Hopped To It

The beGinning of today’s show went on regardless.

Hello, Jukebox- The Howdies
Firedance- Israel Nash
Back to the Country- Jaime Wyatt
Althea- Jaime Wyatt


San Antone- Grackles Ft. Charlie Musselwhite & Lauren Harris
Down In The Mud- Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton
Supadupabad- Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton


Creepin’ Around- Bevis Frond
I’m A Stone- Bevis Frond


Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy- The Burrito Brothers

Lifters Time For Love- The Yuletime
V. V. V.- Brion Gysin Ft. Lizzy Mercier Descloux & Caroline Loeb
Junk- Brion Gysin

Feeling Timeless With Adam Rudolph’s Hu Vibrational

Hu Vibrational‘s 5th album ‘Timeless’ offers up 9 tracks of gorgeously rich & densely textured music. The spiritually intoxicating grooves of Hu Vibrational are the brainchild of Adam Rudolph, who calls them “Boonghee Music” — a cascade of world-inspired beats mixed with jazz, hip-hop & electronica. The result is music that thrives on the balance of simultaneously reaching backwards & forwards in time. While ‘Timeless’ finds Adam playing most of the instruments, he is joined on several tracks by some of his longtime associates: Norwegian guitar sound painter Eivind Aarset, drummer Hamid Drake, and several members of his Go: Organic Orchestra. Moroccan percussionist Brahim Fribgane and North Indian performers Neel Murgai (sitar) and Sameer Gupta (tabla) bring unique sounds that Rudolph weaves into the compositional fabric. Hu Vibrational combines world music with electronica and improvised jazz to create music that is all encompassing with the sketchbook of new feelings being drawn out in real time. Adam employs his “organic” orchestrations, arrangements, and electronic processing to shape the compositions, he works with his musicians in his “sonic mandala” concept to build layers of percussion, electronics & otherworldly sounds. Beats are the core, and influences range far and wide, yet these influences only provide a foundation. This audiophile LP was beautifully mixed and mastered by James Dellatacoma, Bill Laswell’s (and Rudolph’s) longtime engineer at Laswell’s Orange Studio. The gatefold album opens onto nine gorgeous pen and watercolor paintings by Nancy Jackson that, like the art of Robert Crumb, are both humorous and deeply philosophical. It is the second time Rudolph and his wife Nancy have collaborated, the first being the 1995 book and CD release The Dreamer, an opera inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche’s “The Birth of Tragedy.” Besides leading his own ensembles, Go: Organic Orchestra & Moving Pictures, Adam may be known for his work over the last 4+ decades with innovators such as Yusef Lateef, Don Cherry, Jon Hassel, & Pharaoh Sanders among others. Maestro Rudolph was hailed by the New York times as “an innovator in World Music” and indeed his experience is long and varied; In 1978 he co-founded, with Foday Musa Suso, the Mandingo Griot Society, one of the first groups to combine African and American music and in 1988 he recorded the first fusion of American and Moroccan Gnawa music with sintir player Hassan Hakmoun. His creative methodology and philosophy has been outlined in two books, “Pure Rhythm” (2006) & “Sonic Elements” (2022). The compositional concepts are applied in all his creative output: from his through composed string quartets to his newest Hu Vibrational release. Intuition & Inspiration. I am proud to get it and call him family.

HU: VIBRATIONAL – TIMELESS
BOONGHEE MUSIC 5 Meta Records 2023

Compositions, organic orchestrations, arrangements, and electronic processing by Adam Rudolph

Published by Migration Music BMI
Recorded by James Dellatacoma at Orange Sound Studio and Adam Rudolph at Clear Lake Studio, New Jersey
Mixed and mastered by James Dellatacoma
Art and words/poetry by Nancy Jackson
Design by Sylvain Leroux

Produced by Adam Rudolph assisted by Mas Yamagata & Carlos Nino

Adam Rudolph – keyboards, thumb pianos, marimbula, cajon, mbuti harp, mouth bow, vocal, slit drums, udu drums, wooden and bamboo flutes, double reeds, gongs, kudu horn, zither, caxixi, kongos, tarija, gankogoui, bells, percussion

with
Alexis Marcelo – fender rhodes, organ (Hittin, Proto Zoa Gogo)
Brahim Fribgane – tarija (Oceanic)
Damon Banks – bass (Hittin, Proto Zoa Gogo)
Eivind Aarset – guitar and electronics (Serpentine,Timeless, Honey Honey, Proto Zoa Gogo, Psychic)
Hamid Drake – drum set (Space, Oceanic, Hittin, Jammin, Proto Zoa Gogo)
Harris Eisenstadt – bata (Hittin, Timeless)
Jan Bang – sampling (Timeless, Honey Honey, Psychic)
Kaoru Watanabe – noh kan flute (Proto Zoa Gogo)
Marco Cappelli – guitar (Hittin)
Munyungo Jackson – tambourine, shekere (Oceanic)
Neel Murgai – sitar (Hittin)
Sameer Gupta – tabla (Space, Timeless)

It’s always a special time for me when I get to talk music and art with Adam. We dive deep into how this offering “Timeless” took form and some of the participants spaces that are filled. We also find out a little bit about the title track but also it is a peek into most of the tracks I think on the record. Speaking of vinyl, we talk about the art his wife shared for this album, and the relationships the music helps to form and the importance of creative listening as an activity. My words here cannot come close to the ebb and flows of our conversation(s), and this one is no different. At the end of the day, this time it is centered around Hu Vibrational’s new album, but all of the things Adam touches offer insight into so much, including ourselves.

The Drops Wait

The final part of the proGram had the water listening in.

Umgqigqo (Interlude 2)- Mbuso Khoza
Sibiziwe- Mbuso Khoza Ft. Nduduzo Makhathini, Ndabo Zulu, Ayanda Sikade & Linda Sikhakhane
Esthangameni (Interlude 3)- Mbuso Khoza


Virtual Reality- Jennifer Wharton’s Bonegasm
Deeper Tones- The Stance Brothers
Room 608- The Flying Horse Big Band
Some Sick Slick [from 4 Horn Lore]- Haynes’ 4 Horns & What


Turning The Other Cheek No More- Aruán Ortiz w/Don Byron, Lester St. Louis, Pheeroan akLaff, Mtume Gant
No Justice, No Peace, Legacy!- Aruán Ortiz Ft. Don Byron & Pheeroan Aklaff
Sabkha- Rakhi Singh

Awaiting The Drip

The middle part of this week’s proGram knew it would, but just when was to be a surprise.

Thunder- C’ammafunk
The Last Dance (Bang Pow Zoom And The Whole Nine)- Prince & NPG
Something Funky (This House Comes) [Band Version]- Prince & NPG


Shame- Joel Culpepper
***pre-recorded conversation with Joel Culpepper***
Happiness Is Only A Few Miles Away (Intro)- Joel Culpepper
It’s Just A Broken Heart- Joel Culpepper


Revolutionary Act- Carvalho
Snow Day- The Holiday Hustle Club Ft. Claire Campbell


Georgia On My Mind- Stephen Marley
Thanks We Get (Do Fi Dem)- Stephen Marley Ft. Buju Banton
American Boy- Daymé Arocena
Micro Wave + House Band- Johanna Juhola
Lethe- The Maenads

Within With You

The first part of this week’s proGram took the normal away.

Musical Ladders- Father John Misty
Losing on a Tuesday- The Lemonheads
Baby’s Gonna Die Tonight- The Lemon Twigs


My Shadow Tags on Behind- The Cribs
Agua- Porno for Pyros
Beat On- Pandemonium Handshake Ft. George Ros


Rain- Alice Russell
Fade Into You- Victoria Bigelow


Soul Clap (Radio Edit)- Bella Brown & The Jealous Lovers
The Other Side- The Sextones
Barbara- Sababa 5
Fa Sol La- Sababa 5
Entry Level- Say She She

Walking The Miles With Joel Culpepper

In the Middle pf November 2023, Joel Culpepper released his new EP ‘Happiness Is Only A Few Miles Away’ via Beyond The Groove. This five-track EP was produced by his good bud Tom Misch, and is his first new music since the release of his highly acclaimed and epic 2021 debut album Sgt Culpepper. The creation of the new EP began while Joel was on tour with Tom last year. The two had originally become friends after Tom heard a song of Joel’s ‘Afraid To Be King’ that he loved. As they toured across continents together last year they had some studio time and ‘Free’ was the first track they recorded with legendary American soul artist Eddie Chacon (of Charles & Eddie) in L.A. Most of the EP was recorded at Tom’s home studio as well as Joel’s friend’s studio in Perry Vale and Jimmy Napes Studio in North London. It came at a time where Joel found himself open to trying out and connecting to new things, finding inspiration in perhaps unexpected places. The songs here continue to be that retro-soul sound we are used to hearing, but it feels like there’s more of an ease, more feeling being or trying to be understood. There’s a lot of promise in the delivery of these tunes, hope and the knowing that there’s some healing around the corner, wherever that corner may be.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Joel Culpepper recently to dive head first into the new EP. We talked about how the project got lifted up off the ground and how Tom decided that he should just produce the new music. We spend a little time talking about the track “Free” featuring both Tom Misch and Eddie Chancon and how it went from that nothing to something special. Listening! Working with and being with one of your pals can allow you to open up to trying new things…and that is what happened with these two. We get into where some of the unexpected places are that took him out of his ‘comfort zone’ and how allowing Mother Nature in also was a door to finding more meaning and ways to look at things. We talk about his recent time playing to the sold out headline show at London’s The Lower Third at the end of November and how the give and take of the people really took on a life of its own, seems like everyone was ready. And, well…Joel builds a setlist around one of the tracks off the new EP and this one too will surprise.

Joel by Joth Shakerley

Day 1 of Unsound NY

The opening event of the Unsound Festival New York is at the David Rubenstein Atrium on December 1, with two leading voices of the Polish avant-garde scene. Guitarist Raphael Rogiński is an expert improviser who draws from jazz, blues, and folk traditions from across the globe. Rogiński’s key inspirations lie in his Jewish roots and the American outsider audio art of experimental composers and performers like Harry Partch, John Fahey and Henry Cowell. For this performance, he’ll present his interpretations of John Coltrane classics as well as his new Unsound-commissioned project Žaltys, inspired by Lithuanian mythology. The ambient and experimental artist Martyna Basta opens the evening with a set of delicate atmospheric sound that Pitchfork calls “enchantingly enigmatic.”

Reaching For The Light

The final part of this week’s proGram knew how to find it’s own way.

Con Alma- Oscar Peterson (Live in Lugano, 1964)
It Ain’t Necessarily So- Oscar Peterson (Live in Lugano, 1964)
I Remember You- Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio (Recorded Live at the Half Note, November 19, 1965)
Take The “A” Train- Cal Tjader (Live at The Penthouse 1963-1967)
Insight- Cal Tjader (Live at The Penthouse 1963-1967)
Morning Of The Carnival- Cal Tjader (Live at The Penthouse 1963-1967)


A New Dragon- Andrew Finn Magill
Polaris- Andrew Finn Magill
En sommarkväll- Fränder
Vrbice, vrbo zeljena- Alice In Wonderband (New Balkan Rhythm Festival: Opening concert, 8/25/2023 Sremski Karlovci, Serbia

Warm & Melting

The middle parts of the proGram this week, had SUM heat built in.

Mr. Big Stuff- Dub Stax Ft. Sema Mutlu
Teen Age Kingdom- C’mon Tigre Ft. Xenia Franca
Nomad At Home- C’mon Tigre


Culture Bandit (Yoyuba Soul Mix 2)- Peacey Ft. Vanessa Hidary
No Hot Fever- Joe Probert
Good Life (Impilo Emnande)- Soweto Gospel Choir X Groove Terminator


Something Inside- Léon Phal Ft. Lorine Chia
Zero Gravity- Miranda Joan Ft. Sly5thAve
Bada Bing!- Miranda Joan Ft. CARRTOONS
Fire Season- Gabriel Teodros Ft. Chief Ahamefule J. Oluo and the Shrine All-Star Band
For Us, By Us- Gabriel Teodros Ft. Meklit & Khingz


The Refusal- Evan Hatfield, Christopher Hoffman, Max Weissenfeldt & Frank Swart
The Ordeal- Idris Ackamoor, Tony Price, Derrek Phillips & Frank Swart
The Resurrection- David D.R. Robbins, Mike Clark & Frank Swart

Sun Hoops

The first part of the proGram shot it well from deep.

Hey My- J. Wilms
***pre-recorded conversation with Jeremy J. Wilms***
Props- J. Wilms Ft. Smoota


She’s a Little Bit of Everything- Foghat
Promised Land- Foghat


This Is How You Do It- The Bamboos
For The Record- The Bamboos Ft. Ohmega Watts & Ozay Moore
Turn The Page!- Maiiah & Angels Of Libra
Glam Slam ’91- Prince
Martika’s Kitchen- Prince


Runnin’ Out- The Goodies
Garden Of Dub- Prince Fatty
Don’t Try To Dub Me- Prince Fatty
They Do Not Listen- Fixed Error Ft. Kagayi Ngobi

The Fighter By J.Wilms

GA based multi-instrumentalist J. Wilms is releasing his 3rd album as a singer/songwriter. ‘The Fighter was recorded, mixed, and mastered summer of 2023 by Kyle Spence at RJS in Athens, GA, produced by Wilms & Spence and will be released on 12” LP vinyl, as a digital download via Bandcamp and through streaming platforms from Cart/Horse Records on December 8th. After years as a much in-demand session musician in New York, Wilms stepped away from the grind of the city in 2020 during the beginning of the COVID lockdown and moved back to his hometown of Atlanta. There he returned his focus to stripped-down, honest playing & singing, writing songs that conveyed plainspoken but eloquent stories. J. was joined in Athens, GA’s RJS studios with by Nick Robbins bass & Bo Bedingfield drums, Guest musicians included Julia Haltigan on vocals on “Born to Die,” “I’ll Start Tomorrow,” & “Stopping on a Dime” and David “Smoota” Smith on trombone on “Props”. Jeremy “J” Wilms has had a long and varied career. He received his Bachelor of Music from Georgia State University and his Master of Music from CUNY Queens College, NYC. Jeremy’s jammed with Ornette Coleman at his loft and played Broadway revues at retirement communities in New Jersey (sometimes over the same weekend!) He was briefly in Chico Hamilton’s band playing guitar and played bass on Broadway in the musical Fela!. During the tour for Fela!, Wilms performed with Patti LaBelle and played with Fela Kuti’s son Femi at venues around the world including the Shrine in Lagos. He’s recorded with artists as diverse as Bebel Gilberto, Beyoncé, TV On The Radio, and many others. He has been a guitarist in the orchestra for MacArthur Fellowship winner Taylor Mac’s 24 Decade History Of Popular Music as well as the bassist on ABC Network’s The Gong Show. He was the arranger and musical director for The Heathens and other acts based at the fabled McKittrick Hotel in Manhattan, home of “Sleep No More” immersive show. Wilms arranged strings and brass for songs on Run the Jewels’ RTJ 4 and Tim Fojahn’s I Dreamed a Dream. Jeremy is still busy working as a sideman in both NYC and ATL, scoring for film and other media, and teaching. Wilms also releases instrumental music as Jeremy Wilms and is the leader of the metal/prog band NOMOTO.

I want to thank Jeremy for finding some time to chat. We went through the part of life that brought the songs of “The Fighter” to life. Seed to flower was only a part of that discussion. We get into the who and the path of a few wheres and the challenges of a time of biG change. The reflection I hear on these songs has my face staring back at me in the ponds on the walk. We find out how our friend Smoota becomes a part of J.’s life and he shares a little bit about several key moments in his career – and there are some interesting words shared, especially when talking about the time shared with Mr. Chico Hamilton. We get into a nice discussion about how he is able to play so well in all kinds of sandboxes of sound and how that led him to folks like Smoota, Kendra Morris and Rev. Vince as well as the amazing names mentioned above.

On The Table

The final part of this week’s proGram left something to the imaginations.

Pins and Needles- Ray Gallon, Ron Carter & Lewis Nash
The Lonesome Road- The Dave Brubeck Quartet {Live from the Northwest, 1959}*
Five (Theme)- Bill Evans {Live in Copenhagen}*
No Blues- Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelley {live}*
Impressions- Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelley {live}*


Fantastic Vehicle-Ahmad Jamal {Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968}*
The Shadow Of Your Smile- Cal Tjader {Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967}*
Mambo Inn- Cal Tjader {Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967}*
Lush Life- Cal Tjader {Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967}*


Five G’s- A08
Nativo (original mix)- Leonor & Feller
Reflections (Bei Ru Remix)- Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Katalyst

*Record Store Day Exclusive

Backed Into That

The middle part of the proGram took the rise from the back first.

I’ll Take You There- Dub Stax Ft. Ammoye
Respect Yourself- Dub Stax Ft. Sema Mutlu
Top of my list- Soul Sugar Ft. Shniece McMenamin
Kingston Girl- Wheeler CM Sound System


Busted Chops- Fixed Error
Out We Go- Fixed Error


White Diamond- Twospeak
Free For All- DJ Shadow
Craig, Ingels, & Wrightson- DJ Shadow
Mitosis- Vince Clarke


Niiman- Simon Chenet & Salif Diarra
Dans la Folie des Nos Temps- Nadine Altounji & Nora Toutain
Waxed Kalimba- Samite, Sean Harkness, and Shem Guibbory
Rakhmones Nign- The Afro-Semitic Experience

When Seen Is Believed

The beGinnings of this week’s show had to be witnessed:

Mama Don’t Worry- Jonah Tolchin
She’s Dynamite- Foghat


Plugged In- Sabatta

Free- Joel Culpepper Ft. Tom Misch
Ticket- Alessandro Alessandroni
Climax- Alessandro Alessandroni
Racing- Alessandro Alessandroni
Bored- The Bamboos Ft. Reginald AK


Ah Yeah,That’s Right- Mocean Worker
Activate- Mocean Worker
Part of the Search- Mocean Worker
Do Your Dance (KC’s Remix)- Prince [2023 Remaster]
Violet the Organ Grinder- Prince (2023 Remaster)


Lies And Games- Orgōne
R U Ready?- Natasha Watts
I Mean Soul- TheEEs & Reggie Worthy

Roughbacking

The second half of the open schedule Friday fill-in proGram kept its toughness in check.

greenarrowradio promo- Laura Tate
Sin Eater- Lilli Lewis
Trickster (And the Mistletoe)- Jethro Tull
Ithavoll- Jethro Tull


Born Under a Bad Sign- Paul Rodgers, Bernie Marsden and Malcolm Bruce
What’s It Gonna Be?- B’ee
Blues Be Strong- Rare Union
Spit Shine- Randy Lee Riviere


Long Black Train- Red Red
Bag Me, Tag Me, Take Me Away- Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia (live)
Freedom Blues- Marcel Smith


Where Did You Go?- Lieder

Feel Right- Summer-Pearl Ft. Visaka
Summertime- Summer Pearl (live at Montreaux Jazz Fest)
Sunshine Today- All Good Funk Alliance Ft. Swamburger


Untouchable- Koncept
Jenn’s Terrific Vacation- Danny Brown Ft Kassa Overall
Happy- Joy Denalane Ft. Ghostface Killah
The Botanist- C’mon Tigre Ft. Seun Kuti
Perses- The Maenads, Kabanjak & Renegades of Jazz

Fur Ruffling Time

The 1st part of the Friday fill-in proGram had the hairs running upwards.

Black Days & Blue Nights- Foghat
Let Me Love You Baby- Foghat


High Like an Aeroplane- Miss Velvet
Blagunyo Denche- Kultur Shock (acoustic, live)
Nadjia- Kultur Shock (acoustic, live)
Oro- Opez
Venezia- Opez
Slow Lane- The Blips
Vegas Strip- The Tragically Hip


The Mayor of Ding Dong City- French TV
Hotoke no Tori- BUDDHADATTA
Today Good Grief- The Problem With Kids Today
Slobberknocker- The Problem With Kids Today


Turnt- SUSU
Rubber Hits the Road- SUSU
Pleasure Toy- The Veldt


Secret Second Moon- Leon Frear
Blues With a Feeling- Jonah Tolchin
Suffering Well- Jonah Tolchin Ft. Luther Dickinson
The Fighter- J. Wilms

La Banda Chuska At Lincoln Center

La Banda Chuska merges the sounds of vintage Peruvian cumbia and psychedelic chicha with 1960s Latin American and Middle Eastern surf rock. They then add a dose of the surreal intensity of New York City to amplify their diverse musical and cultural backgrounds: Peru, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and various corners of the U.S. The result is a fireball of post-punk energy and subversive playfulness, a sort of tropical funk meets The B-52s. La Banda Chuska’s self-titled EP is a darkly cinematic, musically expansive, and eminently danceable weirdo party on wax that’s whipped up the fanbase they attract at regular performances at Brooklyn’s Barbés and other NYC music mainstays. For their Lincoln Center debut, they’ll play songs from their first EP and introduce new cuts from their forthcoming LP.

Check

The final part of this week’s proGram seemed to know who to follow:

The Life- David D.R. Robbins, Thomas Pridgen & Frank Swart
The Call- Gary Bartz, Derrek Phillips & Frank Swart
On the Hook- Misha Panfilov


Seek & Destroy- Great Revivers
What Could I Do- Alpacas Collective
Boyoma- Alpacas Collective
Caicos Down- The Bamboos


Hold Me, Hold Me- Mike Reed Ft. Ben LaMar Gay, Bitchin Bajas & Marvin Tate
Miss X- Alessandro Alessandroni
Tahiti Joint- Alessandro Alessandroni
Sweet Temptation Woman- Mayer Hawthorne


Untersuchung – Vyšetřování- Kafka Band

Captured Waters

The middle parts of the proGram held the power within:

Sorbet for a Discerning Palate- ITOKEN/KLIMPEREI/FRANK PAHL
Elements- 5uu’s Ft. Mike Johnson, Bob Drake & Dave Kerman (Live at A.K.W. Würzburg, Germany 4/8/1995)
Roan- 5uu’s Ft. Mike Johnson, Bob Drake & Dave Kerman (Live at A.K.W. Würzburg, Germany April 8, 1995)
One Fried Egg- Curlew Ft. Tom Cora, Davey Williams, George Cartwright, Ann Rupel & Pippin Barnett (Live CBCGs, NYC 10/15/87)


Reveal- Mareike Wiening Ft. Dave Douglas, Rich Perry, Glenn Zaleski, Alex Goodman & Johannes Felscher
GO!- Allison Miller Ft. Jason Palmer
***pre-recorded conversation with Allison Miller***
Fierce- Allison Miller Ft. Jenny Scheinman & Ben Goldberg
For the Fish- Allison Miller
Big Weirdo- The Angelica Sanchez Nonet


¡Baila! Dance Like No One’s Watching- Donald Vega Ft. Lewis Nash, John Patitucci & Luisito Quintero
Kairos (Kefi)- Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Benjamin Fredrick Vukelić, DOMi & JD BECK & Burniss Earl Travis II

As It Winds And Grows

The first part of this week’s proGram made paths with its comings and goings:

Talking About Food- Benjamin Koppel
After Depths- Kevin Sun
Elliptical Blue- Kevin Sun


Cantos. III. Lukax- Susan Alcorn
Blue- Joey Alexander
Passing Time- Will Barnes Quartet
California Roll- Scott Emmerman
Mr. Tambourine Man- John Scofield, Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart
Budo- John Scofield, Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart


Grimsta- I.P.A.
Bach Is Back- Volapük
The Smell of the Sun, Pt. 1- ITOKEN/KLIMPEREI/FRANK PAHL