SPOKEN FUNK

We've launched the new weekly radio show Midnight Soulstice, aired out of Richmond, Virginia (but you can listen to the livestream at http://www.wrir.org) We're keeping it real on this show, so tune in if you got the chance (and in spite of the time difference).

Once in a while, we'll have Soul and Funk legends guest on the show. We'll also play many rare local records (Virginia Soul).

Sound: Oldschool and rare Soul, Funk, Boogaloo, Jazz and new Funk
Format: All vinyl, all original
When: Every Friday, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. EST (10 p.m. Pacific, 4 a.m. London, 5 a.m. Central Europe)
Where: WRIR 97.3 fm (RVA) or http://www.wrir.org

Download Nov 21, 2008 - http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8360

Download Nov 28, 2008 - http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8416

Download December 6, 2008 - http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8470

Few people outside Soul collector circles that I talk to are familar with the name Leroy Hutson. This always makes me sad, because the man deserves to be up there with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, leading the list of music history's top Soul artists. Because Leroy was more than just a singer. He was a multi-instrumentalist, writer, arranger, producer.

One of his biggest hits, The Ghetto, Leroy wrote for his buddy and former roomate Donny Hathaway. Leroy later released his own version.

He came to fame in 1971, when he replaced Curtis Mayfield as the lead singer of The Impressions. But he stayed with them for only one album (Times have changed), because Curtis soon signed him as a solo artist for his Curtom label.

Over a period of six years, Leroy released eight amazing solo albums on Curtom. He had everything going for him - except chart success. Why none of his songs like Lucky Fellow, When you smile, Lovers Holiday, All because of you, etc became chartbusters, remains a mystery. They should have.

Leroy was also a talented producer, the mastermind behind 1970s smooth Soul acts like The Natural Four, The Voices of East Harlem, Arnold Blair and Linda Clifford.

Leroy Hutson has always been my favorite solo artist, next to James Brown. Five years ago, I tracked him down and we've been in touch since, exchanging thoughts, ideas and music. This year, Leroy has recorded a new album Soothe you - groove you.

And this coming Friday, December 12, he will appear as the special guest on our weekly radio show Midnight Soulstice here in Richmond, VA. We'll present a two-hour-Leroy Hutson Special, we will play much of his music, that of the artists he produced and even drop some new songs. And we'll talk about all of that. For every Soul fan who loves the sound of Curtus Mayfield, The Natural Four, The Impressions, etc this will be a great show to listen to. You can listen to it live from 11 pm - 1 am on the live stream on http://www.wrir.org But I'll also post the link of the download in the following week.


SPREAD THE WORD!!

Download for Leroy Hutson interview here:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8528

Download and playlist for Dec 19th NEW FUNK SPECIAL


http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8587

Great show
I'm listening to the MPS Special and i'm discovering Joanne Grauer, can i find her records easily ? thanks

To my knowledge, Joanna Grauer has released only three albums, one of them - Speakers Corners - on MPS. It's supposed to be her rarest release (it's from 1977), and the only one I got from her. But I've never seen the other two albums myself, so it's safe to say that they are not exactly common finds either. Grauer is the pianist, but the vocalist is actually Lorraine Feather, daughter of Jazz critic Leonard Feather.

Download for January 9th, 2009, show right here:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8750

Playlist:

- Chocolate Milk - Grand Theft (RCA)
- Love, Togetherness & Devotion - Success (A&M Records)
- Miami - Come dance with me (Drive)
- Rasputin's Stash - What's on your mind (Cot illion)
- Mother Freedom Band - Touch Me (All Platinum)
- Mandrill - Wind on Horseback (United Artists)
- Floyd Smith - Soul Strut (Dakar Records)
- Wilbur Bascomb And The Zodiact - Just A Groove In "G" (Carnival Records)
- Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul - So much trouble on my mind (GSF)
- The Soul Searchers - Think (Sussex)
- The Puzzels - I Need You (Fat Back Records)
- Ruby Andrews - I got a bone to pick with you (abc)
- The Fabulous Rhinestones - Free - (Just Sunshine Records)
- Funkhouse Express - Disco Kid (Disko)
- Exact Change - Having a good time P. 1 (Sunburst)
- Jade - Lately "I" (Pesante)
- The Meters - Ease back (Josie)
- Clarence Reid - Part time Lover (Alston)
- Wilson Pickett - Engine No. 9 (Atlantic)
- Fatback Band - Let the drums speak (Event)
- Dynamic Corvettes - Funky Music is the thing P. 2 (Abet)
- The Three Pieces - Backed up against the Wall (Fantasy)
- The Blackbyrds - Reggins (Fantasy)
- American Gypsy - Inside Out (Chess Records)
- Ice - Hi Fi Woman (Prestige)
- Cymande - Brothers on the Slide (Janus)
- Raw Soul Express - Burn the Cadle (Cat)
- Willie and the Mighty Magnificents - The hurt's on me, baby (All Platinum)
- Barbara Acklin - I am the same girl (Brunswick)
- Ray and his Court - Soul Freedom
- Sweet Charles - Why can't I be treated like a man (People)
- Eloise - Baby you lied (abc)
- Fred Wesley & The J.B.s - Backstabbers (People)
- Shirley Brown - Yes Sir Brother (Truth Records)

Download The Other Side of Motown - our special to celebrate Motown's 50th anniversary!

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8810

Playlist:

- The Temptations - Stop the War now (Gordy)
- The Undisputed Truth - 1990 (Gordy)
- Marvin Gaye - You're the man (Tamla)
- Gloria Jones - Share My Love (Motown)
- Diana Ross and the Supremes and the Temptations - Sing a simple Song (Motown)
- Sammy Davis Jr. - Spinning Wheel (Motown)
- The Marvelettes - Here I am Baby (Tamla)
- The Supremes - Sunny Boy (Motown)
- Eddie Kendricks - Date with the Rain (Tamla)
- Gordan Staples and The Motown Strings - Sounds Of The Zodiac (Motown)
- Chuck Jackson - (You Cant Let The Boy Overpower) The man in you (Motown)
- The Temptations - Plastic Man (Gordy)
- Marvin Gaye - The End Of Our Road (Tamla)
- Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Your Love Makes It All Worth While (Gordy)
- Gladys Knight & The Pips - The Tracks Of My Tears (Motown)
- Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - What love has joined together (Tamla)
- Diana Ross - Imagine (Motown)
- The Supremes - 5:30 Plain (Motown)
- The Undisputed Truth - Life ain't so easy (Whitfield Records)
- Willie Hutch - Give me some of that good old love (Motown)
- The Four Tops - Still Water (Love) (Motown)
- Marvin Gaye - "T" Plays It Cool (Tamla)
- The Commodores - Rapid Fire (Motown)
- Stevie Wonder - Maybe your baby
- Yvonne Fair - Let your hair down (Tamla)
- Puzzle - State of Mind (Motown)
- Riot - Put your Gun down Brother (Motown)
- The Temptations - What It Is? (Gordy)
- The Supremes and Four Tops - River Deep - Mountain High (Motown)
- Four Tops - In These Changing Times (Motown)
- The Undisputed Truth - Save my love for a rainy day (Gordy)
- David Ruffin - My whole world ended (the moment you left me) - Motown)

This Friday, January 23, on Midnight Soulstice - Jazz-Funk legend Lonnie Liston Smith. He will actually join us in person in the studio for two hours. We will listen to his music, we will discuss his legacy (anything from his tenure with Miles Davis to his solo albums on Flying Dutchman) and the Obama inauguration.

Don't forget to tune in from 11 pm to 1 am on http://www.wrir.org And if you're too lazy to get up, we'll post the download the next day.

Download and playlist for the Lonnie Liston Smith show here - Lonnie had lots of fun, and so did we. We covered lots of ground on this show.

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8868

- Lonnie Liston Smith - Space Lady (RCA)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Beautiful Woman (RCA)
- Miles Davis - Ife (Columbia)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Love Beams (Flying Dutchman)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Goddess of Love (RCA)
- Leon Thomas - The Creator has a Masterplan (Flying Dutchman)
- Oliver Nelson - Skull Session (Flying Dutchman)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Expansions (Flying Dutchman)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - A Chance for Peace (Flying Dutchman)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Cosmic Funk (Flying Dutchman)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Visions of a New World (Live) (RCA)
- Guru's Jazzmatazz - Down the backstreets (Chrysalis)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - In Search of Truth (Flying Dutchman)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Devika (Flying Dutchman)
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Here comes the whistleman (Atlantic)
- Lonnie Liston Smith - Mongotee (Flying Dutchman)

Last night's show's motto was Deep Soul Tearjerkers - we carefully picked our most favorite 1960s Soul ballads on 45s. Whether you are a lover, playa or heartbroken - this one's one for the books! Get a box of Kleenex radio and groove hard !

Link:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8928



Playlist:
- The Artistics - Trouble, Heartache and Pain (Brunswick)
- Bobby Holley - Baby, I Love You (Weis Records)
- Judson Moore - Confidence (Capri)
- Barbara Stant - That Man of Mine (Shiptown)
- Ann Peebles - Heartaches, Heartaches (Hi Records)
- Ike And Tina Turner - Hurt Is All You Gave Me (Modern)
- Irma Thomas - Wish Someone Would Care (Imperial)
- The Vontastics - My Baby (St. Laurence)
- Vee Allen - Cheating Is A No No (Lion)
- The Olympics - Well! (Demon)
- Nu-Sound Express - I've been Trying (Silver Dollar Records)
- Dizzy Jones - Why Me (New Breed)
- Debbie Taylor - How long can this last (DWP Records)
- Betty Wright - Girls can't do what the guys do (Alston)
- Freddy Waters - Love is a strange thing (Ref-O-Ree)
- Barbara George - Love (Is Just A Chance You Take) (A.F.O.)
- Keanya Collins - You Don't Own Me (ITCC)
- The Five Stairsteps - Danger! She's A Stranger (Windy C)
- Carla Thomas - B-A-B-Y (Stax)
- Big Maybelle - I Can't Wait Any Longer (Rojac)
- The Unifics - Court of Love (Kapp)
- The Persuaders - Thin Line between Love and Hate (Atlantic)
- Johnny & The Expressions - Something I want to tell you (Virgo)
- The Satisfactions - One Light two Lights (Lionel)
- Ann Sexton - You're letting me down (Seventy Seven)
- Lenis Guess - I I keep coming back for more (Guess)
- Jimmy Hicks - Tell her that I love you - (Big Deal Records)
- Joe Haywood - I wanna love you (Kent)
- The Brother Love - So I can be (Sound of Soul)
- Marva Whitney Taylor Express - Nothing I'd rather be than your weakness (Forte)
- The Mirettes - Ain't you trying to cross over (Uni)
- Samson & Delilah - Time to prove my love to you (Indigo)
- Sir Guy & The Rocking Cavaliers - My Sweet Baby (D.P.G. Records)
- Race - Class and Power - The Search Is Over (Tobacand)
- Little Tommy - I'm Hurt (Sound Of Soul)
- Gary U.S. Bonds - One Million Tears (Legrand)
- Ruby Johnson - Weak Spot (Volt)
- Jimmy Delphs - Almost (Carla)
- Abraham & His Sons - I can't do without you (Revue)
- Frederick Knight - Let's make a deal (Truth)
- Chris Jones - Destination Unknown (Goodie Train)

Download for last night's Sweet Soul Special right here:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8984

Playlist:

- Flowers - For Real (LAX)
- The Three Pieces - If I could only prove to you (Fantasy)
- Creative Source - I just can't see myself without you (Sussex)
- The Impressions - Sooner or later (Curtom)
- 100 % Pure Poison - You keep comin' back (EMI)
- The Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23 (A&M)
- Evelyn "Champagne" King - Shame (RCA)
- James Brown - Bodyheat (part 1) (Polydor)
- Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose - Lift Your Love Higher (A&M)
- Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her (Brunswick)
- The Main Ingredient - Brotherly Love (RCA)
- The Independents - The first time we met (Wand)
- The Presidents - 5-10-15-20- (25-30 Years of Love) (Sussex)
- Bobby Reed - The time is right for love (Bell)
- Jerry Butler - Just can't forget about you baby (Mercury)
- Weldon Irvine - Walk That Walk; Talk That Talk (RCA)
- Eddie Holman - I Love You (ABC)
- Detroit Emeralds - Your Gettin' A Little To Smart (Westbound)
- The Manhattans - Can't Take My Eyes Off You (DeLuxe)
- The Stylistics - It's So Good (H&L)
- Segments of Time - Will you be mine (Sussex)
- Creative Source - You can't hide love (Sussex)
- The Voices of East Harlem - Could this be love (Just Sunshine)
- The Natural Four - Love's so wonderful (Curtom)
- The Notations - Make me twice the man (Gemigo)
- Jean Carn - Free Love (Philidelphia International)
- Judy Cheeks - Kiss Me Baby (Salsoul)
- The Isleys - Brother, Brother (Buddah)
- Al Green - Loving You (Hi)
- The Floaters - Everything Happens For A Reason (ABC)
- Tavares - Never had a love like this before (Capitol)
- Sugar Billy - Super Duper Love (P.1 & 2) (Fast Track)
- Bloodstone - Never let you go (London)

Mark it down in your calendar! On Friday, February 20, 11 pm - 1 am EST, one of the most famous and successful Soul acts of the 1970s will be joining us live on our radio show Midnight Soulstice - The New Birth!
The group was formed in Detroit in 1970 out of the instrumental Funk group The Nite-Liters by former Motown songwriters and producers Vernon Bullock, Harvey Fuqua and music industry veteran Tony Churchill. They are mostly known for their hits I Can Understand It, It's Been a Long Time, Wildflower and Dream Merchant, which featured the Wilson brothers Melvin and Leslie, who sung lead on the group's most famed material.

Both Melvin and Leslie will appear on Midnight Soulstice for our two-hour-special on The New Birth to discuss their music and legacy. For every Soul fan, this rare appearance is an absolute must - so get your streamers ready and download this show! Listen on 97.3 fm (Richmond) or the world wide live stream on www. wrir. org