Radio Superfly Podcast

Pianist Vince Guaraldi wrote the timeless, enduring music for the classic animated holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas. He wasn't the producer's first, or even second choice. Find out how he became the right man in the right place at the right time to become a cultural icon.

Cellist Tomeka Reid received a MacArthur Foundation fellowship - colloquially known as a "Genius Grant" - in 2022. We hear about her development as an artist and enjoy some of her diverse and challenging music.

Don Wilkerson was immortalized in brief saxophone solos on a couple of Ray Charles hits. But did you know he also recorded albums for Riverside and Blue Note as a jazz bandleader? Let's check out this swingin', bluesy cat.

If you've never heard of tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, you're not alone. He died young, and only one of his five albums for Blue Note records were released in his lifetime. Let's learn more about this dynamic and mysterious composer and instrumentalist.

Tired of "Jingle Bells" and "Silver Bells" and (barf) "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer"? Here are five enjoyable but not overplayed Christmas songs to add to your playlist. Plus a very funky bonus track.

Italian Producer, DJ, and musician Cristiano Crisci has been blending electronic music with instrumental and vocal performances from around the world since at least 2014. In this episode, I attempt to find out more about this mysterious and inventive artist.

Roy Ayers began his career playing vibes on straight-ahead jazz records, then expanded into funk, soul, r&b and more. His music took on a new life when hip-hop producers found his vinyl in crates and sampled his unique sound literally hundreds of times. Hear Roy's originals contrasted with the hip-hop joints they inspired.

Remember Digable Planets? Their classic 1993 album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) earned them a Grammy, but their journey didn't end there. We'll catch up on the group's solo and group efforts since then. With a special shoutout to Philly at the end.

How did a soul supergroup featuring the likes of Solomon Burke, Ben E. King and Joe Tex produce a single that failed to crack the top ten? Spoiler alert: it might have been racism. Listen for the story, and some sweet soul music.

I finish up my first musical trilogy with a look at how Cuban rhythms became the foundation for the global phenomenon known as salsa.

In Part 1, I we explored how African and Spanish musical forms grew together on the small island nation of Cuba. In Part 2, we examine how Cuban music influenced the African American jazz tradition in the United States.

We begin an exploration of Afro-Cuban music with one of the earliest, most danceable forms: son. It's the foundation for hugely popular pre-Cold War Latin Jazz in the U.S., and the international explosion of Salsa.

Phyllis Dillon had a very brief but very influential career as a preeminent Rocksteady singer in Jamaica. This is music for lovin' and relaxing. Enjoy.

After leaving Fela Kuti's band in 1979, Tony Allen began to explore ways to mix his unique drumming style with other types of music from around the world. Hear his collaborations with Hugh Masekela, Damon Albarn, and more.

Tony Allen - one of the originators of Afrobeat as the drummer for Fela Kuti's band - passed away April 30, 2020. This first episode of a two-part series looks at his influential early career, bolstered by excerpts from his 2013 autobiography, and plenty of music!

Roughly 5,000 Weissenborn guitars were produced in the 1920s. Their haunting sound was introduced in the U.S. by Ben Harper, but a handful of contemporary musicians continue to explore its haunting, resonant sound. Learn more about this beautiful instrument, and hear it played very, very well.

Ever heard the reggae cover of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid"? How about "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes? We have those delightful covers and more on this episode of Radio Superfly.

Tropicalia was Brazil's countercultural movement in the late 1960s. Legendary musicians like Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso equally enraged traditionalists on the political left and right with their freewheeling concerts and recordings.

The quarantine film festival continues. I watched "Searching for Sugar Man," and fell in love with its hybrid unknown/superstar subject.

Howard Armstrong was an American original, and the film "Louie Blueie" does a fantastic job of just pointing a camera at him and letting him go off. I promise you will laugh and love the music in equal measure.

One profanity-laced rant by a national treasure, and 8 songs listeners are playing to get through the days of isolation. Playlist: 1. Parade by The Antlers 2. It's the End of the World (As We Know It) by R.E.M. 3. O Death by Evening Redness 4. Maruja by Haruna Kings 5. Epilogue by The Antlers 6. Nuvole Bianche by Ludovico Einaudi 7. How Sweet It Is by Marvin Gaye 8. Vibe by Cookiee Kawaii

I'm one of those people who always says he's going to watch the documentary, then doesn't. I'm changing that during coronavirus quarantine. I watched "20 Feet from Stardom" and learned about the fantastic backup singers we should all know from our favorite songs. Sprinkled throughout are some of their solo joints.

Nary a fiddle, tin whistle, or Danny Boy to be heard. This is Irish Funk, Soul, and otherwise groovy music to celebrate St. Patrick's Day the Radio Superfly way. Contact us: radiosuperflypod@gmail.com or https://twitter.com/RadioSuperfly

Covid-19 has us all isolated and frightened. Let's form a little Radio Superfly community: ask questions, suggest artists, pump up a local band that's losing gigs to "social distancing," and maybe we'll all stay a little more sane and connected during these weird-ass times. contact Radio Superfly: radiosuperflypod@gmail.com or https://twitter.com/RadioSuperfly Featured artist: Chupacabras (https://www.chupacabrasmusic.com/)

Shuggie Otis could have been one of the biggest rock stars in the world, but he just didn't like doing things any way but his own. A virtuoso guitar player at 15, he recorded three influential albums, then disappeared from the scene in the mid-1970s. As interest in his career surges again, let's get to know the man.

In part 1, we examined the birth of Highlife music in Ghana. Today we track how it changed and grew as musicians across the border in Nigeria picked it up.

Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti made Highlife music an international sensation. The style initially took shape in Ghana, so we focus on the highly danceable music of that nation in this first part of a two-part series.

Not familiar with the unique, colorful, wildly inventive New Orleans piano-playing legend Professor Longhair? Grab a bowl of gumbo and sit down for a listen. You're really in for a treat.

During the 2020 State of the Union address, President Donald J. Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to divisive conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. It was the first week of Black History Month. In an attempt to get that taste out of our mouths, I highlighted the twelve brilliant black musicians who have been awarded the medal throughout the past six decades. Register and Vote!

Hugh Masekela had a #1 U.S. pop hit in the late 1960s, but few Americans know his name. The trumpeter known as the Father of South African Jazz was a powerful voice against apartheid in his home country, and a musical inspiration to the world.

If you want to learn about the rich, diverse, extremely danceable music of Colombia, it doesn't hurt to start with the country's most famous record label, Discos Fuentes. Resources: https://discosfuentes.com.co/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjcG6SVty98&feature=youtu.be

When the late, great Parliament keyboardist Bernie Worrell met Tlingit musician Preston Singletary, something special happened. I spoke with Singletary about their collaboration in the band Khu.eex', sometimes called "The Native Parliament." It's like nothing you've ever heard before, and man does it groove. Learn more: https://www.khueex.com/ http://prestonsingletary.com/

Meet Mulatu Astatke, Father of Ethio-Jazz. This is a re-posting of the debut episode of the Radio Superfly Podcast.

A traveler from the US traded music files with the people he met in Mali in 2009, and created a worldwide phenomenon known as Musis from Saharan Cellphones. This episode explores how technology has opened up new avenues for musicians from around the world. Sahel Sounds: https://sahelsounds.com/

Before the Islamic Revolution of the late 1970s, Iran had a thriving secular society that was pretty groovy. We explore recently unearthed vintage funk tracks from that era.