Its another long one, and we're both suffering at the arse-end of rotten colds (and therefore sound terrible) but your intrepid Neo Soul Anoraks are reunited once again to ponder... 'What ARE the most influential soul albums of the last 10 years?' Where did we begin emerging from the 00s, where are we now, and which generation-defining albums got us here? Expect sadboi bedroom RnB, passionate political and social commentary, the rebirth of Nu-Jazz and the weird world of genre-fusion!
We've also landed on a decidedly British theme this month too as we revisit former guest and UK soul legend Omar in our Root Artist pick, talk about the groundbreaking distribution format of Hackney's Silhouettes Project, unearth an epic lost album from 2 scene veterans and discover an exciting family link between some 90s UK soul heavyweights and one of today's most iconic talents. (Phew!)
All that plus some fresh new soul goodness for your inquisitive earholes! How do we fit it all in? (By making it nearly 3 hours I guess, our bad!)
Featuring music from Omar, Akin Soul, The Silhouettes Project, Kieron Boothe, Don-E & Stuart Zender, D-Influence, Mahalia, Daniel Caesar, Solange, Frank Ocean, The Robert Glasper Experiment, Hiatus Kaiyote and Sophie Faith.
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We're back on our lonesome this month but fret not - we're still joined by the biggest names in soul as we Deep Dive in to 60 years of Girl Power! Charting the evolution of women in soul through the decades, we try to establish a defining artist to symbolise each decade from the 1960s through to today - and try and answer questions like 'what did these women stand for?' 'What does their popularity say about their time?' and 'How did they push soul and RnB forward?' We certainly had some interesting theories!
Also on the show we finally turn our ear to the king of funk himself JAMES BROWN, and unearth the birth of the genre itself in our monthly Root and Vine section. We ponder the age old question "Is Shrek, indeed - life?" (It gets weird) We've got some slept on Neo Soul goodness from Leela James, some 80s-sounding grooves from The Jack Moves and an impromptu Drake lament. Just your standard 2 hour+ monthly nerd-out on Roots and the Vine.
Featuring music from Anderson .Paak, Shrek is Love, Full Crate, Ogi, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Sade, Aaliyah, Destiny's Child and HER.
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Holler with the rinsin' sound! It was inevitable…we’ve finally crossed the 3 hour threshold! In our most epic deep dive odyssey yet we’re honoured to be joined by a true UK music legend - a pioneer of the UK Garage 2 step scene, the man behind Craig David’s biggest hits, and a bonafide Ivor Novello winning veteran of the game…the original Artful Dodger Mark Hill! For one month only we dive deep in to this fascinating offshoot of UK RnB and discover just where it came from, and why people still have so much love for it 20 years after it’s commercial boom.
Join us this month as we quiz Mark about his incredible career - from discovering acts like Craig, Corrine Bailey Rae and Ed Sheeran, to weathering the storm of a cutthroat industry - and then strap in as we chart the history of UKG from its earliest roots in New York House to its current cross-genre resurgence!
If you’re a fan of garage, this one is not to be missed - from the oldskool classics to some deep Mark Hill cuts and brand new flavas - all with fascinating insights from the Artful Dodger himself. (Or if you’re just here for your regular dose of Neo Soul goodness, don’t worry we’ve still got plenty of soulful sounds from this vast and varied genre!)
Featuring music from Artful Dodger, MJ Cole, Craig David, Stevie Wonder(!), The Stix, Nat Slater, Champion, Conducta and a mandem’s row of UKG Bangerz! When the crowd say Bo…SELECTA!
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What better way to celebrate our 20th show than to sit down and chat with the Queen of LA Nu Funk herself, Raquel Rodriguez? If you’ve been searching for a new artist to fall in love with, Raquel is your girl - with a slick, vibrant brand of soul, funk and RnB that encompasses so much of what we love from the greats of yesteryear and today. This month we had the pleasure of going DEEP with Raquel about just about everything - including her early inspirations, her amazing route in to the industry, her artistic evolution, her relationships with scene icons like Alex Isley, Moonchild, Mac Ayres, MXXWLL and Jamiroquai, as well as her and partner Sam Brawner’s MANY industry stories and accomplishments. An amazingly warm personality and a total boss when it comes to carving out a career and community of integrity! (And not afraid to throw some subtle shade either!) Believe us when we say attempting to edit down this epic chat was no mean feat!
In honour of Raquel we keep things extra funky in the first half of the show too - finally digging in to the legend that is Sly Stone as our Root Artist Selection, as well as talking Glastonbury, BBE Records and folk vs soul music. We’ve also got a much needed vintage Neo Soul throwback from Angie Stone and Calvin Richardson!
Featuring music from Cory Henry, Sly Johnson, Mark Ferg, Amy Winehouse, Alex Isley and Carmody.
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Another slice of Bonus R&V goodness - this time another fun segment lifted from our latest 1997 Roots and The Vine Time Machine Deep Dive.
Here we turn our attention to the UK Album Soul Chart, as we work through each number 1 album of the year to discover the greatest. In doing so we witness some interesting changes from the start of the year to the end, again representing how much of a turning point 1997 was.
We also relive a somewhat forgotten period in UK Soul History - the post acid jazz, parent friendly pop/soul/funk/house movement that yielded huge album success for the likes of Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies, M People and Lisa Stansfield. Plenty of nostalgia for us 30 somethings here - which of these tickle those memory nubbins for you? Expect to hear albums from Erykah Badu, Mary J Blige, Janet Jackson, Eternal, En Vogue, Shola Ama and TWO audio assaults from those icons of drivetime...The Lighthouse Family!
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YES LAWD!! This month we're throwing our hands up in holy worship, as we trace the origins of US Gospel music. From its unfortunate roots in hardship and its early incorporation of blues, right through to the mega-selling crossover artists of today - we attempt to cover as much as we can! What defines the gospel sound? Who were its pioneers? And just WHO on Earth are Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda and Karen?? Throw on your Sunday Best and lets go DEEP!
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum - we're also saluting the devilish funk-rock pioneer Betty Davis (no we didn't think that through at all!), getting our read on with 'Dilla Time' and The Guardian article 'Meet the stars of the UK soul renaissance', plus we're brewing up a whole host of soul/jazz/mathrock/highlife fusion! (Trust us it's gonna make sense!)
Featuring music from Greentea Peng, S Fidelity, Fatima & Joe Armon Jones, Beau Diako, Sy Smith, Kirk Franklin, Thomas Dorsey, Kim Burell, Tye Tribbett, Serpentwithfeet and Lyves.
Read 'Meet the stars of the UK soul renaissance'
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/mar/27/summer-of-soul-meet-the-stars-of-the-uk-soul-renaissance
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Even though our last episode was a ridiculous 2 and a half hours long, that still doesn't mean we didn't have to cut a bunch of things out! Here to satiate your Roots and the Vine hunger is a little extra something we just couldn't find time for - another fun little game called JAM or SHAM! After listening to our Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis deep dive can YOU identify the hallmarks of a Jam & Lewis cut amongst these 80s bangers? Play along ya'll!
This month we’re talking HITS! Exploring some of the most legendary hitmakers of the last 50 years and examining just how they’ve helped turn RnB and Soul music in to the global force it is today. For our Root selection we take a look at the era defining disco, funk and pop sounds of the iconic Nile Rodgers, before diving deep in the almighty back catalogue of Minneapolis royalty Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. We dive in to their early days playing with Prince, hear how they swiftly helped craft the sound of mainstream 80s RnB, and chart how they repeatedly flipped the script again and again - creating global megahits through several distinct eras of RnB for the likes of Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men, Usher and Mary J Blige. Believe us when we say…this Deep Dive has everything! Epic synth funk solos! Saucy slow jams! Hair raising gospel! 90s hunks! Key changes! A guy playing tuba in the rain…
We also debate the one man news cycle that is Kanye West, as well as bring you all the latest Neo Soul gems and classic throwbacks. Featuring music from Chic, Tom Misch, Blue Lab Beats, Floetry, Mos Def, Tom Bailey, Sounds of Blackness, Alexander O’Neal, Janet Jackson and Robert Glasper.
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mixlr.com/method-radio/
www.soulcityradio.com/
Open your textbooks ladies and gentleman! Class is in session once again as we explore the long and expansive history of the electric piano within the context of soul music. We look back at its creation amidst the ashes of World War 2, what makes it sound so special, and chart its role and evolution alongside the ever changing landscape of soul, funk, jazz and RnB - from the 1960s through to today.
On the other side of the spectrum, we also examine the surprising cultural legacy of UK Garage sensation Craig David in our ongoing 'Modern Day Icons' series of Root and Vine selections - uncovering some interesting connections along the way!
Featuring music from Alfa Mist, Joe Zawinul, Michael Jackson, Mac Ayres, Billy Cobham, Alex Isley, Malia and Conducta.
We're certified FRESH this month as we showcase some of the very latest in Neo Soul, RnB and Jazz fusion. We're dusting off our crystal balls to see what soul and RnB goodies might be coming our way in 2022 - from big new mainstream releases through to smaller picks we're hoping to see more of - and we've even got a few fresh upbeat bangers to help you beat those January blues!
We're also looking at the huge cultural impact and ongoing influence of Amy Winehouse on today's current wave of artists, as we kick off a 'Modern Day Icons' season of our Root and Vine artist selections.
Featuring music from Theo Croker, Sasha Keable, Jvck James, MICHELLE, Adeline, Sophie Faith, Moonchild and Madison Ryann Ward.
Its an end of year 2 hour extravaganza as April and Steve dish out the most coveted trophies in the soul music calendar...The Roots and The Vine Awards! (well... melted Freddo bars at least)
Expect a ton of music and a ton of chat as we dive in to the year's finest collaborations, the best EPs, our favourite new discoveries, albums that captured the spirit of the year, and an in depth rundown of our favourite albums of 2021. Plus, kicking off our awards show in style we've got a barnstorming live performance from Charlie Wilson and The Gap Band as we squeeze a Root track salute in there too.
This soulful stocking is bulging at the seams so get unwrapping right now!
Featuring music from Mr Jukes and Barney Artist, Alex Isley, Jazmine Sullivan, Tems, Jerome Thomas, Marie Dahlstrom, Reliably Bad, Swindle, Dragonfruit, Joy Anonymous, Cleo Sol, Arlo Parks, Children on Zeus, Masego, Sam Wills, Sasha Keable, Yebba, Snoh Aalegra, Hiatus Kaiyote, Raquel Rodriguez, Yakul and Silk Sonic!
Another episode and another incredible special guest! This month we’re embracing the art of Hygge with one of our personal favourites - one of the leading lights of the blossoming London scene and the queen of serene soul - Marie Dahlstrøm! Join us as we talk new music, inspirations, motherhood, working with some of the most exciting new artists in the business and operating independently in today’s fluctuating musical landscape.
We’re also paying tribute to Marie’s Danish roots with some of the warmest and coziest Scandinavian soul, rnb and jazz cuts - featuring Snoh Aalegra, Quadron, Charlotte Dos Santos and LINDSJØRN, plus April goes far out with a truly leftfield Root and Vine pick!
We've decamped to Electric Lady Studios to create our own 2 hour long opus! To celebrate Roots and The Vine's 1st Birthday, we're throwing it back to the golden age to recount the epic tale of the Soulquarians crew and their era defining residence at New York's legendary studio.
Between 1997 and 2002, some of the scene's most prominent figures including D'Angelo, Questlove, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Common and Russell Elevado - all set up shop to create some of soul music's most important albums. In this special episode we're deep diving in to this highly celebrated era - charting the players, how we got there, and some of the amazing stories that have emerged from those hallowed psychedelic walls.
We've also compiled an hour of some our own personal favourite golden age neo soul tracks - with super soulful cuts from Kindred The Family Stone, Rahsaan Patterson, Angie Stone and Ledisi - all with classic R&V geekery. So sit back, take in the music and join us in celebrating a whole year of Roots and The Vine!
We all love those classic Funk & Soul Bands of the 70s and 80s, so why exactly did they appear to die out seemingly overnight? This month soul sleuths April and Steve don their investigative hats for an extra nerdy Deep Dive, taking in classic RnB bands like Maze, uncovering some of the last survivors like Mint Condition, through to a new wave of pioneers such as The Roots. What prompted the 70s rise of the great Soul Band, what killed them off...and will we ever see the likes of them again? Dive deep with us as we attempt to answer those all important questions!
We also salute the legendary Chaka Khan as our Root Artist of the month, spin some fresh new sounds from Kaleem Taylor, Reliably Bad and Cleo Sol, and unearth a lost 90s RnB Banger from Darkchild and J Quest!
We're bringing in reinforcements this month as we tackle that funkiest of apparatus - the Talkbox! Kris and Steesh from Newcastle Funk/Hiphop/Rnb Duo PSiMiTAR drop by to tell us about their latest garage banger, and to help us dive deeper than ever in to this alien piece of kit! We get a first hand demonstration, trace the origins of the instrument all the way back to 1940, then chart its evolution right through to today - taking in Talkbox icons Roger Troutman and Teddy Riley along the way. We also take an extended look at the incomparable influence and legacy of Prince in an extra special Root and Vine segment. Steve is well and truly in his element on this extra funky edition!
Also featuring music from JMSN, Adriana Evans, Connor Reeves, Sergio Selim and Raquel Rodriguez!
We're back! After a month off we've tried to make it up to you with a bumper sized episode! This month we're joined by yet another huge player in the UK Soul Scene - Children of Zeus vocalist Tyler Daley, to talk about the group's incredible new album 'Balance', about crafting a record in 2020, his inspirations past and present and the landscape of Neo Soul and Hiphop today.
We're also saluting some of those artists who've refused to play the industry game, instead opting for authenticity over selling themselves short - including our Root artist Bill Withers, Van Hunt and Eddie Chacon. Plus we've also got another classic Roots and Vine investigation, digging deep in to some 'surprising' industry past lives - prepare to have your mind blown!
All this and more music from Anthony Hamilton, Donny Hathaway, Little Simz, Diana Gordon and Frankie Jobling.
Note: This episode was recorded in late June.
A staple of the contemporary UK soul scene, soulful songstress Sipprell joins us this month as we discuss the boom in London based Neo Soul and RnB, as well as chatting about her latest EP, the joys of collaboration and her own musical picks!
We also take a look at the global reach of soul music today, in an age of instant streaming - with artists as far reaching as Tel Aviv, Zurich and New Zealand. Plus we get extra sophisticated with our Root artist of the month - the iconic Sade!
Featuring music from Jordan Rakei, Hiatus Kaiyote, Dorj & Melodiesinfonie, Goapele, Jessie Ware and Psimitar.
We're back with an extra GROOVY edition this month! We've got the godfather of conscious soul Marvin Gaye as our Root artist, we celebrate some big anniversaries with Maxwell and Res - and we dive deep in to the realm of bass and groove with the likes of Tom Browne and Meshell Ndegeocello! (Bass faces ready!)
We also take an extended trip in the Roots and The Vine time machine back to 2001 - as we explore the halcyon days of RnB as a mainstream chart force and determine our own 'Number 1 of the Year' in a thrilling (?) game of Billboard Showdown!
Its a Best of British special on R&V this month! We continue our journey through the roots of contemporary Soul Music, with expert guidance from this month's very special guest - bonafide UK soul icon OMAR! With all the inside knowledge from the man himself we discuss the rise of Acid Jazz - a new, uniquely British wave of soul in the late 80s/early 90s - and its influence on the decades that followed. We talk influences, the under-represented landscape of the 80s UK scene, working with Neo Soul legends like Common and Erykah Badu, and even a hilarious brush with greatness involving Prince!
Featuring music from Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Lynden David Hall and Soul'd Out's own Jordan Alfonso.
In honour of Dilla day (month?) we're diving headfirst in to the world of SAMPLES in our 'Deep Dive' section - featuring the man himself along with some real hiphop building blocks courtesy of Bob James! We'll also be talking new UK jazz-soul and spinning a stone cold classic with this month's 'Root' Artist - Ms Nina Simone! With music from The Internet, Joe Beard, Yussef Dayes and Groove Theory.
