Mark Howard

My latest guest castaway to be washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea is DJ and Radio Presenter, Mark Howard.

Mark and fellow enthusiast Paul Homer formed 'Ska-Beat-Soul' in their home city of Chichester and they have supported top acts such as The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra and The Beat, playing festivals such as 'The Great Skinhead Reunion' and 'Ska Aid' and a performing at their regular residency at Woodies.

Mark & Paul present 'Ska-Beat-Soul' as a weekly radio show on ChiSoul Radio playing the best in 60's Ska, Rocksteady & Skinhead Reggae, all on 100% heavyweight vinyl !

"Bass lines are the thread that connect most of what I listen to and, by extension, how I dress and even my transport.

I took up double bass aged twelve, which became bass guitar and I soon found myself with musician acquaintances I wouldn't otherwise have had and listening to music I otherwise wouldn't have heard. 

African-American music and its derivatives featured ever bigger and continue to be the cornerstone of my life: Vinyl records, sharp suits, Lambretta scooters and co-presenting The Ska Beat Soul every Thursday night with Paul Homer... even my career as a restaurant chef somehow feels tied in."

The Skatalites - Killer Diller

"I have what I call the 'Killer Diller Scale' : Does a piece of music measure up to this recording ? Hendrix's 'Voodoo Chile' would do for example, most of what I heard on the radio this morning wouldn't even register... "

Lonnie Lester - You Can't Go

"A banging and very raw Northern Soul stomper. I couldn't be stranded on a Deserted Island without any Northern and this is a favourite of my soulie friends... dancing the night away long after we were old enough to know better."

Mulatu Astatke - Yegelle Tezeta

"Hammond driven Ethiopian funk from the mid-sixties... and a light bulb moment for me as it proved to myself that even in my 40's there was still stuff out there I knew nothing about but would instantly love as much as anything else I'd heard.

I was lucky enough to see him live with the Heliocentrics a couple of years ago in London. One of the best gigs I've ever seen."

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Part II : Resolution

"If I actually were stranded on a desert Island with one LP, I'd take 'A Love Supreme' because I hear something different in it every time I put it on. 

A light bulb moment in my understanding of music was when a jazz musician friend said all notes harmonise but some combinations make different sounds to others. I listened to Miles Davis' 'Kind of Blue' first and took it from there."

Prince Buster - Islam

"Ska is what I DJ and, in some ways, my first love. 

This particular track is so compelling and uncompromising, and for me underlines the Jamaican feeling of being exiled from from their African roots. 

Still looking for a copy if anyone has one to sell to me....... "

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Mark and Paul's Ska-Beat-Soul Radio Show is broadcast every Thursday on ChiSoul Radio, playing the best in 60's Ska, Rocksteady & Skinhead Reggae, all on 100% heavyweight vinyl !

You can keep up-to-date on all of the Ska-Beat-Soul activities, including their live gigs, by checking out the facebook page :

click on the link below

You can also catch up on all past episode of the show via the Mixcloud site :

Click on the link below

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Jim Donovan

It is my great pleasure to present Jim Donovan as my latest guest castaway to be washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea.

Jim could be categorised as a DJ, a collector, a dealer, but he is much more than simply the sum of these parts... so I have included this excellent video, produced by Rafael Gough, to provide a better insight.

JIM from Rafael Gough on Vimeo.

"It's been a long road, and there's no turning back". 

"In it for life"

"These are two of my favourite quotations, which have kept me at continuously vinyl collecting since 1959, and DJ'ing since 1962. It also does not look quite so bad if I say that I have bought 3 records every day for the last 56 years rather than type a figure.

My roots were in modern jazz, morphing into the 60's club scene, 70's Mobile Disco's. I sold out in the 80's/90's, DJ'ing at weddings, parties etc., with 'Top 40', but continued to collect the music, (jazz, funk and soul) that I loved. 

When vinyl virtually vanished in the late 1990's, I packed in the mobile, and 'fell into' bar/club culture... going back to playing the music I loved at nights like Smiler's (Paul Anderson) 'Club Rude' and my own very diverse evenings. For very many years, even back in the 60's, I recorded my sets and the current ones turn up on Mixcloud (Jim B. Donovan). The playlists for these are also on my shop website (Just Imagination Memorabilia).

I am sure that everyone that contributes to this lovely page start by expressing disbelief that they cannot choose just 5 tunes. I have had a little experience, however, especially having been involved in a night called Melodies and Memories, whereby I 'managed" to distill my 60's faves down to 40 tunes!

My selections, therefore, attempt to cover the areas of music I most love, and focus on tunes that I keep going back to."

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Charlie Christian - Swing To Bop (1941)

"This one was recorded on a primitive tape recorder at Mintons Club. When I first started collecting this influenced me in many ways. It of course is one of the earliest examples of 'Modern Jazz', and, whilst I would have liked to select some Bird or Miles or Dizzy, this has to be the one. 

However it had a further influence on me as I was well into tape recorders in the early 60's, recording from the radio. When I started DJ'ing in the mod clubs I often took the tape recorder with me to record the bands. Some of these recordings are now having another life. Without this tune and an early recording in 1941 on a portable recorder, it possibly would not have inspired me to do the same 25 years later."

John Coltrane - Greensleeves (1961)

"Having 'caught up' with bebop from the 40's and 50's in the early 60's, I just had to 'get contemporary'... and this was the first Coltrane I bought on the Africa Brass LP. 

It was the beginning with a life long admiration for the man, and more so because of his soprano saxophone playing, which soon lead me to guys like Don Rendell. 

This is a traditional English folk song which should seem out of place on a 'way out' American jazz record, but it works, and is still on my funeral music list! "

Sonny Boy Williamson - Help Me

"This classic manages to crossover with another all time great Booker T’s Green Onions as it uses the same riff. 

In the early 60’s, Rhythm and Blues was taking over from the trad boom, and what few beatniks were left, were going with it. We were starting to hear British covers of blues tunes, but Pye and John Schroeder (bless him) were putting out the real thing. 

The reason this tune is more iconic than most is that in September 1963, it was the first tune played by Roger Eagle at the opening night of the Twisted Wheel... and we all know what that lead to! Roger's first session was also only 4 days after Georgie Fame recorded his 'Live at the Flamingo' LP : The album that kickstarted British club culture and one of my fave LP’s 

Apologies for not picking any Motown, Stax, Stateside, Sue etc.  It's a tough call only picking five and trying to cover fifty-five years of collecting."

Frank Zappa - Peaches en Regalia

"When Frank got 'Jazz', you knew it. I just loved this mans whole lifestyle. 

Also on this tune is Shuggy Otis, who was recorded by Al Kooper... the one man I wish I could have been (apart from Gilles Peterson!)"

Robert Glasper Experiment - Afro Blue (featuring Erykah Badu)

"This one has to sum up all the music that this list excludes like Ska, Disco, Prog, Drum and Bass, and especially Hip Hop. Also for me it is 'modern'... which is pretty exceptional. 

However, thanks to my son and the younger guys who I DJ with and who come to my nights, sample culture, and turntabalism generally still fascinates me.

This tune is evocative of the Afroba that I used to play at and Blue Notes longevity. This also brings us up to date, especially as there are all sorts of current things happening in the shop : A feature film, 'Love Me 'til Monday' (with a brief appearance by myself) just out on DVD and my contribution to the TV show 'Toyhunter', plus guesting at one of Craig Charles's gigs... 15 minutes of fame, used up and very late in life !"

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Jim DJ's at a number of venues in and around Reading, so check out his facebook page to find out where and when he playing :  Jim Donovan on Facebook

In the meantime, here's a little taster...

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Robin McKelle

My latest guest castaway to be washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea is the wonderfully talented Robin McKelle.

 

Born in Rochester, New York and influenced musically by her church-choir-member mother, Robin first began to reveal her talent by performing in local R&B groups from the age of 15. 

After taking up the piano and French horn, she would go on to study Jazz at the University Of Miami before attending Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, graduating in 1999. Moving to the West Coast she would regularly perform as a backing-vocalist for both Michael McDonald and BeBe Winans before subsequently returning to Berklee as a teacher. 

After being placed an impressive third in the widely-respected Thelonius Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition in Washington, DC, Robin finally begin her recording career – first coming to the public eye as a solo jazz singer with her 2006 debut album “Introducing Robin McKelle” and its 2008 follow-up “Modern Antique”, both big-band swing sessions which would in turn precede the 2010-released set “Mess Around”, which, with its more soul-jazz direction, marked the first hint of Robin’s personal yearning to return to her original R&B roots. 

2012 saw the release of Robin McKelle & The Flytones "Soul Flower", with Robin writing most of the songs.  “The Flytones acknowledgment sets this project apart from my solo and previous jazz work, and also stresses the joint effort on this album with Sam Barsh (Avishai Cohen’s former pianist) and Derek Nievergelt (her current bassist). They’re from the jazz world, but they love this music. We worked on the tracks together, some even on stage when we were touring.”  The album includes duets with soul veteran Lee Fields and with jazz vocalist Gregory Porter.

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"As an artist I am often asked the question of who my greatest influences are and what are my favorite albums or singers. I always cringe when asked this question because I feel that aside from being influenced by so many singers and musicians, I am inspired by different artists/music at different periods of my life. This makes it hard for me to pick 1 or 2 people when asked. 

Over the past year I’ve been focusing on writing and recording a new album in Memphis. While writing and researching for this album I listened to so many of my favorite artists and discovered new ones too !

I’ve compiled a few of my favorites so I hope you enjoy what I’ve been diggin’ on !"

Donny Hathaway – Live

"Donny is one of the most influential singers in my life. His tone, feel, and passion are so incredible. His phrasing is so in the pocket and yet so free. 

The band includes legendary musicians, Willie Weeks (bass) and Cornell Dupree (Guitar) on this live recording… and make no mistake, they are all killing it! 

I love all the tracks on this album but What’s Going On, The Ghetto and Jealous Guy all hit a soft spot in me and take me back to the time when I discovered Donny. He changed my life."

James Brown – Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine

"What can you say about JB ! I remember hearing this at a young age… I didn’t even know who JB was. I sang I Feel Good in a cover band when I was 17 and I had NO idea how much this man would end up influencing my musical path! 

His voice is so powerful and stage presence is undoubtedly amazing! THE hardest working man in show business people!!!

It was hard to pick one song or album, because I love them all so I chose this iconic tune but I especially love the live recordings because I feel that is where you can feel most of his energy and the band !"

Aretha Franklin - Live at the Filmore West

"Just so ridiculous ! 

I mean… the voice, the band, the energy is just incredible ! I would have given anything to be at that show! 

‘Nuff said !"

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia

"I just love Gladys’ voice. Her phasing and tone is so gorgeous. I could listen to her forever. 

I also love the lyrics because they speak about life and trying to manage your dreams and relationships. 

Gladys is one of my all time favorite singers ! 

This tune just makes me feel good !"

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

"I had to include this album because it was the first instrumental jazz record that I really connected to. Jazz is such a part of my musical journey and it’s helped me to become a better musician and shaped my sound along the way. 

Love Supreme is so beautiful in so many ways. Coltrane’s tone is unmistakable and he plays with such passion. On the first track, Acknowledgement, the variation on the motif evolves with improvisation and groove and I found that really kept me interested and helped me understand a music that was probably way too deep for me to get as a young musician. 

Every time I listen to this album I hear something new and I hear it in a different way. It’s just a timeless album."

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Vinyl junkies will be delighted to learn that Expansion Records have released "Fairytale Ending" (for me, the standout track on the "Soul Flower" album) as a double A-side 7" c/w "Love’s Work" featuring Gregory Porter.

 

January 2014 will see the release of "Heart of Memphis" : An album recorded in the city of Soul and produced by the legendary Scott Bomar... the man behind the mixing console for many of Isaac Hayes’ and Al Green’s recording sessions.

 

Use iTunes link to to pre-order "Heart of Memphis"

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