Blue-in-Green:RADIO is a contemporary soul/funk/jazz/Latin internet radio station broadcasting an array of incredible shows from presenters and DJs from across the world.
When Blue-in-Green:RADIO first hit the airwaves, "Frequency Liberated" acted as the second half of the double-header to "Liberation's Frequency" which aired every Saturday night. Well, we're proud to say that the nu-soul sounds of Frequency Liberated has been promoted to the status of a full-time playlist which airs every day at varying times and we're opting to celebrate this news with a quick run-down of three songs you should check out for on our airwaves ... 'Blue' by Shay Lia
Produced by the combination of KAYTRANADA and BADBADNOTGOOD, this brand new single by vocalist Shay Lia grabbed out attention instantly. Beautifully sung and produced, we're eagerly awaiting the album but this gem will tide us over til then.
'All Yours' (Freddie Joachim Remix) un by Submotion Orchestra
Type the words "Freddie" and "Joachim" into your Google browser and once you find his website, download everything you possibly can. Freddie Joachim is notorious for putting out swathes of incredible remixes and giving them our for free download so grab all that you can. This song comes from the Olive Juice selection and is frankly one of the reasons Frequency Liberated was created.
'Everything in its Right Place' by Osunlade featuring Erro
This song comes as far back as 2006 and is housed on the BBE Records release 'Exit Music', which was a tribute album to the music of Radiohead. There was a lot to be excited about on this release (Lo Freq's 'Blow Out'; 'Randy Watson Experience's 'Morning Bell; 'Pete Kuzma's 'High & Dry') but it may very well have been Osunlade hooking up with his longtime friend and collaborator, Eric Roberson, that stole the show.
'Love Theme From Spartacus' [4 Hero Remix] by Terry Callier
The silky smooth vocals of Terry Callier were taken to wonderous new heights by 4 Hero with this pairing. And just when you thought Callier couldn't possibly sound any better...
"Amid the loneliness, the isolation, the exhaustion of the road, these sounds keep me company. They remind me of the distance I've traveled and the miles to ge before I sleep. They remind me of the dreams made real and the work that remains."
... this is a small excerpt from the inlay card to Nate Smith's 'Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere'. It's taken from a much longer and eloquent description of the nomadic lifestyle touring musicians are faced with, and that feeling of isolation and continual discovery is employed as the core for Smith's incredible release through Ropeadope Records.
Even looking at his current tour dates, at the time of this writing, sees the Virginia-born drummer, writer and producer slated to appear throughout Europe, including The Netherlands, Spain, Slovakia, Germany and Prague.
Nate Smith boasts an extensive list of qualifications and accolades from nearly a lifetime within music: a participant in the Jazz Ahead program while still studying in college, and then years later going on to serve on its faculty in 2013 and 2014, and doing the same for the Thailand International Jazz Conference in 2014 as well. His resume includes having recorded and performed with artists like Mark de Clive-Lowe, Jose James, NIA, Takuya Kuroda, Chris Potter Underground and Lionel Loueke, naming just a few.
The beauty of 'Kinfolk' - that has already scored the top spot on the iTunes jazz chart - very much lies within its deeply personal nature. An album dedicated to his father with family appearing on interludes throughout the album, this fully-realised passion project is brought to life with the help of an excellent array of album guests: long-time friend and collaborator, Kris Bowers - another member of Team Jose James - appears on keys throughout the album, Gretchen Parlato delivers as always on 'Pages' and vocalist Amma What sounds luxurious on her two vocal contributions, 'Disenchantment: The Weight' and 'Morning and Allison'.
An incredible album which appears to garner much-deserved acclaim as the days pass and it leaves us to marvel about the experiences Nate Smith will have that will go on to shape his follow-up record.
You can purchase your copy of 'Kinfolk' from Bandcamp: https://natesmithmusic.bandcamp.com/
Welcome all to another week of Blue-in-Green:RADIO programming. Before we get to our shows, we're really happy to announce that a massive slew of new songs are making our airwaves as we expand the 'Frequency Liberated' show to form a part of our 24/7 schedule. Music celebrating smooth nu-soul will be played every day on Blue-in-Green:RADIO, including tracks by Blue Six, Jazzanova, 4 Hero, Aya, Gaelle and much more.
You can tune in to our shows via the player at the top of this page or by looking us up ("Blue-in-Green:RADIO") on iTunes and TuneIn and check the below UK times with where you are in the world here: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
MONDAY (22nd May)
Get To Know...(Mondays 6-7pm; show repeated Wednesdays 7-8am) The show that spends an hour focusing on the music from some of our favourite producers and musicians, this week shines a light on... James Poyser. Songs included feature his contributions with Roy Hargrove, D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Moonchild, amongst others.
Monday Mix (Mondays 7-8pm; show repeated Wednesdays 8-9am) Thrilled to travel back to San Jose, California, as DJ Rhonnie Rhon blesses our airwaves with another hour-long mix of soulful house gems.
TUESDAY (23rd May)
Nu-Skool Soul (Tuesdays 6-8pm; show repeated Fridays 7-9am) Playing the absolute best in contemporary soul, R&B and neo-soul. This week's show features music from Robert Glasper Experiment, Hundred Strong, Esthero, Raheem DeVaugh and Cocaine 80s, amongst others. Plus there'll be an artist of the week and a Themetime2from1 at the top of the second hour.
WEDNESDAY (24th May)
20th Century Soul(Wednesdays 6-8pm; show repeated Tuesdays 7-9am) A two-hour playlist of classic and connoisseur soul this week featuring music from Gil Scott-Heron, Bobby Byrd, Gloria Ann Taylor, Isaac Hayes, Ronnie Hudson and much more.
THURSDAY (25th May)
The Blue-in-Green Sessions(Thursdays 6-8pm; show repeated Mondays 7-9am) Soul, jazz and funk music featuring The Suffers, Nigel Hall, Myron & E, The Relatives... plus 'Velvet Portraits' by Terrace Martin is our album of the week, and Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators are our '2from1' artist. SATURDAY (27th May) Liberation's Frequency (Saturdays 10-12pm) Liberation's Frequency is the big bucket of alternative and left-of-centre selections that you won't find played anywhere else on the station. Tune in and indulge your alternative side.
SUNDAY (28th May)
90s State of Mind (All day)
A nostalgic visit to the 90s with music from Incognito, Brand New Heavies, Prince, Sade, and so much more. plus, there's a bonus hip-hop mix at 6pm featuring a great blend of 90s and underground classics.
If you have an idea for a show, we'd love to hear from you and expand our musical family so please feel free to be in contact with us at blueingreenradio@yahoo.com.
'Gave My Heart' [DJ Jazzy Jeff Remix] Omar f/t Leon Ware
From the imminent Omar EP release supporting the single 'Gave My Heart' which has the distinction of featuring the beloved Leon Ware. The 6-track EP features remixes courtesy of The Reflex, Rob Hardt and Scratch Professor but we're opting to select DJ Jazzy Jeff's stellar take on the duet which apart from being a great mix, also solidifies the dream team combination of Omar/Jeff/Ware.
'Lysistrata's Quest' by Randa & The Soul Kingdom
Surely a contender for one of the best song titles ever?! Headed up by Randa Khamis, the soulstress' fiery vocal takes centre stage throughout the band's debut album and with a number of great songs to pick from ('Feel It In Your Soul', 'Not Gonna Let You'), 'Lysistrata's Quest' incredibly soars above them all.
'Slowtime' by Angeline Morrison
There isn't much we can say about Angeline Morrison that we haven't said before - this site is crazy about her and so proud to have been able to interview her in support of two incredible projects that she's been a part of ('Are You Ready Cat?', 'All Hail The Mighty Sceptres'). So as there's nothing new that I can say, I'll repeat something that was said in relation to the 'Are You Ready Cat' release:
"Freestyle Records’ catalogue of contemporary funk and soul is amongst the best that any label in this day and age can boast, and ‘Are You Ready Cat?’ glistens like a rare jewel – unique to all others – in an already packed treasure chest."
'Your Name' by Reggie Watts
Currently making a name for himself as the band leader for James Corden's Late Late Show, Reggie Watts released his debut album 'Simplified' in 2004, which is where you can find this incredible number. Reggie perhaps became better-known for his stand-up material and although music still features heavily as a part of Reggie's act, it would be great to see him revisit the R&B and soul from this album for a follow-up.
'Greenbacks' by Deep Street Soul f/t Shirley Davis
This song comes from the debut album by Australian funk band, Deep Street Soul, who now have the distinction of reaching their third album with Freestyle. As good as this version is, I'll also direct your attention to the Lack of Afro remix which features a complete reworking of the song incorporating LOA's inimitable blend of disco-funk.
Welcome all to another week of Blue-in-Green:RADIO programming. Before we get to our shows, you should all be happy to know that our 24/7 selection that plays in and around the below shows has had new music added this week with songs by Gemma & The Travellers, Courtney Pine and ZULUZULUU.
You can tune in to our shows via the player at the top of this page or by looking us up ("Blue-in-Green:RADIO") on iTunes and TuneIn and check the below UK times with where you are in the world here: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
MONDAY (15th May)
Get To Know...(Mondays 6-7pm; show repeated Wednesdays 7-8am) The show that spends an hour focusing on the music from some of our favourite producers and musicians, this week shines a light on... DJ Spinna. Songs included feature his contributions with Robert Glasper, Ronny Jordan, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Stephanie McKay, amongst others.
Monday Mix (Mondays 7-8pm; show repeated Wednesdays 8-9am) Thrilled to travel back to San Jose, California, as DJ Rhonnie Rhon blesses our airwaves with another hour-long mix of soulful house gems.
TUESDAY (16th May)
Nu-Skool Soul (Tuesdays 6-8pm; show repeated Fridays 7-9am) Playing the absolute best in contemporary soul, R&B and neo-soul. This week's show features Lalah Hathaway as our artist of the week along with music from October London, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Iyeoka and Tre Williams, amongst others. Plus there'll be a Themetime2from1 at the top of the second hour with the theme of 'Back to the Future'.
WEDNESDAY (17th May)
20th Century Soul(Wednesdays 6-8pm; show repeated Tuesdays 7-9am) A two-hour playlist of classic and connoisseur soul this week featuring music from Gil Scott-Heron, Bobby Byrd, Gloria Ann Taylor, Isaac Hayes, Ronnie Hudson and much more.
THURSDAY (18th May)
The Blue-in-Green Sessions(Thursdays 6-8pm; show repeated Mondays 7-9am) Soul, jazz and funk music featuring The Suffers, Nigel Hall, Myron & E, The Relatives... plus 'Velvet Portraits' by Terrace Martin is our album of the week, and Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators are our '2from1' artist.
SATURDAY (20th May)
Liberation's Frequency / Frequency Liberated(Saturdays 10-12pm) Two back-to-back playlists: Liberation's Frequency is the big bucket of alternative and left-of-centre selections that you won't find played anywhere else on the station. Tune in and indulge your alternative side. Frequency Liberated however focuses more on some soulful house numbers along with chillout and nu-soul selections.
SUNDAY (21st May)
90s State of Mind (All day)
A nostalgic visit to the 90s with music from Incognito, Brand New Heavies, Prince, Sade, and so much more.
There's a bonus hip-hop mix at 6pm and this week we have Tee-J manning the boards. Tee-J has been throwing down his own special blend of Electro-Funk and Nu Disco since the summer of 2006. Signed by Mullet Records in 2011, Tee-J and his production partner, Elijah Collins, enjoyed success with their re-edit of the classic Jamaica Funk titled "J-Funk" and "I Used to Feel Alright" which proceeded to storm it's way to number 1 in the Nu Disco chart on Traxsource.
Looking over the jazz portion of my CD collection, the record label 'Far Out Recordings' has long stood out as one of the leading labels for new and contemporary jazz music: in the last few years, releases by Sean Khan ('Muriel'), Nicola Conte & Stefania Dipierro ('Natural'), Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia ('The Wave'), Sabrina Malheiros ('New Morning'), not to mention the legendary recordings of Azymuth, have solidified Far Out's global reputation as purveyors of fine Brazilian and Latin-based jazz music.
In Philippe Baden Powell's 'Notes Over Poetry', Far Out have done it again. With a handful of releases already under his belt, the pianist and son of Brazilian musical legend Baden Powell de Aquino has proved to be an invaluable asset in his debut release for the label. Now residing in Paris, having moved from Rio, Philippe's approach to his music echoes the creativity and forward-thinking nature of his father - 'Notes Over Poetry' is a piece of work that thrives on collaboration and effortlessly weaves between different styles, taking elements of more traditional and classic stylings of jazz and comfortably incorporating tinges of samba and contemporary soul.
Each of the ten tracks presented here would all warrant mention as album highlights, but I'll cite 'Hues', 'State of Music', 'The Lonely Dreamer' and the exquisite 'Chica' as standouts. 'Notes Over Poetry' stands tall amongst one of the best albums you can hope to own in 2017, but also as potentially one of the best releases to house the logo of 'Far Out Recordings'!
I didn't initially report this here because, frankly, I didn't believe it was true. This Deluxe/Expanded reissue of 'Purple Rain' is a Holy Grail of sorts for Prince fans, and almost a teaser of the goldmine Warner Bros Records have been sitting on for years.
The track-list alone almost acts as the gift and I'll be salivating over it until the album's initial release date, 23rd June. Too far away! Disc One sees the album presented as in its original version but remastered in 2015; Disc Two sees songs plucked from the infamous Vault and while some have already seen the light of day (including 'Roadhouse Garden' and 'Wonderful Ass'), the majority comprise of songs only either performed live or heard about: including the full 10-minute version of 'We Can F##k', which later evolved into 'We Can Funk' with George Clinton and released on 'Graffiti Bridge'; Disc Three features single edits and B-sides, while the concert DVD (Disc Four) presents Prince & The Revolution, as recorded in Syracuse, 1985.
This is a dream release so hats off to all involved for putting this together. Fingers crossed they'll be further trips to The Vault in time to come.
PURPLE RAIN DELUXE Disc One: Original Album (2015 Paisley Park Remaster) 1. Let's Go Crazy 2. Take Me With U 3. The Beautiful Ones 4. Computer Blue 5. Darling Nikki 6. When Doves Cry 7. I Would Die 4 U 8. Baby I'm A Star 9. Purple Rain
Disc Two: From The Vault & Previously Unreleased 1. The Dance Electric 2. Love And Sex 3. Computer Blue ("Hallway Speech" version) 4. Electric Intercourse (studio) 5. Our Destiny / Roadhouse Garden 6. Possessed (1983 version) 7. Wonderful Ass 8. Velvet Kitty Cat 9. Katrina's Paper Dolls 10. We Can Fuck 11. Father's Song
PURPLE RAIN DELUXE - EXPANDED EDITION (Includes Disc One and Disc Two as Listed Above)
Disc Three: Single Edits & B-Sides 1. When Doves Cry (edit) 2. 17 Days 3. Let's Go Crazy (edit) 4. Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) 5. Erotic City 6. Erotic City ("Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive") 7. Purple Rain (edit) 8. God 9. God (Love Theme From Purple Rain) 10. Another Lonely Christmas 11. Another Lonely Christmas (extended version) 12. I Would Die 4 U (edit) 13. I Would Die 4 U (extended version) 14. Baby I'm A Star (edit) 15. Take Me With U (edit)
DVD: Prince And The Revolution, Live at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, March 30, 1985 1. Let's Go Crazy 2. Delirious 3. 1999 4. Little Red Corvette 5. Take Me With U 6. Do Me, Baby 7. Irresistible Bitch 8. Possessed 9. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? 10. Let's Pretend We're Married 11. International Lover 12. God 13. Computer Blue 14. Darling Nikki 15. The Beautiful Ones 16. When Doves Cry 17. I Would Die 4 U 18. Baby I'm A Star 19. Purple Rain
Welcome all to another week of Blue-in-Green:RADIO programming. Before we get to our shows, you should all be happy to know that our 24/7 selection that plays in and around the below shows has had new music added this week with songs by Gizelle Smith, Gabriele Poso, Freddie Joachim, Kerbside Collection, Diazpora and Dayme Arocena.
You can tune in to our shows via the player at the top of this page or by looking us up ("Blue-in-Green:RADIO") on iTunes and TuneIn and check the below UK times with where you are in the world here: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
MONDAY (8th May)
Get To Know...(Mondays 6-7pm; show repeated Wednesdays 7-8am) The show that spends an hour focusing on the music from some of our favourite producers and musicians, this week shines a light on... Eric Krasno. Songs included feature his contributions with Soulive, Lettuce, his solo material, Ledisi, Talib Kweli and Black Violin, amongst others.
Monday Mix (Mondays 7-8pm; show repeated Wednesdays 8-9am) The Monday Mix this week is entitled "FutureSpaceAgeFunk" and features music from Prince, Diamond Ortiz, Psychic Mirrors, Amp Fiddler and Pitch & Scratch.
TUESDAY (9th May)
Nu-Skool Soul (Tuesdays 6-8pm; show repeated Fridays 7-9am) Playing the absolute best in contemporary soul, R&B and neo-soul. This week's show features Kandace Springs as our artist of the week along with music from KING, Goapele, Raphael Saadiq, Ferry Ultra and Eclectic Blue, amongst others. Plus there'll be a Themetime2from1 at the top of the second hour.
WEDNESDAY (10th May)
20th Century Soul(Wednesdays 6-8pm; show repeated Tuesdays 7-9am) A two-hour playlist of classic and connoisseur soul this week featuring music from Bobby Womack, Nancy Wilson, The Isley Brothers, Tom Brock, Heatwave, Gene Harris, Tammi Terrell and much more.
THURSDAY (11th May)
The Blue-in-Green Sessions(Thursdays 6-8pm; show repeated Mondays 7-9am) Soul, jazz and funk music featuring Snarky Puppy, Lakecia Benjamin, Michael Kiwanuka, ZULUZULUU and Josef Leimberg... 'Edda's Garden' by My Trippin Mojo is our album of the week, and Nicola Conte is our '2from1' artist.
SATURDAY (13th May)
Liberation's Frequency / Frequency Liberated(Saturdays 10-12pm) Two back-to-back playlists: Liberation's Frequency is the big bucket of alternative and left-of-centre selections that you won't find played anywhere else on the station. Tune in and indulge your alternative side. Frequency Liberated however focuses more on some soulful house numbers along with chillout and nu-soul selections.
SUNDAY (14th May)
90s State of Mind (All day)
A nostalgic visit to the 90s with music from Incognito, Brand New Heavies, Prince, Sade, and so much more. There's a bonus hip-hop mix at 6pm each week so stay tuned to see what's coming up.
While the neo-soul stylings of artists like D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill redefined soul music going forward in the late-1990s, the genre sees itself experiencing a similar renaissance over the last few years. Bands like Robert Glasper Experiment, Hiatus Kaiyote and The Love Experiment see the value in fusion forming as much a part of their music’s aesthetic while still expertly building upon the music of their heroes before them.
The Steve McQueens are a band whose contributions in this field stand as tall as any of the aforementioned names – their distinct, genre-bending and genre-melding style is as exciting as it is innovative; so much so that Incognito’s Bluey (Jean-Paul Maunick) – after having seen them perform in 2014 in Singapore – invited them to his London studio to begin recording what would go on to become ‘Seamonster’. So excited they were by the results, the partnership further developed with the McQueens becoming one of the first signees to Bluey’s Splash Blue Records, which although still a relatively young label, is fast developing a strong catalogue through albums by Carl Hudson, JD73 and Resolution 88, who are still riding high from their jazz-funk album ‘Afterglow’.
Only having formed in Singapore in 2013, The Steve McQueens initially presented themselves as more of a jazz act, before going on to incorporate further styles like neo-soul, funk and R&B, and it's that element of no-holds-barred creativity that has gone on to make 'Seamonster' such a treasured release. It's interesting, as revealed in the below exchange, to see that the music of Frank Zappa resonates so heavily with the band as there's a Frank Zappa quote that is incredibly apt towards their whole ideology: “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible” (Zappa is also credited as having said "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff", and while that may be true, let's focus on the former phrase for now...). Band members Ginny Bloop (vocals), Aaron James Lee (drums), Jase Sng (bass) and Joshua Wan (keyboards) are adept at taking listeners on a journey but then changing the route in the blink of an eye. The destination remains the same however, but it's those unexpected twists and turns you'll love so much more.
Blue-in-Green:RADIO has the distinct privilege and pleasure of having secured time with the band to discuss the origins behind their name, the making of 'Seamonster' and what's next for them...
How did you all come together to form the band? Ginny: The band came together in 2013. The local scene here is pretty concentrated, yet diverse. It was really about like-minded creatives coming together to make some art that we couldn’t quite find anywhere else.
What made you decide on the name of "The Steve McQueens”? Joshua: If there is a symbol of 60s/70s cool, counterculture and individualism, Steve McQueen in the green Mustang in 'Bullitt' is it. The iconic anti-hero.. who wouldn't name their band after him?
Who were some of the influences that helped shape the band's sound? Jase: In the early days we tapped from the likes of Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper and Thelonius Monk. For 'Seamonster', Hiatus Kaiyote was fairly prominent in our songwriting choices.
How did you come to the attention of Splash Blue Records? Aaron: It was the first edition of Singapore Jazz Festival in 2015 where we got a slot to perform at a tiny stage somewhere in the mall of the festival grounds. Bluey heard us play our music and really liked us and decided to help us. Ginny: We flew to London to record the album, with Bluey as co-producer and Splash Blue happened naturally as Bluey is the founder of Splash Blue Records.
What went into the making of the album 'Seamonster'? Ginny: It came from a place of love for the consistency of the universe’s eccentricities. We decided to just keep writing and playing because those were the only things we really wanted to be doing all the time.
How does the creative process of writing and creating new music work for the band? Joshua: It's very organic and democratic; usually one of us would come in with an idea or a grain of an idea or a musical sketch which we would proceed to toss around and make into some amalgam of whatever our musical feelings were that day. The key to that process working is that we all have a similar or at least complementary (most of the time!) aesthetic and when you add that to a very wide range of combined musical influences, you end up getting material that is unique and feels fresh and familiar at the same time. It's a lot like making babies.
What can fans expect from the follow-up album? Jase: It seems like the band has moved further into its own sound accumulated from the past few years of performing and writing. [Fans] can expect smooth and sweet melodic content interlaced with Josh and Ginny's seemingly digestible but heady lyricism contrasting with pretty aggressive instrumental parts.
Who would be a dream artist for you to either record or perform with? Joshua: My dream artist collab? How about dead ones? Like Frank Zappa. That would be a trip. How about Vince Mendoza? As an orchestrator for our more sensitive stuff. Can you imagine Hephaestus scored for 70 piece orchestra! Yup. Or Daniel Lanois - he produced U2 but tours as an artist with amazing drum god Brian Blade. How cool is that!?
