earshot

My regular gig is a monthly First Friday gig at a great little coffee shop called Roasted in downtown Macon. Well this month I not only played my regular First Friday, I also played the next week as well. These two shows turned out to be two of the most fun shows I've ever played. Afterwards I was asked by quite a few people if either of the sets had been recorded. They hadn't.  So I decided to record a series of mixtapes with the songs from those nights. This mix is Volume 1 of the series. I love it. It sounds as good as it felt playing it live. I hope you get plenty of bump out of the mix.

April First Friday at Roasted

Tracklisting:

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:56:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (79)

Quantic and Alice Russell have definitely found musical soul-mates in each other. Their newest release, "Look Around The Corner" shows a talent rarely seen in music now a days. I am completely in love with Alice Russell's voice. This happens to me from time to time. In the past it has been with Roberta Flack, Minnie Riperton, Chaka Khan, Sade and countless others. However right now Alice Russell has my undivided attention. Quantic has gathered an amazing group of musicians called the Combo Barbaro. I play the acoustic version of the song "Magdalena" from the new album in this episode and I am sure you will hear more from it in the weeks to come.

Alice Russell and Quantic

Also in this episode we get a healthy dose of Japanese Jazz with songs from J.A.M., Big Bang, and Fumio Itabashi. We get new music from a group called Electric Wire Hustle that sounds to me like what I imagine it would have sounded like if Marvin Gaye had a chance to work with Sa-Ra. We get a few soul songs in, including a new track from Charles Bradley and The Menahan Street Band. And we round things out with some electronic goodness.

Enjoy

Tracklisting:

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:03:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (60)

It's beautiful weather here in Macon, Ga. The type of weather where you ride around with the windows down and pump your music. Or open all the windows and doors at in your home and sit on the couch. However you are enjoying this weather, where ever you are, you need some music to go with it. This springtime mix is full of songs about love and hate. It's uptempo and uplifting. Enjoy.

Later

Rog

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:43:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (73)

Diggs Duke is one talented son of a gun. I was blown away by his EP "Gravity" (Which you should download from his Bandcamp page). Then he began to release a series of covers of Herbie Hancock songs (You can hear those on his Soundcloud page). Who knew there was so much musical talent up in Maine? Well, support the baby bubba. Spend the few dollars and download an EP and maybe he'll put out an album.

Diggs Duke

Lots of other new music as well. Really excited over the new Quantic and Alice Russell. Waiting (very impatiently) on the new album from this dynamic duo. Until then you should watch this video of their practice session. Also new music from Cody ChesnuTT (where has he been?), Mo Kolours, and Miles Bonny. Then I am dropping a very fun special mix in the middle of the episode. "The Lesson" will educate and entertain...at least I hope so.

So here's the tracklist.

Tracklisting:

Jiva - Stars (Tauriva Mix) (Solunari)

Miles Bonny x B.Lewis - Bottom To Top (Bandcamp)

See you next time.

Roger

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:59:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (76)

Last week we lost two great people in the world of Music, Don Cornelius of Soul Train and Jimmy Castor. Both had a huge influence on what may be my favorite era of music, the 70s. While most people probably know Soul Train and recognize Don Cornelius' famous slogan, "Love, peace and soul!", not every one may know Jimmy Castor. B-Boy's certainly do. They love to break to his song,"It's Just Begun". Hip-Hop heads may recognize the into to "Troglodyte" which is the hilarious song of when the caveman met Bertha Butt and the Butt sisters. His musical talent was much more than those two songs and I suggest you check him out if you aren't already familiar. The opening of Earshot 11 pays tribute to these two great legends of soul. Thanks for the music.

The Jimmy Castor Bunch must have been a cool band to be in.

Lot's of good music this week including new music from Jack White, Siaira Shawn, Sonnymoon and Scrishire.

Mfsb;Mfsb Featuring The Three Degrees - T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)

The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:01:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (71)

Forgive me for not posting more on Earshot. I believe we are back on track now. This special mix is inspired by Nile Rodgers' autobiography, "Le Freak". It reminded me just how much I love the funk of the 70s. I blended it in my some House music to make a very uplifting mix. I hope you enjoy. And pick up a copy of "Le Freak" it's a good read.

Mr Hermano - Free As The Morning Sun (Mr. Bongo)

Salomé De Bahia - Outro Lugar (Yellow Productions)

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:11:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (63)

This week's Earshot is very laid back and downtempo. I am dedicating this episode to the Sharp Eleven blog written by Montreal singer, Krystale. Sharp Eleven always has some great music to share so I decided to play a few of the songs on Earshot. And Krystale is quite a singer in her own right.

Krystale

I hope the holiday season is going well for you all. I hope Santa brings you all lots of good music.

Speaking of which, here's the track list.

Tracklisting:

James Blake - Limit To Your Love (Universal)

Peace

-Roger

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:10:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (81)

Welcome back from Thanksgiving break. How was it for you? Good food? Good times with family and friends? Mine was great, thanks. Well, other than the whole Detroit Lions losing to Green Bay on Thanksgiving. But other than that, I had fun.

Now, let's talk music.

In this episode of Earshot I have new music from some much awaited albums. I'm talking about Mark de Clive-Lowe, Saul Williams, and J*Davey. Some really good remixes from Opolopo, Tall Black Guy and TenDJiz. A really good cover of a Parliament tune by funk legend Dennis Coffey and Mayer Hawthorne. And I am going to introduce you to a few great new talents: Krystale, Diggs Duke, and Macon, Georgia's own, Floco Torres. Plus there is a lot more.

Enjoy.

-Roger

J*Davey

Tracklisting:

Gregory Porter – 1960 What? (Opolopo Kick and Bass Re-Rub) (Tokyo Dawn)

Saul Williams – Dance (Columbia)

Anthony Joseph – Started Off As A Dancer (naïve)

De La Soul – Jenifa Taught Me (Tendjiz's De La Soulviet remix) (Bandcamp)

Mark de Clive-Lowe – Push (feat. Bembe Segue & Nia Andrews) (Tru Thoughts)

Diggs Duke – The Epic Lie (Bandcamp)

Fiona Apple – Sleep To Dream (Work)

Eric Roberson – Tale Of Two People (Tall Black Guy Remix) (Soundcloud)

Floco Torres – Brenda (Gateway Macon)

Eric Lau – The Mission (feat. Guilty Simpson)

Roy Ayers Ubiquity – We Live In Brooklyn, Baby (Universal/Motown)

fatima – Warm Eyes (prod. Dam Funk) (Eglo)

J*Davey – Listen (The Illav8er)

Krystale – Bag Of Gold (Bandcamp)

Esbjorn Svensson Trio – Somewhere Else Before (Diesel Music)

Dennis Coffey – All Your Goodies Are Gone (feat. Mayer Hawthorne) (Strut)

Dennis Coffey – Scorpio (Max Cat)

Bilal – All Matter (Plug Research)

DeRobert and The Half-Truths – Beg Me (GED Soul)

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:01:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (89)

My good friend Dale Ray has been trying to get me to go to a music festival with him for a few years now. He finally found one that he figured suited my tastes. He told me about all of these funk bands and then he said Charli 2na was going to be there and The Meters and Lonnie Liston Smith so I said I'd go. The problem with me and these festivals is that I don't camp. Fuck that. I need a toilet and a shower. So he promised me we'd get a hotel room. Now I'm really sold.

Needless to say, I had a really good time. What more can you ask for than a weekend with a good buddy spent listening to music and drinking beer? I got turned on to a lot of good sounds and reconnected with some favorites. I am going to share some of that Bear Creek goodness with you in Episdoe 8. There's music from Orgone, Beats Antique, Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, The Breakestra (finally got to see them live. Been loving that group for years) and lots more.

The Meters on stage at The Bear Creek Music Festival

But that's the second half of the show. The first half is filled with great new music. We start things out with the title track from a new album by Diplo and Oliver Twist, then we get into some new Hip-Hop from Tanya Morgan, Slim Kid Tre and DJ Nu-Mark, dumhi, and Common. Then we get a taste of some new soul sounds with songs from Miles Bonny, Jazzanova, and Oliver Daysoul.

Enjoy.

Roger

Tracklisting:

Diplo & Oliver Twizt – Go (Mad Decent)

Tanya Morgan – Whatever That's Mine (Interdependent Media)

Slim Kid Tre and DJ Nu-Mark - Friday Night (Internet Download)

dumhi – Listen Up (feat Jermside & Random) (Bandcamp)

Common – Let's Move (Warner Bros)

Oliver Daysoul – Finer Things In Life (Internet Download)

Miles Bonny – J.Birly (Melting Pot Music)

Jazzanova – Rockin' You Eternally (feat Leon Ware & Dwele) (Verve)

Marvin Gaye – After The Dance (Tamla)

jazz re:freshed – Dyno (Bandcamp)

Charli 2na – Comin' Thru (Decon)

Beats Antique – Cat Skillz (Antique)

Breakestra – Hiding (Ubiquity)

The New Mastersounds – Freckles (Tallest Man)

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds – Who Are You? (MRI)

Orgone – It's Time Tonight (Ubiquity)

The Meters – Hand Clapping Song (Rhino)

Lettuce – Relax (Velour)

Lettuce – Move On Up (Velour)

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:00:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (63)