Sunday 31 December 2017

DJ Grizz- Mellow Soul Classics 4

The last mix for 2018 and after all the Xmas madness, time to lean back, put your feet up,chill and let it all pass you by for a while! A selection of quiet storm nugget from the 70's and 80's .... its Mellow Soul Classics 4!
We kick off with a 2 step classic from Dionne Warwick, the Ohio Players give us a lesson in what heavens like, there's a Diana and Marvin hit ballad, Billy Paul wants to increase the population, and we end with Teddy P letting us know how foolish he felt... plus more laid back goodness to get into to!
Catch you next year Soul Lovers!
Grizz- The Soul Mixtape Blog
Dionne Warwick- Deja Vu
Ohio Players- Heaven must be like this
Paris- I choose you
Diana Ross Marvin Gaye- You are everything
Hi Energy- You cant turn me off
Billy Paul- Lets make a baby
Jean Carne- Early Morning love
Harvey Mason- Spell
Teddy Pendergrass- The whole towns laughing at me

Wednesday 27 December 2017

SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Sessions 2017 PART THREE


Final mix of the year and its my final pick of the new tracks released in 2017. I'ts obviously a companion piece to parts one and two, and includes some nice tracks from Gwen Bunn, Darien Dean, Jay Z and more.

Just as an aside, if your gonna pick 1 LP to purchase this year, it'd have to be The PLaylist feat Glenn Lewis with Chasing Goosebumps.  Pretty much great from start to finish, its definitely my LP of the year with close runners Moonchild's VOYAGER and Omar's LP released earlier this year.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a healthy and happy 2018, and see you all in the new yaer with some more music.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!




Sunday 24 December 2017

DJ Grizz- Soul Niceness 137

Seasons greetings Mixtapers... and we have the last Soul Niceness of 2017 for you today choc full of the usual high quality dusty grooves from the 70's and 80's.
We've some classic Luther, a dancefloor hit from my favourite Jackson- Jermaine, Fred Wesley & The JBs up the funk quota, there's a nice little Earth Wind and Fire 2 stepper and we end on a wicked Donny Hathaway John Lennon cover... plus more.
Catch you next week Soul guys n gals
Grizz- The Soul Mixtape Blog

Luther Vandross- Dont wanna be a fool
Jermaine Jackson- Burnin Hot
Johnny Hammond- Tell me what to do
Fabulous Souls - Take me
Fred Wesley & the JBs- You can have Watergate
Aged in harmony- Trust me
Odds and Ends- Love makes the world go round
Eath Wind and Fire- Wait
Donny Hatherway- Jealous guy

Saturday 23 December 2017

DJ Ridym - Reggae Rockers 11 Skinhead Reggae


Skinhead, a term sadly associated these days with Extremism, violence and racism is as far from the true origins of the Skinhead than you could imagine.

In Jamaica during the 60's reggae consisted of Ska, Bluebeat and Rocksteady played by popular sound systems at venues and dances where gangs of 'Rudies' would also meet to settle disputes. 'Rude Boy' was a moniker given to urban lawless youths who would typically dress in sharp suits skinny ties and tribly hats notorious for breaking up dances and causing trouble in the 60's.

With the migration of imigrants from the caribbean islands to Britain came the music and the culture that was quickly adopted by the white working class youth around the early 60's and 70's. At the time a popular group called the Mods had divided into two separate class factions one of which was the Skinhead. They adopted a harder look and would typically dress in checkered working mans shirts with red braces tight fitted jeans and of course the trade mark Doctor Martins (DM's) boots.
White Skinhead groups united with black Rudeboys both brought together through the common love of the ska and rocksteady tunes that were being purchased in high volumes both home and abroad increasing the popularity of artists like Prince Buster, Desmond Decker, Toots and Symarip. Jamaican artists were regularly queing up to perform at popular British venues and it wasn't going to be long before a new wave of British born artists and groups would join them.
Artists like Judge Dread who was English, white and from a working class background who grew up listening to reggae music had developed his own comical style of explicit lyrics which became very popular but often banned from being played by the BBC and most radio stations at the time. Judge became the first white recording artist to have a reggae number one hit in Jamaica which is some achievement even to this day.

During the late 70's came the arrival of British bands The Selecter, The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, UB40 and The Beat. This revival of ska and rocksteady grew a new name and sound called 2Tone.
2Tone by definition was the merging of black and white both the music and people but also during this time racist parties in Britain had began to adopt the Skinhead for its own militia wing and therein would begin the divide. Often rogue pockets of Skinheads would disrupt concerts and artists were having to stop their performances until the gangs were removed or calmed down. Artists began to disassociate themselves with the Skinheads and as a result the non racist element changed their style to a more softer smarter look opting to trade their DM's for loafers and jeans for sta-prest trousers and crombie jackets similar in look to the early rudeboy image.

The image of the skinhead had changed forever.

'This is England' is a British movie drama and a TV series directed and written by Shane Meadows which follows a group of young Skinheads from the early 80's to the 90's which essentially covers everything I've discussed here in the blog. I highly recommend watching it if you have an interest in this sub-genre. It definitely ticks the boxes for me in highlighting the social issues and relationships during that time.

Until next time keep the faith!

1. Symarip - Skinhead Moonstomp
2. Toots & The Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number
3. Claudette - Queen Of The World
4. Dandy Livingston - Rudy A Message To You
5. Tony Tribe - Red Red Wine
6. Phyllis Dillon - Eddie Oh Baby
7. Desmond Decker - Shanty Town
8. Toots & The Maytals - Monkey Man
9. The Ethioians - Train To Skaville
10. Prince Buster - One Step Beyond
11. Alton Ellis - Dance Crasher

Saturday 16 December 2017

DJ Ridym - Brit Funk & Rare Groove 3



Time for another Brit Funk & Rare Groove mix I hear you say?! Well fret not mixtapers as yours truly has put together another scorcher and with snow predicted to return to ol Blighty what better way to warm yourself up than to listen to some home grown soul and funk from the 80's and 90's

As usual there's a lot to choose from an era in Britain when artists like Loose Ends, Incognito and Beggars & Co were paving the way for young funksters to follow. Great music, good times. So enjoy the mix whilst the weather gets colder and tune in real soon for more.

Peace

1. Total Contrast - What You Gonna Do About It
2. Direct Drive - Pass The Paper
3. UK Players Love's Gonna Get You
4. I Level - Give Me
5. Beggar & Co - Mule (Chant No 2)
6. 52nd Street - Tell Me (How It Feels)
7. Loose Ends - Hangin' On A String
8. Sade - By Your Side (Remix)
9. Jamiroquai - Too Young To Die
10. Incognito - Parisienne Girl

Sunday 10 December 2017

DJ Grizz- 70's Soul Club Classics!

Tis the season to get down and party and we've just the thing... a selection of favourite Boogie, Disco and Soul tunes from the 1970's so dig out the platforms.... its 70's soul Club Classics!

We kick off our journey on CHA Airlines in the Galaxy of Love, theres some serious Fatback boogie, we've a Billy Paul hit cover of the Wings tune, Archie Bell gets the feet moving and we end on a Blue Eyed cover of a Disco anthem... plus more!

Catch you soon Mixtapers

Grizz- The Soul Mixtape Blog

Crown Heights Affair- Galaxy of love
Fatback band- Bus stop
Salsoul Orchestra- Runaway
Billy Paul- Let them in
Barry White- Honey please cant you see
Chic- My forbidden lover
Teddy Pendergrass- You cant hide from yourself
Archie Bell and the Drells- Its hard not to like you
Frankie Valli - Native New Yorker

Saturday 9 December 2017

DJ Ridym - Rare Soul Mix 13


Welcome funksters and funketeers to Rare Soul Mix 13 where we look at some of the funkiest classics from a disco era. When disco arrived funk came right along with it for the ride and for me there's no better example of this than Odyssey's dance monster inside out. Owning a banging 4 beat along with the tight bass bringing you right back on the ONE was pure genius and with the string arrangement bringing some emotion with it there truly isn't a better example.

Slave's just a touch of love gets the Masters At Work treatment which starts off having you thinking they may have over cooked it somewhat but they manage to reign it back in and keep it right and tight. I've then gone for Patrice Rushen, Change, Tom Browne and The Blackbyrds all dance floor monsters back in the day and finally the scorchingly hot glide by Pleasure before changing up the tempo and mellowing out with the Jones Girls classic nights over Egypt.

The mellow mood continues to the end with four of the best tracks I could find to compliment the previous ones. As always I hope you enjoy and remember if you're not making the funk face while listening to this mix you truly are devoid of funk as Clinton once said you need to free your ass and your mind will follow.

Peace ✌ funksters!

1. Slave - Just A Touch Of Love (Masters At Work Remix)
2. Odyssey - Inside Out
3. Patrice Rushen - Forget Me Nots
4. Change - Hold Tight
5. Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica
6. The Blackbyrds - Rock Creek Park
7. Pleasure - Glide 
8. Jones Girls - Nights Over Egypt
9. Dexter Wansel - Sweetest Pain
10. Lonnie Liston Smith - Shadows
11. Tania Maria - Come With Me
12. Don Blackman - Hearts Desire

Friday 8 December 2017

XMAS SPECIAL: SoulNRnB's The Evolution of Hip Hop 1980-2010


Truth be told, though I enjoyed Hip Hop through the 80's I thought it was a fad. I couldn't see where it was going besides the clubs, and the "Soul Snob" in me thought of it as not "proper music". 

But something changed in the early 90's. I heard Gang Starr's "Jazz Thing" and Pete Rock and CL Smooth's "They Reminisce over you" and I was intrigued by the music. Where did they get those samples from? Hip Hop nudged me to start looking elsewhere for music, to dig in second hand record stores and search for those elusive sampled tracks. 

From Donald Byrd's "Think Twice" to Leon Haywood's "I wanna do something freaky to you" to Bernard Wright's "Spinnin'" I started to discover music that had passed me by. And then I started to appreciate the lyrical content of some of my favorite rappers: Biggie; Nas; Q Tip and Phife; Busta and so many more. By the late 90's I was a Hip Hop head and listened to everything I could. Sample spotting was much easier by then of course, what with the advent of the internet, but no less rewarding.

I've tried to present the progress of this relatively new form of music; From its happy go lucky party anthems, through to its Social Commentary and Black Rights promotion, to its "Gangster Rap" and "Native Tongues"  offshoots, through to the Boom Bap beats of the 90's and 00's. Great Producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, Dre, Pete Rock, The Neptunes, Just Blaze etc to wordsmiths such as Jay Z, Tupac, Snoop, and so many more.

I could have had this mix run to at least 6 hours, but cut it to 3. So yes, there are missing songs I would have liked to include, and im sure some of your faves are missing. But all in all, this should give you an Idea of how this musical Revolution appeared on the scene and developed, from street beginnings to the mainstream pop charts and commercials and films etc etc

And as a bonus, it should give you something to nod your head too this Xmas. (Please be aware that i includes some NSFW lyrics, so don't scare the kids!)

Ill be back before the end of the year with the last Street Sounds Sessions of 2017, but stay tuned for more from Grizz and Ridym. So until Im on the blog again, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!


Sunday 3 December 2017

DJ Grizz- Xmas Soul 2017

Its December so you can officially dig out the tree, write your cards and start soaking the fruits for the cake.... Need something to help you along? We have it- pack full of Soul and Jazz with a Xmas theme... its Xmas Soul 2017!

We have Otis, The O Jays, The Isleys, Gladys (without her Pips) and of course Ella plus many more great Seasonal tunes to get you a Soulful Xmas mood.. Much better than the usual tired old stuff they play on the radio and in the shops this time of year!!

Ho Ho Ho indeed Mixtapers

Grizz- The Soul Mixtape Blog

O Jays- Xmas just aint xmas
Otis Redding- Merry xmas baby
Diana Ross- Its Christmas time enjoy
The Manhattens- Its that time of year
The Maytals- Happy Xmas
Freddie King- Xmas tears
Gladys Knight- Do you hear what i hear
Isley Brothers- White Xmas
Ella Fitzgerald- The Christmas song