Groove On 15

This is episode 15 and we’re going to be playing more relaxed music to help you drift away from a difficult day. We begin with New Jersey funk monsters Kool and the Gang at their most laid back, playing ‘Summer Madness’ from their 1974 album Light of the Worlds. Playful downtempo electronic duo Lemon Jelly follow, with ‘In The Bath from’ their 1998 In The Bath EP.

Dundee electronic band Voigt Kampff comes next, with ‘Move That Fishy Body’ from their only album, Used, released in 1998. They’re followed by Fred Wesley & the JBs – basically James Brown’s backing band – and a deep and slow groove called ‘Dirti Harry’ from 1972.

A group of three tracks is next, ideal for quiet afternoons and late nights. It begins with ‘Opera (Herbert’s Late Night London Mix)’ by Agent Blue, a 2001 track made up of guitar loops, that can now be found on Bandcamp. In the middle is ‘Down To The River To Pray’ by Alison Krauss, from the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which helped revive interest in blue grass and country blues in the early 2000s. Last of the three is ‘Laidback’ by Space Raiders from 1999’s Don’t Be Daft, an unusually mellow song from a boisterous big beat album.

The next half hour is five songs, played back to back. We begin with experimental electronic pioneer Aphex Twin’s ‘Ageispolis’ from Selected Ambient Works 85-92. That leads to ‘Ark Of The Covenant’ by The Congos from 1977’s Heart Of The Congos, one of the best reggae albums ever recorded. Following on is John Coltrane’s ‘Acknowledgement’ from his masterpiece A Love Supreme. Recorded in 1964 this is more or less where he parted ways with jazz as it was known and became free. From here we slide into ‘Belfast’ from Orbital’s their debut album, that is said to be one of the first techno or dance albums created as an actual album, rather than simply a collection of singles. The five in a row end with the The Velvet Underground at their quiet best, playing ‘Jesus’ from 1969’s The Velvet Underground, something of a come down album after the high of their previous two.

We have another group of three songs next, beginning with the soulful ‘Distractions’ by downtempo electronica duo Zero7, from their debut album Simple Things. Then we travel to the sixties for Sarah Vaughan’s gorgeous ‘A Taste of Honey’ and Ray Charles’ ‘Makin’ Whoopee’.

The episode finishes with at spellbinding track by John Lee Hooker called ‘Tupelo’, recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival.

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