The Rare Groove Show

Stuck for something non controversial and popular to play this festive season? What better than all the Peanuts Christmas Songs in one mix! All tracks composed and performed by the late cool jazz maestro, Vince Guaraldi.

I credit Vince Guaraldi with inspiring my love of jazz. As a kid I was a fan of Charles Schulz' 'Peanuts' in the versions produced for TV by Lee Mendelson & written by Bill Melendez. Guaraldi's cool yet melancholic jazzy licks permeated those cartoons creating the perfect muscial backdrop to the colourful goings on of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock & pals. Going back to them as an adult I realise just how perfect they are- not just incidental music but something deeply connected to the Cool Jazz of Guaraldi's native San Francisco. Although unique, you can hear in Guaraldis themes the influence of his mentor, Cal Tjader & fellow players such as Mongo Santamaria, Django Reinhardt, Willie Bobo and Bola Sete. Vince Guaraldi passed away suddenly in 1976.

This mix of unsung music has taken years to hunt down in vinyl form. Some of the songs have been privately pressed by me. It's been a long held ambition to record this mix so do enjoy listening to it & if you do, please take time to give feedback!

I have wanted for some time to record a definitive artist focus on Blaze-also known as Josh Milan & Kevin Hedge, the house legends from New Jersey who make up a cornerstone of my record collection. Chris Herbert- a third founding member and lead singer- left after their Motown LP '25 Years Later'. Despite that blip, Blaze have been big in the house game since the mid eighties producing a consistently rich flood of releases which include genuine house classics such as 'If You Should Need a Friend' (not featured here). Their productions and collaborations are sublimely soulful- later work has often featured Louie Vega of Masters at Work, who is clearly a kindred spirit. From early, independent releases and further beginnings at Motown, Blaze always manage to keep their sound relevant and fresh. Their focus on production quality and instrumentation has given them a rare longevity. There is simply so much to cover in their illustrious career from early days with major labels to Josh Milan's latest project; Honeycomb Records. This hour focuses on some of the better known releases. My plan is to return to Blaze soon to revisit the remainder of their back catalogue.

The music I listen to most at home is the brilliant jazz produced independently on several key labels of the 1970s: Strata from Detroit, Black Jazz Records from Oakland, California, Strata East of New York and of course, Tribe Records, also from Detroit.

Five talented ex Motown session musicians were the driving force behind the Tribe collective: Phil Ranelin (Trombone), Marcus Belgrave (Trumpet), Wendell Harrison (Clarinet) and Doug Hammond (Drums) and finally Dave Durrah (piano and synthesiser). As well as releasing music, Tribe released a magazine which concerned itself with Black consciousness, Black economics, political issues and activism affecting the black community and advertisements. Tribe delivered a rounded cultural experience alongside its wonderful jazz.

Between 1973 and 1975 Tribe issued just ten releases and these have become legendary among record collectors. I hope you enjoy my introduction to the label from a fan's perspective.

Leon Ware passed away on February 23rd 2017.

My first introduction to his music was when my Dad put Marvin Gaye's album, 'I Want You' on cassette for me. That C90 meant a lot. It was impossible for an 11 year old to understand that Leon Ware was the undisputed master of sensual soul, I just liked the music and Marvin's voice. Leon wrote and produced most of that album and although not a success on the level of Gaye's 'What's Going On' its reputation grew and Ware's legendary status was secure. Soul fans revere the man.

Now, my record collection extends to many Leon Ware LPs and his sonically smooth productions. His work on Minnie Ripperton's 'Adventures in Paradise' is memorable and still sounds very fresh. He worked right up until his death- most recently on the Omar LP, 'Love in Beats' but in recent times also co-wrote with Maxwell; together they produced the hit song 'Sumthin' Sumthin'.

Many folks introduction to Leon Ware is the classic 'Why I came to California, featured here.

6th October 2016

Rod Temperton: Where can I begin? His own biography on Twitter states 'From Cleethorpes, destroyed the World'. This is a great statement because the songwriting genius of Temperton literally took the world by storm. From early career hits in the band he led- Heatwave- to Thriller, Rod Temperton left an indelible mark on black popular music. He wrote not just songs but genuine mega hits for George Benson, Michael Jackson, The Brothers Johnson, Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones, among many more. His sound is unique, immediately recognisable and dripping in pure groove.

Rod Temperton is a complete hero to me- a modest man with talent to spare- just how it should be. Quincy Jones recognised the value of a songwriter of such scale and worked with him continually. At 66 his death is so unfair but his legacy is guaranteed. When we're all gone people will be doubtless dancing to Rod Temperton's songs. I imagine his music is everywhere from the moon to the Antarctic- such was his genius. The greatest man you never heard of.

Daniel Bouquet
The Rare Groove Show
www.shoreditchradio.co.uk

Not initially designed as a mix, this is a showcase, for a friend, of new and not so new music from Chicago & Detroit. My friend was lamenting the lack of quality music in the vein of Underground Resistance and the Detroit/Chicago originators. I just had to prove him wrong. The first hour is mostly by 'new school' producers from these two influential cities. Features Aybee and his label Deep Blak, Patrice Scott and his Sistrum Records, Kai Alce (NDATL Music) , Byron The Aquarius (Sound Signature), Glenn Underground (Strictly Jaz Unit) among many others. I got carried away and mixed in some much loved classics at the end.

Everything is played from vinyl using a Pioneer DJM 750 though Wharfedale speakers. I'd love your feedback here and on Podomatic/Soundcloud/ Enjoy!

This is the Rare Groove Show tribute to one of my biggest influences, Maurice White: outstanding vocalist, arranger, producer, drummer, kalimba player, friend of Charles Stepney and Skip Scarborough, businessman, he changed my life and the life of countless others. Dance music as it is would not exist without Maurice White. Earth Wind and Fire were the first soul band I really appreciated and I was awed by their number, image, and what I heard about their live shows. Maybe they were the tightest band instrumentally that ever existed in black music. Listen to find out why Maurice White was a towering figure and to hear the legacy this great man leaves behind.

Mo' Wax + 4 is a mix for a friend who's moving away. I dug out a load of my Mo'Wax vinyl and played it- no preparation and perhaps in a couple of places that can be heard. Many of these records, which I collected between 1993 and 1998 haven't been played in those intervening years. It was nice to get back to them and the culmination of an idea gestating since the Mo'Wax exhibition and James Lavelle's 2014 Meltdown Festival. 'Trip Hop' could, of course, be a little slow so I sped every tune up to a minimum pitch of +4. There are many more songs I could have thrown in but 77 minutes felt ample. The idea is that this will stand the test of time and be an enjoyable listen as well as esoteric enough for anyone remotely interested in the culture created by James Lavelle and Mo'Wax. Enjoy!

Equipment: Technics 1200 x 2, Pioneer DJM 750 Mixer, Sony CD recorder, Bang & Olufsen Headphones, Maxell CDRW, Vinyl.

I'm not a house DJ but now and then I like to round up a selection of records I've acquired - mostly for my own listening pleasure. This is a group of records I've been playing this year- most of them would be classed as house, although they go beyond 4/4 beats into jazz and soul territory. Most tracks here are 2015 releases with a few classics thrown in. Labels featured are Prescription, Yoruba, Strictly Jaz Unit and Soul People. Feedback very welcome!

Equipment used: Technics 1200 turntables, Pioneer mixer, Shure styli, Sony CD recorder, vinyl records.

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