rea river soul

Thanking you!

Thanks to all that came to "Soul of the Movement" on Saturday! Overwhelmed by the positive feedback! It was great to have such a great vibe, hear wicked tunes, having to find more chairs for the film screening, especially when I initially thought I was being generous arranging 12!

Lovely seeing people dancing till dawn, I was so tired I left my party early. Pooper! I think I even have some DJing kudos from Spec and Pecka. Props to all the DJs, Koichi for being amazing and all those who helped me out, including Ian Nae, Spec putting up with me, Friction Arts for loan of their projector and Punch Records! Love you all! 

Anyways, the next Rea River Soul shebang will be in autumn, watch this space. If you wanna be on the mail list drop us a line here. 

Mwah! Ha ha! xx

Soul of the Movement: Mixes

Nice liccle mix from Takeover Sound System. 

Soul of the movement by TakeOverSound

and Down by Law:

Jam Fu (DBL) - 90's & Early 2000's Hip Hop Vinyl Mix by JamFu

Koichi Sakai interview

Hackney based Ghetto Lounge DJ Koichi Sakai explores the bond he holds with black music and culture, and describes exactly what it means to perform at Soul of the Movement, the closing night for BASS Festival.

“When I came to the UK in 1999, it was the time that Drum 'n' Bass started fading out”, explains Koichi.

“Broken Beats were taking over the music scene in West London.

“Then I started digging the roots music as well, to find out where those beats and rhythm were coming from”.

Though there's a clarity that Koichi's passion lies within all genres of black music.

“I am promoting not only reggae, but also Afrobeat, Afro Funk, Jazz, Latin etc.

“But I must say that reggae is always my roots of music,” he says.

“When my friend in Japan introduced me to reggae first time, I was only sixteen and I could not understand very much.

“I started digging it, Bob Marley influenced me a lot in terms of the history of slavery, discrimination as well as the style of music.

“Soon after, my room became full of Bob Marley posters!”.

By now, Koichi begins to reveal exactly how much reggae culture has touched him, with an indication of main influences, he continues to say, “I respect all the creators of soulful music, but I would like to pay tribute to Gil Scott-Heron who has just passed away.

“I was fortunate to catch up with his concert in South Bank last year.

“People respect him as a musician, poet and activist, I believe he is one of the most influential black artists in the world”.

Not only would Koichi like to pay his respects to such a multi-talented pioneer, he also has plans to collaborate with local Ghanaian musicians.

“I'd love to go to Ghana”, says Koichi.

“I am very much interested in traditional African drumming to create something new”.

While the Japanese-born DJ has a couple of other projects set on the way, it is evident that music is more than just a hobby for Koichi.

“I am currently working with Jamaican MC Clapper Priest to produce his album.

“Our second single Derby/Party will be out this summer from Ghetto Lounge recording.

“I also have another project called Afrobuddha with Japanese producer Kay Suzuki to produce progressive style African music”.

And finally, what does BASS Festival mean to Koichi?

“It is a great opportunity to present the rich street culture of black music in the UK, I am pleased to get involved!”.

Catch Koichi Sakai performing at PST, the closing party for BASS Festival. Soul of the Movement. 25th June, 11pm - 5am.

Soul of the Movement: DJ Set Times

Subject to change... Getting well excited! 

Revolution in black music: back to funk

Well, well, well! It's been fun writing up all these Bass Festival/revolution inspired blog posts, can't believe we are already into the last week!

We've already explored funk with Lenny H, but time to say a bit more.... 

Funk originated in the mid to late 60s, an amalgamation of soul, jazz and RnB with a strong rhythmic, rawness that set ablaze the minds, hearts and dance floors of its time. Funk originates from the slang word for "stink," (or the smell of sexy time) "and was the most primal form of R&B". Its structure was loose, often developing into extended jams, "and the most Africanized, built on dynamic, highly syncopated polyrhythms. As such, it originally appealed only to hardcore R&B audiences. The groove was the most important musical element of funk." (All Music)

James Brown stressed his music had a greater affinity with jazz when critics correlated his music to gospel and soul music:

"There was one sound I couldn't hear anywhere but in my head. I didn't have a name for it, but I knew it was different. See, musicians don't think about the categories and things like that. They don't say, I think I'll invent bebop today or think up rock 'n' roll tomorrow. They just hear different sounds follow them wherever they lead." (Craig Werner)

James Brown's music spoke to African-Americans and African audiences alike, the african response "suggests the dual significance of Brown's funk. On the one hand, it affirmed blackness as a core of identity, in Africa as well as the United States. Clearly, blacks needed to take pride in themselves and throw off the shackle of white supremacist stereotypes." (Craig Werner) 

Themes in a lot of funk music were food, love and most importantly social commentary; quashing the negative portrayal of black americans, with conscious, uplifting messages of black power and pride, it was a 'passionate reflection of the black experience. The words signified an association with harsh realities—unpleasant odours, tales of tragedy and violence, erratic relationships, crushed aspirations, racial strife—and flights of imagination that expressed unsettling yet undeniable truths about life.' 

And finally, some baddass funk tunes with a political message, I shall be playing them on Saturday:

I remember hearing this for the first time when sampled by Ugly Duckling back in the day. Nice glokenspiel playing! 

This tune is baaaad! I lurve this!!!!  Ah, the bass line and vocal melody combo, so moody and sorrowful. Right up my street! 

Every funk DJ and his dog plays this but it's relevant and a top tune (nice live version). 

Olbi Iyah interview

Stoke born reggae DJ Olbi Iyah talks about the lead up to Soul of the Movement, an event that he will be performing at, which will be the closing party of BASS Festival.

“In Cambridgeshire, where I grew up as a teenager, there wasn't really a Jamaican culture or real reggae scene”, says Olbi.

“I came to Birmingham when I was eighteen and I was immersed in reggae. “There was so much around, you're a small fish in a big pond”.

Since moving to Birmingham, Olbi has certainly established himself in the scene firmly.

Working alongside Jam Jah and Jibbering sound systems, he also collaborates with Matty Garber, under the name Lombard Royale.

“For years, we played at this place called Peckers, that used to be an underground little venue.

“It closed down because they found a different location in Digbeth, now known as PST in its first incarnation”.

Olbi continues, “we did our first night there and it was a ranging success.

“We got the name Lombard Royale because it's on Lombard Street, and it was so far from being royal.

“The classic irony and sarcasm of British humour, there was corrugated iron everywhere!”.

Olbi is also doing pretty well for himself outside of Birmingham and on a wider sphere of England.

“Festivals are always good in the summer, things like Secret Summer I've done in the past”, he says.

“Then Shambala is the big one.

“It's given me the biggest rites of passage out of any of them, I've played to thousands of people before Smith & Mighty and I'm like wow! I've arrived!”.

By now, it's becoming clear that reggae and collecting records has turned into a life long passion for the Stoke born DJ.

“When reggae hit me, it hit me really hard”, he says.

“I feel like I'm married to it.

“Reggae has been the one consistent thing in my life since fourteen onwards”, says Olbi.

“It's the one genre that can convey every single topic.

“There's tunes about every single political stance, every single country in the world, because it's a social commentary, probably before it was even a music type.

“Every possible human emotion can be felt and covered”, he says.

And how will Olbi's DJ set pay homage to reggae music at Soul of the Movement?

“I'm doing a reggae history revolutionary”, he says.

“Playing tunes for people that push the boundaries, revolutionising the way reggae was made.

“So Wayne Smith - Under Mi Sleng Teng produced by King Jammy, those kind of rhythms, the first all computerised rhythms.

“Then you've got tunes like Chim Cherie by Lee Perry which pre-dates that 70s, early 80s scene, which was a very digital rhythm.

“Lee Perry made remix culture”, explains Olbi.

“He'd make one tune and have it in different layers.

“He said he could make 6 million tunes out of it!”.

And finally, what does Olbi have planned for the future?

“Next year I'm going to put in an application for BASS festival.

“It's the Olympics and the Jamaican team are staying in Birmingham!”.

Catch Olbi Iyah performing at PST, the closing party for BASS festival. Soul of the Movement. 25^th June, 11pm – 5am.

Prince Jamo interview

 After just finishing a tour of Spain, Birmingham's very own Prince Jamo is finally getting the worldwide recognition that he has worked so long and hard for in the Reggae scene.
Now, he returns home to perform at Soul of the Movement, in collaboration with Wes Bowen, as part of BASS Festival.

“To say music runs in my veins is an understatement”, exclaims Jamo.

“When I was six years old, I was in choirs, but my love affair with reggae really took hold when I first picked up an instrument.

“The first thing I learnt to play was a reggae track, I've always had a strong connection with dub music and roots; my generation of kids, that was the in thing”, says Jamo.

Though he feels that the times, and more importantly Reggae, has changed drastically for the worse since growing up in the 70s, something that he hopes to change in the long run.

“There's a lot of evil shit in music that makes me feel uncomfortable nowadays”, he says.

“Reggae frequencies are getting more dark, and sometimes the core structures don't make sense, it's missing hooks.

“Reggae was born out of rebellion, it reports on what happens on the streets, always has done.

“I think nowadays it doesn't and that's the sad thing about it”, continues Jamo.

“It's all very superficial gone for the Jay Z, bling-bling kind of west thing, which doesn't represent me.

“It was all about the music, but this is the war that's going on, its about taking a side.

“Are you going to get the money, sing about the sex and the cash, or are you gonna struggle, sing about realness and inspire people”.

Revealing a clear indentation on which side Jamo has taken, performing from the soul and about real life has definitely not been a walk in the park for him.

“My recent success comes from a long time of hard work, a long struggle, even a gap of not doing it and helping others, watching, waiting and being patient.

“Now, finally its started to take hold”, says Jamo.

“I sat there and had an open objective of where the music is going, especially my genre, it's more square and empty.

“I've had to rival that philosophy, and I've had to offer up a better alternative to win them back.

“A new production form and an old mind set, challenging what they are putting out, I think I'm giving it a damn good go”, exclaims Jamo.

And finally, what are Jamo's plans for the future?

“My mission is to bring back a balance.

“I want to bring a concept album out. I want to make it hard for you to pick the needle up and move it somewhere else.

“You have to listen to it all and it reads a story”, says Jamo.

“I hope to be right at the forefront, kicking ass and bringing back (proper reggae) into the hands of the DJ, where the love of it is more important than the cost of it”.

Catch Prince Jamo performing along side Wes Bowen at PST, as part of BASS festival. Soul of the Movement. 25^th June, 11pm – 5am.

Revolution in black music: Soul

In the world of R'n'B there has been a long history of musicians who have used the genre not just for expressions of love but for socio-politcal motives, especially during the civil rights movements of the 1960s. Soul music was born out of gospel, the church; expressively using music to testify your devoution to G.O.D.

One of the first artists to have an overtly political message in his music was Sam Cooke. His song "A Change is Gonna Come" became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. 

Soul music fuelled the Black Power movement of the 1960s, it helped defy the prejudices of black Americans as lower class citizens. It strove to raise aspiraitons and elevate consciousness amongst those with African heritage. 

Another amazing soul song which held socio-political message was 'Inner City Blues' by Mr. Marvin Gaye. 

Marvin bemoaned the struggle facing those living in ghettos of inner-city America, how the bleak economic situation would make you want to holler and throw up your hands. For it's time it was revolutionary, "as the civil rights movement staged bigger and bigger demonstrations and increased African-American pride, soul music became more than party music for young blacks: it became a rallying flag for the black nationalist movement. While never truly political in nature, soul music's ascent in the pop charts came to represent one of the first (and most visible) successes of the civil-rights movement." (A brief history of Soul Music) 

And lastly, how can we forget Aretha?

Revolution in black music: Lenny hunts the funk

A youthful Lenny H goes on pursuit of the history of funk, cheesy start but really informative. Loving the soul food section! Yum! 

I have found the others, you need to be on facebook though. 

Wes Bowen (King Beyond) Interview.

Local lad Wes Bowen has always held a huge passion in making reggae beats, and it comes as no surprise that he will be collaborating with legendary vocalist Prince Jamo for Soul of the Movement, a night for BASS Festival.

“It's an interesting project”, says Wes.

“I've been sat in here [studio in Digbeth] getting the music together and I'm only really gonna have a few rehearsals with Jamo.

 “Because of what he does and the nature of his ability to improvise, even if he didn't hear the music beforehand, he'd just turn up and you know it'd be good”.

The project will explore the dub and bass heavy movement as well as paying tribute to those that pioneered the sound, through an array of Birmingham musicians including Bongo Damo and Olbi Iyah.

“With my live engineering and dub mixing, I'm trying to pay homage to the skills and techniques used by early dub artists”.

Wes continues, “you can't mention reggae without mentioning dub, which in terms of technique and approach to writing has informed so much electronic and dance music since it's inception”.

Making it clear that he is very keen to present the origins of most music genres, Wes prepares to share a feel-good celebration of meditational reggae.

Though it seems that he owes a lot to his mother for reggae roots.

“Reggae was my mom's main staple”, says Wes.

“As far back as I remember I was dancing to it”.

“I grew up listening to a lot of King Tubby and Scientist, and I guess they were the first people who took the role as the engineer and developed that skill.

“I was lucky that I had my mom at the time.

“A lot of my mates were happy to listen to pop”.

Bowen's set with Prince Jamo will take dub and reggae back to it's basic techniques.

Normally used in a studio, Wes and Jamo will explore the ideas in a live setting.

“You don't have to have a good in depth music knowledge in terms of theory to be able to play reggae, you just have to feel it”, says Wes.

“It comes across as really raw music.

“You're putting what the music demands rather than having to impose your will on top of it.

“It makes it really honest”.

And finally, what does BASS festival and Soul of the Movement mean to Wes personally?

“It's a celebration of black origin and urban artists.

“Whether you're black or not, black music influences music you listen to, full stop.

“There's so many dub-tinged classics from the 90s, of course trip-hop wouldn't have happened without it.

“It really has spawned a lot”.

Catch Wes Bowen and Prince Jamo performing at PST as part of BASS festival.

Soul of the Movement. 25^th June, 11pm – 5am.