2021’s emerging music & BHM Weekend 3 are themes wrapped into this week’s editions of The Soul Show. On the syndicated edition
, I present new Bomba Estéreo (Bogotá) and Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (Seattle). DLO3’s album is reviewed in Soulshowmike’s Album Picks for February. The Pacific Northwest is also represented by the fine release of Jarrod Lawson. He does a track with the swoon-y Moonchild.Last week’s broadcast experienced technical difficulties in a couple of markets. Apologies for that. Here is the full archive of that show.
On the WYEP Saturday afternoon edition of The Soul Show, I introduce new Pittsburgh music. Slam Band & Sam has a new track entitled “Black Hole,” and Gene Stovall celebrates his birthday with a February album. It’s called “The End of Aquarius.” I’ve anxiously awaited this release since the review of “In The Bleak.” Both acts are featured on the Three Rivers at Three segment, 3:00pm Eastern.
During Black History Month, we’ve produced a Black Songwriters series, celebrating Weldon Irvine and 9 other important figures. As part of TSS’s 2/20/21 program, I present 2 of the artists with sequential album tracks. Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” represents some of Boy Wonder’s finest work, and its opening tracks are a template for album flow. Donny Hathaway’s “Extension Of A Man” begins orchestrally. then moves to hope/dream. Next, it blows up to full happy. To show Donny’s influence on later generations, I follow his album with Ill Doots’ opening set on their self-titled release.
Adrian Younge’s full project “The American Negro” releases in a few days, but I received permission to play it early. It’s a mixture of spoken word and music. You’ll hear both. Roberta Flack created a rough demo of “What’s Going On” not long after the Gaye 1971 release. It has been completed and issued 50 years later. I’ll play that today.
Lastly, I’ll crack open Gayelynn McKinney’s release “Zoot Suit Funk.” 2021’s emerging music is promising. It’s a testament to perseverance. I’ll see you soon.