric nitty gritty, (which I could have done!!), there are bells and whistles and plenty of swinging energy. From there we take off into the boogie, the beach-bound sound of 2014 as far as I'm concerned, Brazilian music of this ilk, often sounds like Earth, Wind and Fire, ( It was very mush a two way exchange!) but swings like no there kind of funky dance music, because as I've always said when Brazilian musicians play other rhythms the feel is still samba , it's always there somewhere underneath. Then we get deep into beauty and the harmonic lushness that is characteristic of so much Brazilian music; it's the influence of the European romantic tradition getting freaked out in the rain forest, it's the sound of conventional harmony with African looseness, it's the lineage that runs through Villa-Lobos and Jobim to a welter of disciples for whom melody and harmony is a key to unlocking the beauty inspired by the richness of nature.. or something like that. Finally the tempo creeps up again, the bridge is Milton Nascimento, for any travellers wishing to explore Brazilaian music in any depth will surely be crossing over the majesty of his music. I may be in danger of over-doing it on the purple prose front, so I'm going to reel myself in with the sobering thought that next week's show will be dedicated to the music of Horace Silver who recently passed away. Though of course that may well turn out to be another celebration too. Enjoy ( the summer). I'm at Southern Soul Festival in Montenegro this weekend… http://www.southernsoulfestival.com 1.Verde & Amarelho - O Caminho De Samba 2. Sonzeira - Brasil Pandeiro 3. Cesar Mariano - Futebol De Bar 4. Brasil Selelection - Porque 5. Nega Atrevida - Samba O Portador Do Alegria 6. Sergio Mendes - Fanfarra 7. Os Originais - La Vem Salgueiro 8. Trio Mocoto - Swinga Sambaby 9. Marcos Valle - Estrelar 10. Sandra Sa - Terra Azul 11. Robson Jorge &Lincoln Olivetti - Ginga 12. Silvio Cesar - A Festa 13. Gilberto Gil - Palco 14. Jorge Ben - Oe Oe 15. Gal Costa - Bahia Da Todas As Contas 16. Cristina Camargo - Moral Tem Hora 17. Sergio Mendes - After Sunrise 18. Tamba Trio - Pregao 19. Dori Caymii - Gabriella's Song 20. Filo - Baiao Para A Sul 21. Orlando & Patricia - Num Dia Azul 22. Rosa Passos - Fossamba 70 23. Trama - Paciencia 24. Quintessencia - Cravo E Canela 25. Milton Nascimento - Club Da Esquinha No.2 26. Milton Nascimento - Fe Cega Faca Amolada 27. Ceu Da Boca - Bumba Meu Boi 28. Egberto Gismonti - Janela De Ouro 29. Dom Um Romao - The Angels 30. Marcelo - Algo No Ar 31. Da Lata - Ronco Da Cuica (Allstars Live Version)

A damp, dank and overcast Sunday in London, feeling that atmospheric pressure, a bit of a low, trying too keep my head above the clouds all the same. I was wondering what kind of Cosmic Jam I'd be assembling for later on when I get a phone call from If Music's Jean Claude Thompson, informing me that the legendary Wayne Henderson had passed away…. now I didn't want to get ensnared in a debacle like the recent misreporting of Horace Silver's demise. However it soon transpired that the news had come via Bobbi Humphrey's Facebook page and a kindred Texas musician was unlikely to be dealing with rumours, so it was true, another phenomenal talent had passed away. It strikes me as I write this once again that every time such a figure departs this mortal coil, we are all the more impoverished, gradually we're losing a generation of musicians who came through the travails of a very different America, steeped in the traditions of the Deep South, in the music of the church, and in the pioneering spirit of jazz in the post bop years, it was a unique pedigree that the likes of Wayne Henderson brought to bear on the world of music, both as a player and as a producer. So there are no words that can express the sense of loss, when you consider Henderson's legacy, it's just too staggeringly immense, from the young Jazz Crusader playing righteous hard bop for Dick Bock's Pacific Jazz label (the flip side to the clichéd image of West Coast "cool jazz") to the producer of so many great albums for his At-Home Productions stable, Wayne Henderson is definitely up there in the pantheon of the greats, a gargantuan contribution to the history of Black music. Perhaps his decision to leave the Crusaders at the height of their success was telling, though Henderson had definitely made his mark as a composer and player, being a part of a group with two other writers was maybe too limited and the challenges and rewards of the producer's role definitely lured Henderson down a different path. I think his phenomenal success in that respect during a golden period in the latter half of the seventies is testimony to the man's spirit, nobody makes such great music without the love, his obvious ability to nurture younger musicians and to harness the right energy in the studio is born out by the results, a peerless string of albums that sums up the period perhaps better than any other body of work. From the funky jams of Pleasure through fusion and jazz-funk to the soulful shades of Side Effect and others, the sound of At-Home productions, always brimming with fine arrangements and great playing pivoting on rhythm tracks that are second to none. So many of those rhythm tracks were laid down by the core of Pleasure, with Bruce Carter and Nathaniel Phillips' phenomenal bass and drums underpinning proceedings, it was just one of those things that was meant to be. However even the productions that don't feature that particular dream team still feature some serious depth in the foundations, Henderson knew how to build a tune, and the importance of groove. So his career kind of nose dived in the eighties, which I think in time will prove providential for his reputation, the At-Home production sound was never polluted by the changes to the sonic aesthetic that came to the fore in that decade. When one picks up an album that bears the legend of the At-Home moniker there's a guarantee of a warm analogue sound and a rich soulfulness, I can't think of a better epithet to sum up his legacy. Of course Henderson was a brilliant player, and a composer of some great "down home" tunes, and even that aspect of his work would rank as a phenomenal achievement, however his productions spin the legacy skyward and beyond, the man was stellar. 1. Wayne Henderson & Freedom Sounds - Behold The Day 2, The Jazz Crusaders - The Young Rabbits 3. The Crusaders - Alekesam 4. The Jazz Crusaders - Sunset in Mountains 5. Wayne Henderson - Lady Bug 6. Monk Montgomery - Fuselage pt 2 7. Pleasure - Straight Ahead 8. Bobby Lyle - The Genie 9. Gabor Szabo - Misty Malarky Yin Yang 10.The Jazz Crusaders - Time Has No Ending 11. Gabor Szabo - Gloomy Day 12. Chico Hamilton - Mysterious Maiden 13. Father's Children - Hollywood Dreaming 14. The Crusaders - Keep That Same Old Feeling 15. Allspice - Hungry Fore Your Love 16. Wayne Henderson - Dancin' Love Affair 17. Smoke - What Goes Around Comes Around 18. Side Effect - Always There 19. Esther Phillips - S.O.S. 20. Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson - For Real

So we are definitely feeling the coming of Spring, the greening of the Earth now easily visible, the blossom on the trees, the energy builds, the coming of new life, the breath of the universe. Well this is the Cosmic Jam, what do you expect, a treatise on the benefits big pharma? No we're dedicated to a more holistic approach in case you hadn't realised. I for one am certainly feeling the benefits of a change of diet recently and adopting an even healthier lifestyle, not that I was wallowing in a trough of fast food and bad habits before!! Does this have an effect on The Cosmic Jam… well I hope a beneficial one if any. Positivity abounds at Forge towers of late, and we're enjoying the music more than ever, I suppose if anything I've had a bit of soulful renaissance, in that it's the SOUL that's tipping my balance, but JAZZ is still there in abundance, perhaps in the not too dim and distant I'll do a dedicated Jazz Jam just to renew my faith. Not that Jazz doesn't gets look in in this week's selection far from it, in fact I programmed a distinctly jazztastic left turn early on in proceedings as I didn't want to get caught up in House music, though I really did want to play the Kyodai remix of Shuya Okino's "Still In Love" which kicks things off after a little acapella affirmation from The Peech Boys. So after that blast of jazz infused club energy, we get the rugged tenor of Bob Berg, the smooth but textured vibes of The Expansions and the invigoratingly fresh Agora Ensemble to complete a first section that definitely holds up the jazz content of this week's show. Brazilian music is so close to my heart and most of the qualities that I admire are present in the Ivan Lins tune "Quadros De Roda" the swing of the Samba is all pervasive, just listen to Lins' piano and imagine how difficult it is to play like that, it's not complicated but the feel, and that word again, swing, are sublime. Melody is also paramount and I love the vocal chorus. So We gets little funkier with a Gal Costa tune from her much ignored but undeniably brilliant eighties period. I had a little exchange with Rainer Truby about these tunes during the week so I was very happy to expand my collection with a copy of her Minha Voz album acquired for a fairly nominal sum, and I soon zoomed in on Musa Cabocla with it's slightly Steely Dan-esque horns and rippling rhythm section. In a world where AOR/ Yacht Rock has suddenly become a hip new sound, (some would say scraping the barrel in search of rare grooves) such Brazilian lushness as this Gal tune is vastly preferable to my ears than some of the obscure bits that are currently changing hands for silly sums. However I have lately developed a penchant for Hawaiian rare groove/soul/ folk-funk, call it what you will there's a distinct flavour to the island's music that I've picked up through my love of Seawind, the band that justifiably crossed over into the US mainstream and various CD reissues that I've picked up in Japan. Seawind, led by the drummer and prolific songwriter Bob Wilson with his wife Pauline on vocals, coupled with the musical wherewithal of Larry Williams and that killer horn section, are definitely way up there in my estimation and not just for their bona fide jazz-dance classics "He Loves You" and "Free", though "Devil Is A Liar" is attune that's always had plays and props from the London cognoscenti, it ticks all the boxes and then some for that Hawaiian sound, like a boogie tune infused with gospel and folk vibes played by a killer jazz-funk ensemble, so good to hear that again. The Nohelani Cypriano tune that follows was a highlight of the recent Floating Points/Love On The Run session at Plastic People, every time I hear that intro I just melt!! Tavares are a band I've studiously ignored through the years, however that all changed when I heard "Ridin High" recently, reminiscent of The Natural Four, it's pedigree vocal harmony business. The Mighty Clouds Of Joy's album was something I bought on spec recently instinctively knowing it would have the kind of gospel-boogie that "Glow Love" turned out to be. Tarika Blue's classic "Truth Is The Key" closes the first hour, just remembering the joy when I first got my grubby mitts on a copy of that album raises a smile now!! I was so obsessed with James Mason's Rhythm Of Life album when I heard about (kind of related) Tarika Blue I went nuts until I eventually connected with a copy! Memories… but the music still sounds great. Some new Jazz worthy of the Cosmic Jam's high standards, and you know I wouldn't kick off the second half of the show with any old rubbish, takes us off into that mesmeric territory that in many ways was first mapped out by the great Sun Ra. Nick Woodmansey aka Emanative who produced Collocutor's "Archaic Morning" is a huge Sun Ra fan and space-jazz evangelist, and for my money he's getting closer and closer to a sound that genuinely embodies that incredible heritage whilst also having a contemporary twist. Archaic Morning is properly tranced out, a good way to drop into another great track from Melanie De Biasio's excellent No Deal, The Flow is deeper than deep, so much so we had to brighten up after that darkening of the mood. And Greetje Kaufeld's version of the devotional "Day By Day" from the gospel rock opera Godspell is one that I adore with it's bonkers big band arrangement . Michael Gregory Jackson's albums are just the kind of left footed soulful music that always fell between the cracks of most tastes back in the day, (as did so much great music, I can remember throwing way Rotary Connection and Lou Bond albums when I worked for Reckless Records in the late eighties because they's been reduced all the way down to 50p and still no takers!) These days these kind of artists are better appreciated for the way in which they threw together so many influences, I love the MGJ's Heart ANd Center album and "Lovin You" just gets better for me, kind of like an East Coast Shuggie Otis. Had to pull out the Dave Valentin album The Hawk, to touch down on "We'll Make Love" with Angela Bofill on vocals, the pair had worked together since being involved in Ricardo Marrero's groups, and you can't mess with the production values of the GRP label, the sound is impeccable, and of course the players Dave Grusin brought through from the jamaica Queens posse, Marcus Miller, Dennis Chambers, Don Blackman, Bernard Wright, wow , what a stable!! Esther Marrow's "Ask Me To Dance" is another fine tune, written and arranged by Bobby Scott whose credits are as impressive as anyone's in the history of popular music. This is the man who wrote " A Taste Of Honey" and "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" , ooof! So by way of a finale I had to start with a tune that I've had lurking around for a while, but not found a way to play, as it's not the kind of thing that sits easily in most types of Cosmic Jam sequence. However Pat Williams "Joy Joy" is a beautifully bonkers piece of orchestrated funk that definitely deserved an airing, so I goaded myself into it by posting a picture of the cover on Instagram beforehand!! Following on with a bona fide rare groove classic from 9th Creation, and a favourite from Caldera, the ever impressive "Sky Islands", before we land on "Do You Want To Dance" from Jim Messina's rather wonderful Oasis album which also takes me back to early days of The Cosmic Jam, I've only just re-acquired this on vinyl, it's proper West Coast, Steely Dan at the disco business… time to go before I get carried away. Hope you enjoy the music. May I remind you about a little session well worth investigating…. https://www.facebook.com/events/609272492453291/ 1. NYC Peech Boys - Life Is Something Special (Acapella) 2. Shuya Okino ft Navasha Deya - Still In Love (Kyodai Remix) 3. Bob Berg - Shapes 4. The Expansions - Lavender 5. Agora Ensemble - Vila Madalena 6. Ivan Lins - Quadras De Roda 7. Gal Costa - Musa Cabocla 8. Seawind - The Devil is a Liar 9. Nohelani Cypriano - Lihue 10. Tavares - Ridin High 11. Mighty Clouds Of Joy - Glow Love 12. Tarika Blue - Truth Is the Key 13. Collocutor - Archaic Morning 14. Melanie De Biasio - The Flow 15. Greetje Kaufeld - Day By Day 16. Michael Gregory Jackson - Lovin' You 17. Esther Marrow - Ask Me To Dance 18. Pat Williams - Joy Joy 19. 9th Creation - Much Too Much 20. Caldera- Sky Islands 21. Jim Messina - Do You Want To Dance 22. MUV - Torte De Chocolate

By popular demand. No more nostalgia!! All killer no filler!! Big love P. Eddie Kendricks - My People Hold On Moodymann - The Thief That Stole My Sad Days - Ya Blessin’ Me Alison David - Dreams Come True Louie Vega ft. Raul Midon - Cerca De Mi Freil - West Of Motebe (restless soul sonic mix) Sylvia St. James - Motherland New Sector Movements - Feel The Spirit (Afro History pt.2) Reel People - Second Guess Donald Byrd - Wind Parade Steely Dan - Peg Billie Holiday - You’ve Changed Herbie Hancock - Tell Me A Bedtime Story Raphael Saadiq - Skyy, Can You Feel Me? Kamaal The Abstract - Even If It Is So Marvin Gaye - Where Are We Going? Mos Def - Umi Says Maze - Twilight Larry Heard - Missing You J- Live - Them That’s Not Roni Size - Daylight Kaidi Tatham ft Carleen Anderson - Rideaway Getaway Stevie Wonder - Too High The Jackson 5 - It’s Great To Be Here

Thanks to the vagaries of jet-lag, I'm penning this little missive from Okinawa where it's hotter than July and I'm spending time with my daughter which fills me with glee. It's been a very hectic few days/weeks and I'm glad to be having a break from music for at least a wee while, but of course I'm coming back to London via Tokyo and I'm relishing the opportunity to be playing at my favourite club once again. I'm a fan of Shibuya's The Room not just because the proprietor, Shuya Okino, is a great friend, but because it really is the best little club in the world, with little being the operative word! So before bailing out for a break I managed to gather my resources for a tribute to George Duke, who sadly passed away on August 5th. I contemplated for a while whether this selection should take up the whole two hours, or just be a section of the show. However on reflection George Duke has touched me so deeply with some of his music over the years that really it was a no-brainer; yet a tribute to George could easily have been two hours of fusion and synth solos with little to distinguish between one track and the next. So hopefully I've avoided that trap whilst still dishing up plenty of Duke flying free on his ARP Odyssey! George Duke was perhaps a reluctant fusioneer, and if it wasn't for the influence of the likes of Frank Zappa and Flora Purim he might never have embraced electronic keyboards with such gusto. In fact he once recounted how he was horrified on one occasion in his early career when he turned up for a gig with Jean Luc Ponty to find there was no real piano just a Fender Rhodes. It was an important gig, with many influential peers in attendance, suffice to say that his performance on electric piano on that occasion set him off on that "electric jazz" road, and he barely paused to look back until the latter days of his recording career when his prowess on the piano once again came to the fore. However as a fully fledged member of a coterie of musicians who really defined the sound of fusion in the early seventies, Duke was a vital force in those experimental, pioneering days and it could easily be argued,(indeed I might even insist!) that his work with Flora Purim and AIrto during this period produced some of the most definitive and enduring music of the era. The fluidity of the Brazilian rhythmic feel and the participation of the likes of Joe Henderson in those recordings stopped the music from keeling over into the kind of hollow bombast that is sometimes the trademark of the kind of fusion which might also be described as Jazz-Rock. To anyone who really listens to Duke's playing they'll know that it is something of a misnomer to apply a term like Jazz-Rock to his work, as his roots are definitely deep within the blues and gospel traditions that informed most jazzers growing up in the sixties, and overall his music is just too soulful to fit such an epithet. However I've heard it said of Duke and really it's just lazy journalism and ignorance that informs such opinions. George Duke met Airto and Flora Purim whilst with Cannonbal Adderley's band, and was inspired by a trip to Brazil with that ensemble. The resulting album "The Happy People",produced by David Axelrod, is a major disappointment , awful sonically and pretty incoherent musically it's an important record only in that it marks the inception of their relationship that would go on to bloom on albums like Flora's "Stories To Tell", "Moon Dreams" and "That's What She Said", and in turn Flora and Airto would guest on Duke's early solo recordings and be a vital part of his homage "A Brazilian Love Affair", when Duke eventually returned to Brazil to make his own record there and record with the artist whose music had so affected him on his first visit, Milton Nascimento. However that Brazilian influence kept bubbling through Duke's music over the years and though he admitted to also being influenced by Earth Wind and Fire in the late seventies, they themselves had also taken on that same influence. So in some ways it's better to picture their trajectories in parallel as they both found great ways to translate the harmonic and rhythmic wellspring of Brazil into their music. Perhaps there's some poetic justice in the fact that eventually George Duke would produce tunes written by Earth Wind And Fire's keyboard maestro Larry Dunn, (Dee Dee Bridgewater's version of "Tequila Mockingbird" and Dianne Reeves "Sky Islands") such are the similarities between them. Ironically Duke's biggest hit with Afro American audiences, "Dukey Stick" was the kind of funk workout his consummate band were more than capable of with the mighty Ndugu behind the kit, but it had none of the harmonic sophistication or soulful splendour that is the essence of his music. So here's two hours of George Duke that delves deeply into his lyrical piano playing and his distinctive voice on solo synthesiser as well as his role as producer, arranger and collaborator, a composer of rare power and a musician of infinite grace. 1. George Duke - My Soul 2. The Third Wave - Maiden Voyage 3. George Duke - Jeanine 4. Flora Purim - Casa Forte 5. George Duke - Diamonds 6. Miles Davis - Backyard Ritual 7. George Duke - Let Your Love Shine 8. George Duke - Say That You Will 9. George Duke - Malibu 10. George Duke - Brazilian Sugar 11. George Duke - The Way I Feel 12. George Duke - Dream Weaver 13. George Duke - Feels So Good 14 George Duke - Stones Of Orion 15. George Duke - Feel 16. George Duke - Someday 17. George Duke - Omi (Fresh Water) 18. Dianne Reeves - Sky Islands 19. George Duke - Brazilian Love Affair 20. George Duke - I Want You For Myself

In the wake of the great jazz trumpeter's death I'd been a little dismayed that Donald Byrd was being celebrated by my Facebook friends mainly for the his 70's recordings with the Mizell Brothers. Of course these are all amazing tunes, and I love them as intensely as anyone. Way back in the 90s I was asked by Blue Note Japan to choose an album from the catalogue for re-release in Japan, and I chose Places ANd Spaces, at a time when the Mizell Brothers recordings had not yet gained the formidable reputation they deservedly have today. However Donald Byrd had already enjoyed a prodigous career that went back to 1955, almost twenty years before he stepped in the studio with the fusion pioneers. So it was my intent to play a greater breadth of Byrd's works on the show whilst not ignoring his later crossover material. I'd even lined up "Lovin' You" and "Love Has Come Around" for the closing sequence. However I arrived at the studio and launched into my selection following the usual bit of banter with messrs Allen and Hale of The Wildstyle, only to discover about twenty minutes in, that not only had I left those two anthemic twelves back in Kentish Town but that also my back-up cd on which I thought I'd burned some more of his classics was actually blank! So if you hear a note of panic in my voice round about "Elijah", that's why! No worries, I had plenty of original Byrd vinyl and a bunch of CDs to cover my losses, however what my "space cadet" forgetfulness meant was that the show became just a bit more "hardcore", in fact I ended up playing hardly any of Byrd's most celebrated works, and that I regard as being providential! Everything happens for a reason. My only regret was that without those two tunes for the last half hour I wasn't able to naturally plug this Saturday's If Music session at Plastic People, "Love Is In The Air,And In The Titles". But there you go If Music presents a post Valentine's celebration of "love" records, strictly vinyl featuring Myself , If's Jean Claude Thompson and Budgie from Honest Jons, Saturday 16th, Plastic People!! So two hours of Byrd which focusses on the jazz musician and composer ( though he didn't actually write any of the tunes he's best known for), and I talk a bit about his role as an educator and perpetual student. Definitely something of a polymath, Donald Byrd was one of the last few jazzers who connects with that post-bop tradition, there's only the likes of Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter and Ahmad Jamal left and maybe a few more but a rapidly dwindling coterie of jazz legends. However his career, and the choices he made, stand as a testament to a a great man who had an ability to reach out communicate, educate and involve way beyond his role as a jazz musician. Spanning from his 57 recording with Gigi Gryce through to a lovely tribute tune from 95, Ahmad Jamal's "Big Byrd", basically a dialogue betwwen two of my favourite ever players, this Is Donald Byrd. R.I.P. 1.Donald Byrd&Johnny Cole with The Duke Pearson Quintet - Sudel 2.Onward Tl Morning 3.Fancy Free 4 Elijah 5.Donald Byrd and Gigi Gryce - Elgy 6.Ghana 7.Shangri-La 8.Fufu 9.Cristo Redentor 10.Ahmad Jamal ft. Donald Byrd - Big Byrd 11.I Love The GIrl 12 Flight Time 13.The Blackbyrds - The Baby 14.Donald Byrd&Booker Little -Wee Tina 15.Solomon Ilori- Gbogbo Omo Ibile (Going Home)