Posted by Radiocafé on 12 May 2008 at 2:08 pm |
Category: 2. Vocal Gems
The 50th Anniversary Tour 2008
Legendary singer Jack Jones returns with his Big Band to the UK in May 2008 for his 13-date tour, which includes Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and London.
Jack is one of the last great singers of his generation. He received two Grammy awards for ‘Best Pop Male Vocal Performance’ for “Lollipops and Roses” and “Wives and Lovers”. He received a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance’ for his “Jack Jones Paints a Tribute To Tony Bennett”. He was also honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of… Continue reading
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Posted by Phil Driver on 12 May 2008 at 12:27 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds, 1. General Music
People often ask me where the original idea for Soul Unsigned came from. The answer is that it started with a packet of Nestle breakfast cereal… Rewind to 2003, and I’m doing the Sunday morning shop with Mrs Soul Unsigned. Something catches my eye on one of the cereal packets.
Nestle were giving away a 30-day free trial of EJAY “Dance 4″– a software package that allowed you to create your own music from a library of 1000s of drum, bass, guitar and vocal samples.
Who could resist an offer like that? Even if the… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 04 Feb 2008 at 6:29 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds, 1. General Music
The phone rings. All I can hear is MJ shouting “Oh my god you ain’t going to believe this. Jean carne is in town; and the icing on the cake is Alyson Williams, Shirley Jones and Glenn Jones are all going to be on stage with her”.
MJ booked the tickets and we meet outside London’s Jazz Café. The table we had was literally within touching distance of the keyboard player and instantly the night had a lovely, chilled vibe to it.
The band arrived on stage and Jean Carne took the mic to… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 04 Feb 2008 at 5:34 pm |
Category: 1. General Music
In this feature, soul and jazz aficionado Sunshineman provides an insight into one the best possible routes to becoming a radio presenter: Hospital Radio.
Many of today’s top presenters started their careers this way, and if you always thought hospital radio was all pop and no substance, think again…
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In the summer of 1976 (the year of UK’s big heat wave and coincidently, the moment when Roy Ayers released “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”), I had finally left comprehensive school and was preparing for a years’ Foundation Course at Worthing College of Art & Design, to… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 18 Jan 2008 at 11:48 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds
Back in the early 1980s, a collection of soul LPs (and cassettes, but not CDs as they had not yet hit the shops) came along which, for many of us, changed our worlds forever.
Each StreetSounds edition was something to get truly excited about. Why? Because you could be certain that every release would contain all of the very best dance tracks of the day. Not the usual two-and-a-half minute album versions, either, but the full length, extended and often exclusive remix versions, some tracks running to over 10 minutes. Eight or so of… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:22 pm |
Category: 3. Light & Easy
Neil Richardson is the man behind some of the most evocative arrangements and compositions of all time. Neil ranks up there with the best arrangers this country has ever produced. He created much of the BBC Radio Orchestra’s output during the 70s and 80s, and has worked with many of the leading orchestras in the world, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
If you listened to any decent radio during the 60s, 70s and 80s, you will have undoubtedly heard plenty of Neil’s work, even though you may not have known he was the master… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 18 Jan 2008 at 1:14 pm |
Category: 2. Vocal Gems
Ask anyone for a list of the truly great male singers, and the reply inevitably includes Sinatra, Bennett, and Crosby. Vic Damone, Bobby Darrin, Nat King Cole and the other Rat-Pack members are also likely to be named. But those who really know their singers will include Jack Jones somewhere up the top of this list.
It’s easy to see why. This is a man who has performed to sell-out audiences for best part of half a century. He has released dozen upon dozen of fantastic albums. He has recorded infamous theme tunes… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 18 Jan 2008 at 11:04 am |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds, 1. General Music
I had a look in HMV the other day, and there’s a brand new “80s soul weekender” CD out. I have a few of these collections already. On taking a look at the track listings, it all seemed just a little too familiar. Rufus and Chaka Khan – Ain’t Nobody. Yes, great tune, certainly a classic, but doesn’t it feature on every 80s soul CD ever made? Candi Staton – Young Hearts. Maybe just a tad overplayed? Earth Wind & Fire – Boogie Wonderland. Haven’t we had that one a few times… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 14 Jan 2008 at 10:08 pm |
Category: 6. Other Music, 1. General Music
Few broadcasters are more fondly remembered than Ray Moore, who entertained millions of listeners for years with his regular early morning show on Radio 2.
Ray looked after the 5 to 7.30am slot throughout the seventies and eighties in his uniquely special way. He was one of the highlights of radio, even managing to make travel forecasts and sports reports entertaining.
Common Moore references included “Gatport Airwick”, “Moore’s ‘Orse”, “Old Moore’s Alma Nag” (a pun on the name of his beloved wife, Alma) and referring to a fellow broadcaster, “the Truckers’ Flussey” (Sheila Tracey).
Part… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 14 Jan 2008 at 4:31 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds
As great voices go, few match that of Glenn Jones. Why Glenn is not listed among the leading soul singers of all time remains one of music’s mysteries. This is a man who has produced album after album of gems, has filled dance-floors with the most incredible soul tracks, and has worked with some of the biggest names in the business.
What makes Glenn Jones World class? First, the incredible range of his voice. Take a listen to the sound clips here and judge for yourself. ”Bring Back Your Love”, taken from his first full solo album “Finesse”… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 14 Jan 2008 at 11:46 am |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds
Alyson Williams is one of many of today’s great singers who learned her craft surrounded by the very best. Her musical roots stem from some of the finest soul music ever made, having sung with all time greats such as Melba Moore, Curtis Hairston and Bobby Brown.
A backing vocalist and lead singer for soul group High Fashion, it was inevitable that Alyson would go it alone, and the end of the 1980s revealed one of the most gorgeous soul albums of the era, “Raw”. The ballads are rich and full, and many… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 11 Jan 2008 at 7:47 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds
Imagine if your musical résumé included the following: performed with Duke Ellington; sang lead vocals for Earth Wind & Fire and Norman Connors; signed by Motown; sang a duet with Glenn Jones; produced by Gamble and Huff. It’s no understatement to say that Jean Carne deserves to be ranked up there with the greatest female soul singers of all time.
And she continues to share her glorious voice with a devoted following, recently appearing in a short sell-out spell at London’s Jazz cafe, along with fellow soul superstars Shirley Jones and Alyson… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 11 Jan 2008 at 4:25 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds
Ask anyone who knows their soul ”what is your favourite female group of all time”, and don’t be surprised if they answer “The Jones Girls”.
Why? Because this is a group that has produced some of the tracks that defined a generation of soul music, and technically are as good as anyone in the business.
The group that started its career as support for none other than Diana Ross forged a superlative career to become one of the all time girl-group-greats. In fact, we would say THE Girl group of all time. And they are still going… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 07 Jan 2008 at 5:12 pm |
Category: 4. Soul Sounds
There are few individuals out there who can match the knowledge and appreciation of quality soul music of The Master J. Along with Greg Edwards, MJ continues to fly the flag for the very best in music and deserves his place alongside the greatest. His weekly Soul AM show on Unknown FM has entertained and educated lovers of soul music for (at the time of writing, Jan ‘08) nearly six years - quite an achievement. If you want the very best in soul music, then at home with your radio is… Continue reading
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Posted by Radiocafé on 03 Jan 2008 at 2:43 pm |
Category: 1. General Music
According to RAJAR (the people who work out how many people are listening to what stations), BBC 6 Music forms a one fifth of one per cent share of the radio we listen to. To put that in a bit more perspective, as of June ‘07, BBC Radio 2 is listened to about 63 times more than BBC 6 Music.
Why does BBC’s fellow digital-only station BBC7, which provides re-runs of old comedies, get almost twice as many listeners as 6 Music?
What in fact does BBC 6… Continue reading
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