Sunday 12 August 2012

The Surfaris - Wipeout
Album: Wipe Out, Surfer Joe & Other Great Hits
1973 Compilations (out of print) Reissued 2005: Magic

Tom Jones & Jools Holland - Life's too short (to be with you)

Album: Tom Jones & Jools Holland

2004: Warner Music

Macy Gray - The comeback

Album: The Sellout

2010: Concord Music

Elbow - One day like this

Album: The Seldom Seen Kid

2008: Polydor / UMC

FEATURED ARTIST

Bob Dylan

Album: The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

2003: Columbia

   Blowin' in the wind

   A hard rain's a-gonna fall

   Don't think twice, it's all right

Louis Armstrong

Album: The Best of Louis Armstrong: The Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings

2002: Sony

   Willie the weeper

   Strolling with some barbecue

Artie White - The more you lie to me

Album: Mississippi Blues

2003: Putumayo

Eric Bibb, Rory Block & Maria Muldaur - Don't ever let nobody drag your spirit down

Album: Blues Around the World

2006: Putumayo

Allen Toussaint: The bright Mississippi

Album: The Bright Mississippi

2009: Nonesuch

Rockie Charles - Festis believe in justice

Carol Fran & Clarence Hollimon - Door poppin'

Album: Louisiana Gumbo

2010: Putumayo

 

Quincy Jones - Soul bossa nova

Album: Big Band Bossa Nova

1998: Verve / UMG

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Heritage Blues Orchestra

Album: And Still I Rise

2011: Raisin' Music

   C-line woman

   Big-legged woman

   Catfish blues

Staff Benda Bilili - Sala keba

Album: Tres Tres Fort

2009: Crammed Discs

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Stick with me baby

Album: Raising Sand

2007: Rounder Records

FEATURED ALBUM

Album: Songlines Music Awards 2011

2011: Songlines Publishing

   Femi Kuti - Dem bobo

   Afrocubism -0 A la luna yo me voy

   Cheikh Lo - Conia

   Bellowhead - Yarmouth Town

Jimmy Somerville - From this moment on

Album: Red Hot + Blue (A Tribute to Cole Porter)

1990: King Cole / Chrysalis

Steve Tyrell - Smile

Album: A New Standard

1999: Atlantic

REVISITED & TRULY GREAT

Ella Fitzgerald - It's only a paper moon

Album: Jazz Legends - Various Artists
2002: Union Square Music

Sunday 5 August 2012

The Surfaris - Wipeout
Album: Wipe Out, Surfer Joe & Other Great Hits
1973 Compilations (out of print) Reissued 2005: Magic

Trombone Shorty - Buckjump

Album: For True

2011: Verve / UMG

Henry Gray - How could you do it

Album: Louisiana Swamp Stomp

2010: Honeybee

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Heritage Blues Orchestra - In the morning

Album: And Still I Rise

2011: Raisin' Music

Joe Bonamassa - Spanish boots

Album: Black Rock

2012: Provogue

Joe Cocker - Ring them bells

Album: Hymn for My Soul

2007: EMI

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Album: Raunchy Sugar, The Pure Essence of Memphis Rock & Roll

2011: Fantastic Voyage

   Jimmy Pritchett - That's the way I feel

   Johnny Cash - Oh, lonesome me

   Tommy Tucker - Loving - Lil

Bette Midler - In the cool, cool, cool of the evening

Album: Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook

2006: Sony

Count Basie Orchestra - Corner pocket

Album: Basie is Back

2006: Village Music / Concord

Christian McBride Big Band - Brother mister

   with Melissa Walker - When I fall in love

Album: The Good Feeling

2011: Mack Avenue Records

Wynton Marsalis Hot Seven - Dippermouth blues

Album: Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert

2005: Blue Note

Levon Helm - Single girl, married girl

Album: Dirt Farmer

2007: Dirt Farmer Music / Vanguard

FEATURED ARTIST

Steve Cropper & guests

Album: Dedicated - A Salute to the 5 Royales 

2011: 429 Records

   Steve Cropper instrumental - Help me somebody

   with Brian May - I do

   with Sharon Jones - Messin' up

   with Buddy Miller - The slummer the slum

Bruce Springsteen - Radio nowhere

Album: Magic

2007: Columbia

Santana - Black magic woman

Album: Black Magic Woman, the Best of Santana

2000: Sony

Mariza - Feira de Castro

Album: Fado Curvo

2003: EMI 

ALBUM OF THE WEEK (second helping)

Album: Raunchy Sugar, The Pure Essence of Memphis Rock & Roll

2011: Fantastic Voyage 
   Billy Riley - Too much woman for me
   Conway Twitty - Rock house
   Cliff & The Sun-Rays - No treason in my heart 

Bobby Darin - Beyond the sea
Album: The Legendary Bobby Darin
2004: EMI



REVISITED & TRULY GREAT
Album: Jazz Legends - Various Artists
2002: Union Square Music
   Sarah Vaughan with Dizzy Gillespie & His All-Star Quintet - Lover man
   Sidney Bechet - Maple leaf rag
   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five - Caldonia










Acker Bilk - Stranger on the shore 

Album: Reflections

1993: Spectrum

UPDATES ON THE WAY!!!

Sunday 15 January 2012

The Surfaris - Wipeout
Album: Wipe Out, Surfer Joe & Other Great Hits
1973 Compilations (out of print) Reissued 2005: Magic

Fleetwood Mac - Tusk

Album: The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac

2002: Rhino / Warner

Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of love

Album: The Essential Bruce Springsteen

2003: Columbia

Michael Buble - Haven't met you yet

Album: Crazy Love

2009: Reprise / Warner

Fleet Foxes - Montezuma

Album: Helplessness Blues

2011: Bella Union

REVISITED & TRULY GREAT

Art Neville - Big Chief

Album: Keys to the Crescent City

1991: Rounder

Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint - Your lovin' man

Album: Memphis Mojo

2011: Ruf

Ben Harper & The Blind Boys of Alabama - There will be a light

Album: There Will be a Light

2004: Virgin

The Beatles - Penny Lane

Album: Magical Mystery Tour

2009: EMI

Richard Hawley - Born under a bad sign

Album: Coles Corner

2005: Mute

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Asa - Beautiful Imperfection

2011: Iyke the Don

Why can't we

May be

Be my man

Trombone Shorty - Suburbia

Album: Backatown

2010: Verve / Universal

Tony Bennett & KD Lang - Because of you

Album: Tony Bennett Duets: An American Classic

2006: Sony BMG

Paul Desmond - When Joanna loved me

Album: Feeling Blue

1996: Camden / BMG

Etta James - What's going on

Album: All the Way

2006: RCA Victor / Sony BMG

Nilsson - Me and my Arrow

Album: The Point

2002: BMG Heritage

Randy Newman - Feels like home

Album: Harps and Angels

2008: Nonesuch / Warner

Ella Fitzgerald with Louis Armstrong - You won't be satisfied

Album: Jazz Legends

2002: Union Square Music

Mose Allison - I don't get around much any more

Album: Jazz

2011: Putumayo

Amy Winehouse - The girl from Ipanema

Album: Lioness: Hidden Treasures

2011: Universal Island

Rebirth Brass Band - AP Touro

Album: Rebirth of New Orleans

2011: Basin Street Records

Charlie Rich - Mohair Sam

Album: It Ain't Gonna Be That Way (The Complete Smash Sessions)

2011: Ace

Sunday 8 January 2012 - Mitch's Musical Review of 2011

The Surfaris - Wipeout
Album: Wipe Out, Surfer Joe & Other Great Hits
1973 Compilations (out of print) Reissued 2005: Magic

Adele - Someone like you

Album: 21

2010: XL

John Barry - James Bond Theme

Album: John Barry - The Best of the EMI Years

1999: EMI

Etta James - I just want to make love to you

Album: The Very Best of Etta James: The Chess Singles

2005: Spectrum

Jessie J - Price tag

Album: Who You Are

2011: Lava

Quincy Jones - Soul bossa nova

Album: Big Band Bossa Nova

1998: Verve

Adele - Rolling in the deep

Album: 21

2011: XL

Buddy Guy - Skanky

Album: Living Proof

2010: Jive / Sony

Charlie Haden Quartet West ftg Melody Gardot - If I'm lucky

Album: Sophisticated Ladies

2010: Universal

Tinariwen, K'naan and Los Lobos - Tamatant tilay / Exodus

Album: Herbie Hancock - The Imagine Project

2010: Hancock / Sony

Michael Buble - Haven't met you yet

Album: Crazy Love

2009: Reprise / Warner

Bob Dylan - Don't think twice, it's alright

Album: The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

1963: Sony / Columbia

ARTISTIC LOSS of 2011 - RIP Amy Winehouse

Rehab

Album: Back to Black

2006: Universal Island

+

With Tony Bennett - Body and soul

Album: Tony Bennett Duets 2

2011: Sony

+

Our day will come

Album: Lioness: Hidden Treasures

2011: Universal Island

Chris Barber's Six-Piece ftg Jools Holland - Winin' boy blues

Album: Memories of my Trip

2011: Proper

Beverley Knight - Mama used to say

Album: Soul UK

2011: Hurricane

Ben Waters ftg PJ Harvey - Lonely Avenue

Album: Boogie 4 Stu, A Tribute to Ian Stewart

2011: Eagle

John Legend & The Roots - I wish I knew how it would feel to be free

Album: Wake Up!

2010: Sony

Mavis Staples - Wonderful Saviour 

Album: You Are Not Alone

2010: Anti

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Midnight in Harlem

Album: Revelator

2011: Sony Masterworks

Christmas Day - Reflective Chat

It's Christmas Day. It's quiet, mild for the time of year, and raining. I'm just home from presenting my Christmas radio show on 103FM.

As a chicken roasts in the oven and I'm about to tuck into a snack of cheese, biscuits and strawberries, I reflect how lucky and thankful I am to have a roof over my head and plenty to eat.

For one reason or another many people around the world have been deprived of life's essentials this year, none more so than in Somalia and the neighbouring drought-hit countries of East Africa.

Of all my activities in the past 12 months I'm proudest of what my broadcaster colleagues and I achieved on 30 July during our day-long transmission to raise awareness of the famine in the Horn of Africa, a campaign linking 103FM with the Disasters Emergency Committee, which we called 103DEC.

It was no easy matter persuading either the radio station managers or the Disasters Emergency Committee that local radio had the reach and audience to raise funds, which we as a station weren't able to take on directly. But our enthusiasm and the obvious need couldn't in the end be denied and on the day itself everyone associated with 103 was firmly on board.

We'll never know how much money our day's broadcasting raised although our listener numbers, phone calls, emails and Internet take-up were all substantially increased from usual Saturday figures and we can only hope that those who committed to give money to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal actually did so.

It's quite something that a small radio station, albeit with a substantial geographical reach and listenership, is willing to donate an entire day's output for the greater good of an emergency taking place not just beyond our own East Midlands region but outwith the UK. 

It proves that local radio, so often accused of leaving larger issues to terrestrial broadcasters, is able to construct high quality, meaningful content that reflects the concerns of its audience even when those concerns are bigger, international, humanitarian issues. 

I believe that's something in which everyone involved can be justifiably proud. 

Wishing you good things this Christmas and always. 
Mitch x


For the full 103DEC story visit www.103dec.blogspot.com
Up to date images from East Africa by the BBC available here.

Sunday 25 December 2011 Mitch's Christmas Present

Louis Armstrong & The Commanders - Cool Yule 
Album: Essential Jazz Christmas
2007: Essential Jazz Classics

Leon Redbone & Dr John - Frosty the snowman
Album: Christmas Island
2009: Universal

Dean Martin - Baby it's cold outside
Album: Ultimate Christmas Cocktails
2007: EMI / Capitol

Coldplay - Paradise
Album: Mylo Xyloto
2011: Parlophone

Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas everyone
Album: The Shakin' Stevens Collection
2005: Sony

Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
Album: Christmas Hits 0 50 Festive Favourites
2003: BMG

Elvin Bishop - The little drummer boy
Saffire, the Uppity Blues Woman - One parent Christmas
Album: The Alligator Records Christmas Collection
1992: Alligator

Les Paul - Jingle bells
Album: I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus
2007: Viper

Vanelis - Hymn
Album: Theme
2007: Polydor

The Blind Boys of Alabama ftg Me'shell NdegeOcello - Oh come all ye faithful
Album: Go Tell it on the Mountain
2003: Solid Productions

Asa - Why can't we
Album: Beautiful Imperfection
2011: Iyke the Don

Lionel Hampton - Boogie woogie Santa Claus
Album: Noel Jazz
2004: Body & Soul

Amy Winehouse - Will you still love me tomorrow
Album: Lioness: Hidden Treasures
2011: Universal Island

Mighty Blue Kings - All I ask for Christmas
Album: A Jazz & Blues Christmas
2008: Putumayo 

MITCH'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Album: Jazz
2011: Putumayo
Anita O'Day - It don't mean a thing (If it ain't got that swing)
The Nat King Cole Trio - Deed I do
Billie Holiday - Lover come back to me

Lyle Lovett - Christmas morning
Album: The Road to Ensenada
2009: Blue Wrasse

Renee Fleming, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile & others - Touch the hand of love
Album: Yo-Yo Ma & Friends - Songs of Joy & Peace
2008: Sony BMG

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Bound for glory
Album: Revelator
2011: Sony Masterworks

The Flaming Lips - White Christmas (demo for Tom Waits)
Album: It's a Cool, Cool Christmas
2000: Jeepster