hosts the legendary New World African Music program Groovin’ Blue. The show’s playlist runs from R Kelly and Devin The Dude to Giovanni Hidalgo, Yoran Israel, Jah Cure and Maysa Leak. Over its forty-year-plus history, Groovin' Blue’s innovative format is recognized in radio history as the Great White North’s first all-genre Black Music show. In retrospect, all of this may be unique not only to Canadian radio but to radio in general.
1. Producers will promote and honour New World African Music and its artistes.
2. Whenever possible, Producers will play the original vinyl/analogue recording before using a digital re-release.
3. Producers will celebrate their musical roots in Vancouver, B.C. and that city's East End.
THIS IS A MUST-HAVE CD FOR ALL YOU CONTEMPORARY SOUL FANS.
"Joy and Pain" by AVANT / "We Are One" by RAHEEM DeVAUGHN and "Happy Feelin's" by LEDISI are just a few of the other wonderful covers featured on this great indie tribute Cd.
Watch for them to show up for WAGRadio fans soon on
GROOVIN' BLUE 09-15 ! ! !
WAGRadio Management
Fifty-five years of Rockin' and Rollin' on the radio ! ! A TUNE FROM 1974 AND THEN SOME PRAGMATIC TALK FROM MR. WITHERS ABOUT THE BEHIND THE SCENES OF "SOUL POWER".
NUFF SAID ! !
LISTEN AND LEARN YOUNGUNS ! ! !
DJZIGZAG
A WAGRadio Favourite - Featured on GROOVIN' BLUE 09 - 12 in September and could be a reason why that show is still getting so many hits.
What a great dance tune!
DJZigZag
Released in 1964, this 45 was an EAST END VANCOUVER house party favourite. The record wasn't played on any of the city's radio stations at the time of its release. It did get airplay when CKLG-FM's "Groovin' Blue" went on the air (Oct. 1967).
THE RADIANTS were originally a five man group formed in 1960 out of The Greater Harvest Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois but only recorded as a trio.
This video sees them on The!!!! Beat T.V. show out of Nashville, Tennessee with discjockey Bill "Hoss" Allen. Featured: Leonard Caston Jr. [tnr], Wallace Sampson [bar] and the wonderful Maurice McAlister on lead.
DJZigZag
GROOVIN' BLUE IS THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM ON WAGRadio.
NEW WORLD AFRICAN MUSIC IS THE MODE OF ENJOYMENT.
WAGRadio Management
I KNOW it sounds a little 'out there' but this film about two rival CALI 'gangs' by director Stacy Peralta can be deftly quoted during conversations about the seemingly impending death of Jazz [and to a lesser degree black Pop and Soul].
Maybe it provided that insight to WAGRadio because our first concern is Black music. The stark understanding that New World African classical music [Jazz] no longer has the once-prolific venues [ghetto clubs, bars, show lounges] to promote itself to working-class Black Americans was, possibly, an unintended bit of enlightenment delivered by "Crips & Bloods: Made In America". An old story. Last to get a job. First to lose it. No work. No spending cash. No income for musicians, record labels, promoters etc.
Please try and see this documentary. I can't stress how evocative its message is. Initially it seems to be a heart-wrenching dissertation on gang violence in L.A., and it is, but then the film's other truer messages begin to appear - told through the clear eyes and voices of the young to middle-aged Crips and Bloods who share their profound knowledge through the camera lens.
DJZigZag and WAGRadio Management
WILL THE ULTIMATE GROOVIN' BLUE EVER BE ATTAINED ?Johnny Jones of Johnny Jones and The King Casuals talks about travelling with the Bobby "Blue" Bland Revue between 1976 and '79 and how Bobby didn't want to hear much bending of strings but a more straight ahead T-Bone Walker style of play. Mr. Jones, who died just the other day, was a student of Bobby's long-time guitarist Wayne Bennett in the seventies and was the perfect fit for the great Duke records vocalist's band.
Thanks to CO-OP Radio's Ron Simmonds, host of 'Blues In The Dark' for [once again] hipping us to another superb video.
WAGRadio Management
JUST THOUGHT WE'D TELL YOU THAT WE ARE LIMITED TO FOUR COMMENTS PER POST (We're workin' on more) SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON - NOW'S THE TIME TO DO IT!OUTTA AMSTERDAM (no kidding) It's ZIGGI and he smokin' his pervurbial hoon off.
I luv his 'shy look' [1:14] when he sez (after sayin' he had "one pound in the rover") that there was "one pound in the living-room sofa" ! !
CraZy-Ziggi - that GanJa Lovin' Euro-Brother ! !
Listen to the full 4:35 version of 'Joka Smoka' called "GANJA SMOKE IN THE AIR" by ZIGGI on GROOVIN' JAM-ROCK BLUE 2K9 SHOW #2 - - podcasted on WAGRadio
DJZigZag
What a giant of New World African Music this multi-talented man was. The video is from the mid-'60's California based TV show "Shindig!" hosted by LA radio jock Jimmy O'Neill. Billy Preston, on keyboards, led the studio band and performed the occasional vocal number on the show. We couldn't get 'Shindig!' in the East End without an antenna. I would watch the show at the Chow's on 41st Avenue at the home of brothers Harry and Buddy [who WAGRadio fans know, contribute musical ideas to Groovin' Blue occasionally].
Billy Preston - one of our musical heroes.
WAGRadio Management
GROOVIN' BLUE 09-13 IS BOUNTIFUL AND READY TO BE CARVED UP AND ENJOYED ! !
Another biopic about the legendary CHESS RECORDS of Chicago, Illinois. This time focusing on the founder Leonard Chess.
Hot on the heels of "Cadillac Records" comes "Who Do You Love" starring Chi McBride as Willie Dixon, Brit actor David Oyelowo as McKinley Morganfield, Keb' Mo' as bluesman Jimmy Rogers, Mike DeFoor plays Little Walter with Robert Randolph as Elias McDaniel and Alessandro Nivola as L. Chess.
Hope this one comes back for more than the two festival showings in VanCity but if I'm reading the blogs correctly, this film won't be released in the States (therefore Canada) until 2010. So we will just have to wait and see.
It plays the Vancouver International Film Festival on Oct. 10 @ 10:00 pm and Oct. 12 @ 2:10 pm -- djzz will be attending the 2:10 Monday, Oct. 12 showing at the Granville 7
For more V.I.F.F. info - go to - viff.org
WAGRadio Management
Hopefully this film will make an appearance at a theatre in or near the town or city where you live.
With archival film from the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960's wed to contemporary musical performances by Anthony Hamilton, Wyclef Jean, The Roots, Mary Mary, The Blind Boys of Alabama, John Legend and more, this film is nothing less than a tour-de-force.
It plays the Vancouver International Film Festival on Oct. 2 @ 6:30 pm and Oct. 3 @ 1:50 pm.
for more about this and other Vancouver I. F. Festival films - go to - viff.org
WAGRadio Management
GROOVIN' BLUE 09-12 GREAT 70's FUNGK AND ROLL A' LA ISAAC HAYES IS WHAT THE MUSIC IS ALL ABOUT IN THIS WAY DOWN SOUTH (AFRICA NOT ALABAMA THIS TIME) GEM-HEIST CINEMA ROCKER.
THE 2009 FILM WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE A LIMITED LIFE IN ENGLISH THEATRES IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH SO SEE IT SOON.
WAGRadio Management
THIS IS A STOMACH-TIGHTENING VIDEO TO WATCH . . .
BOTH THE FEMALE (cast as temptress/girlfriend) AND VOCALIST SPANNER BANNER LOOK TERRIBLY ILL-AT-EASE (forget about the fact that at the :20 second mark - - it looks as if Spanner is doing the nasty from behind with the young actress/model).
THESE ARE NOT, IN ANY WAY, COMFORTABLE-WITH-THE-CAMERA PERFORMANCES. BOTH PARTICIPANT'S ATTITUDES APPEAR STRAINED THROUGHOUT.
SORRY, BUT IT DOES TAKE ON COMIC PROPORTIONS.
AT TIMES MR. BANNER LOOKS AS THOUGH HE'S 'BOUT TO RUN AWAY WITH AN A'FEARED LOOK IN HIS EYE - 'SPECIALLY WHENEVER THE YOUNG WOMEN GOES ANYWHERE NEAR HIS ABDOMEN OR BELT BUCKLE.
IT IS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL SONG BUT A TERRIBLY DIRECTED PIECE OF PROMOTION.
RE-EDIT IT FOR GAWD'S SAKE ! ! !
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU (PROBABLY) HAVE ENUFF RAW FOOTAGE.
DJZigZag
WOW ! !
A SOUL - MUSIC HIT FOR TODAY
by CONTEMPORARY SOUL SINGER K'JON . . .
THIS UNIVERSAL RECORDS RELEASE HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE MAY BUT IS JUST NOW GETTING THE LOVE IT DESERVES FROM SOUL MUSIC FANS.
"ON THE OCEAN" by K'JON IS ON THE LATEST GROOVIN' BLUE 09-11 WHICH IS PODCASTED ON WAGRadio . . .
LOOK FOR GROOVIN' BLUE 09-12 and a BRAND NEW FUNK SHUI GROOVIN' BLUE WITH SWEET DADDY FONK and DJZZ - - - COMING SOON ! !
** When the "embedding... notice" appears after you click on the video - simply click "watch on YouTube" to view - On The Ocean - by K'Jon **
WAGRadio Management
GROOVIN' BLUE 09-11 HAS BEEN DISHED OUT AND IS READY TO BE ENJOYED ! !GROOVIN' BLUE 09 - 11 WILL ALSO FEATURE FOR THE GRANDMOMMA'S AND POPPAS SOME JIMMY PONDER, GRAYSON HUGH, THE TYMES AND MIKE LONGO.
WATCH FOR THE NEW GROOVIN' BLUE
IN THE NEXT COUPLA DAYS . . .
DJZigZag
If you get an opportunity to see this master B3 organist in the New World African Jazz Organ style so seldom seen today - do not miss out on the experience.
The studio version of this tune - "Come Together" was featured on GROOVIN' BLUE 09-09.
DJZigZag
WAGRadio TOP FORTY zipDJ CONTEMPORARY FAVOURITES Whether you spell it JSUN, J'sun, J'Sun, J'SUN or Jsun - This kid can sing and he's humble too.
Enjoy a wonderful voice. And if ya wanna tell him how good he is or find out more - -
www.twitter.com/iLoveJsun
WAGRadio Management
OOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo"HOLIDAY" by DING DONG & CHEVAUGHN is the perfect summer song and will be featured on the BRAND NU GROOVIN' BLUE 09 -10 which will be headed your way shortly.
Also featured on the new GB 09 -10 are artistes METHOD MAN, MUSIQ SOULCHILD, HOT DOLLAR, SHOVELL & THE LATIN HOOLIGANS, RYAN LESLIE, BOB SINCLAR . . . and
FOR GRAMPA's AND GRAMMA's - - ISAAC HAYES, JIMMY COBB, TOM MOULTON, ORAN "JUICE" JONES & SHABBA RANKS.
YES, SUMMA-TIME IS HYAH ! ! ! - - AND IF YOU ARE IN VANCOUVER, CANADA THIS COMING SUNDAY - AUGUST, 9th - THERE IS (what NOW amounts to) a World-Class NEW WORLD AFRICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL - THE 10th ANNUAL BURNABY BLUES & ROOTS FESTIVAL
featuring SMOKEY ROBINSON, SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS and KEB' MO happening at DEER LAKE PARK in outlying Burnaby, B.C. - - [Gates open at 12:30 pm - 'til 10:30 pm]
Visit www.burnabybluesfestival.com for more info
DJZigZag