recorded this a few months back and due to usual tardiness it's taken time to get here. mixture of CDR material plus beats i like, mostly new but not all.. many many thanks to those who gave me songs to use

the tracks:

Bronx River Pkwy loop..
Black Smile - Black Smile Theme/My Dizzy Days
FPS - Sun-ra edit
Heralds of Change - Future
Yann Kesz - Electric Noise
Flying Lotus - Spicy Sammich
Bullion - Here Today
Jaylib - React
Paul White - beat
Clause Four - beat
Raymond Scott / Muhmammad Ali
Analog Jones - Sweat It Out
Rednose Distikt - Wop
Pilooski - Can't There Be Love
Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia - The Wave (IG Culture Science Jazz Mix)
Soundspecies - The Weirdness
AJ's Dilemma - Futurebound
Steve & i - 96
Morgan Zarate - M.A.B
Black Smile - Robots Robots Robots
Paul White - beat
Kaspar vs. Jakzen - Why Deny (Toga Party Mweslee Remix)
SA-RA - Wonderful
Paul White - beat
Rednose Distikt ft Harco Pront - Popsong
Dimlite - Runindicator
Teebs & Jackhigh - Clutch
Dolly - Added Efforts

The link:

new link [nov 08] - ben v - Rugged

The Sky Will Soon Be Full Of Suns on Michael Ruetten’s Compost Soulsearching Radio Show, 525

Recorded during the downpours of the summer, this is a follow up to my Green & Pleasant Lands compilation. It opens with orchestral delights conducted by the man behind the Avengers theme tune, with a weighty combination of London Philharmonic and such prominent jazzmen as Kenny Wheeler, Joe Harriott, Tubby Hayes, Tony Coe and Stan Tracey, then jaunts through songs from this millennium to back in the 1960s.

Many thanks to Michael for including it on his always superb show. It can be heard/podcasted via these sites, some are direct links, for those which aren’t select show 525:

Straight Up  ¦¦   Milk Audio Podcast   ¦¦   Giant Step   ¦¦  Samurai Fm

For discussion on the Brownswood msgboard - read here

The Shhhhh folks have also be so kind as to host it this version includes the closing tune which didn’t fit onto the Soulsearching show - Examples of 12s’ Orange/Gold (Impossible Ark).

http://www.shhhhh.co.uk/guest/

Thanks to Mr Benson for the artwork & Sheila for the photo of Bognor Regis

many thanks to everyone who has listened and especially those who have given some response. G&P Lands can still be downloaded via the Shhhh site (see previous blog) plus it is being broadcasted in a couple of other ways.

the gents at if music have included G&P Lands as a podcast, available HERE

plus it is also due to be broadcast this Saturday 2nd June on Tiago Santos' Planeta Jazz show on Portuguese radio - Radio Oxigenio 102.6 FM LISBON/ www.oxigenio.fm. No time difference with the UK, the show runs 8pm-10pm. Obrigado Tiago!

Download Green & Pleasant Lands - link to a zip file

Inspired by music I love that has spawned in the UK and embraces jazz/classical/soul/fusion/funk, I decided to compile a mix that journeyed through these sounds, all made in the UK. Possibly the most patriotic thing I've done and proof for me of the wealth of music that exists in this island, and has done for the past 40 years. So many fantastic musicians either from the UK (Michael Garrick, Mike Westbrook, Neil Ardley, Chris Bowden, Jason Swinscoe), or who have taken up residency (Joe Harriott, Shake Keane, Harold McNair, Mark de Clive-Lowe).

A hero of mine - he used to live on the road next to where I grew up, all be it in different centuries.. - William Blake inspired the title in his legendary work - Jerusalem.

The gents involved with the Shhhhh compilations (shouts to you all) have kindly hosted the mix and at some point I'll have a few CDs with artwork to give out. The variety of sounds on shhhhh (http://www.shhhhh.co.uk) are awesome, high brow selections focused on phenomenal jazz through to the freshest of material by today's Beatmakers. So much diverse quality music freely available.

Enjoy, feedback welcomed as always  

  Tracklistings:

1)Mike Westbrook Orchestra - Santarcangelo - Part C - Jerusalem
2)Chris Bowden - Mothers and Daughters Now Mothers
3)Mike Westbrook Orchestra - Santarcangelo - Part E - Piped Music
4)Nostalgia 77 Octet - Wildflower
5)Harold McNair - The Hipster
6)Colman Brothers - El Niño (cha cha mix)
7)Michael Garrick Trio With Joe Harriott and Shake Keane - Vishnu
8)Neil Ardley - Fair Mirage
9)Cymande - Brothers on the Slide
10)Working Week - No Cure No Pay
11)Sirius B - Star Jamming aka Sirius
12)The Politik - High Priestess
13)Aaron Jerome - Reason Why
14)Cinematic Orchestra - Wheel Within a Wheel

Many thanks to Mr Benson for sorting the cover art & especially to Laura PoW for taking the original photo.

Hectic and brilliant start to the year. Recorded this last week, big thanks to my man Benjoid, Well Hung Olly & Laura the Princess of Wales.

Here's the mix [click on title..]

Stress Batterer

here's the tracks:

Freddie Hubbard (ft Al Jarreau) - Little Sunflower (Soul Brother)
Nobody - The All Golden Fronts (Plug Research)
Steve Spacek (produced by J Dilla) - Dollar (Sound in Color)
Nomo - Nu Tones (Ubiquity)
War - Me & Baby Brother (Far Out/Island)
Radio Citizen - The Prophets
Mark Murphy - Sly (BBE)
Novi Singers - It Doesn't Matter (JCR)
Plumstead Radical Club - One Way (Impossible Ark Records)
Chris Bowden Beautiful Nasty [4Hero remix] (Ninja tune)
The Cinematic Orchestra (ft. Fontella Bass) - Evolution II [Mr P Remix] (Ninja Tune)
Domu (ft. Nix) - Last Time (Archive/Dipiu)

enjoy...

Spent much of the weekend watching England get pasted in the cricket. Recorded two mixes, one I've labelled Deeep, the other Soulfilled.

Deeep - http://www.sendspace.com/file/mw5bn7

Word of warning from Sweet FM DJ.
1. J Dilla - Last Donut of the Night
2. Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Pieces of a Man
3. The Graham Collier Septet - Crumblin' Cookie
4. David Axelrod - The Human Abstract
5. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - Jupiter
6. John Coltrane - Alabama
7. Mulatu Astatké - Yekermo Sew
8. Sahib Shihab - Companionship (I+II)
9. Flying Lotus (Ft Laura Darlington) - Unexpected Delight
10. Makoto Ozone - Endless Season Pt I
11. Horace Tapscott & the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra - Lift Every Voice
12. Examples of Twelves - Part 3 - Orange/Gold

Soulfilled - http://www.sendspace.com/file/lhsqkg

1. Return to Forever - The Musician
2. Eddie Russ - Zaius
3. RTB Band - Balkan Express
4. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - Balicky Bon
5. Jorge Lopez Ruiz 5 - Mirosbass
6. Donald Byrd - Where Are We Going?
7. Keni Burke - Risin' to the Top (Give it all you Got)
8. Carol Williams - Cant get away (From your love)
9. Jazz not Jazz - Free the Funk
10. Idris Muhammad - Moon Hymn
11. The Clarke-Boland Big Band - Sakara
12. Roberta Flack - Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye
13. Diana Ross & The Supremes - My World is Empty Without You
14. Bobbi Humphrey - New York Times
15. Terry Callier - You Don't Care

enjoy, Ben ;]

For the music heads, it's worth checking a wonderful radio show which broadcasts on Belgradian radio or can be streamed or downloaded via the www. I've been listening for a while and the shows have provided me with hours of incredible musically treats. Jazz - Soul - Funk & much more.

Zeljko the gent behind the terrific record label, Cosmic Sounds, records a show monthly, and I was fortuanate enough to have the guest mix for the October show. Hope folks can check it & Zeljko's archived shows too.

October show tracks
1st hour with ZELJKO KERLETA:   
01. CONJURE - General Science (American Clave)
02. BEN SIDRAN - Now I Live (Verve)
03. TABLEAUX feat. BRAIN VACATION - Call On (demo CD-R)
04. NATHAN DAVIS - Flute In Blue (Saba)
05. JOHNNY HARRIS - Fragments Of Fear (Warner Bros)
06. CAIRO JAZZ BAND - Oriental Mood (Art Yard)
07. SUN RA - Egypt Strut (Leo)
08. MARASH MIUCISION - Only For One (Liberty)
09. FUNKY NASSAU feat Carlos - Look What You Can Get (Kenny Dope Edit)(Kay-Dee)
10. ORGONE - Funky Nassau (Compost)
11. TRIBBET & GA - No Way (the gospel chant) (Sony BMG)
12. EARTH WIND & FIRE - Wanna Be With You (CBS)

2nd Hour BEN V
01. DAVID AXELROD - London (Capital, 1969)
02. DON RENDELL & IAN CARR QUINTET - Blue Mosque (BGO Records, 2004)
03. HIRD (feat. Yukimi Nagano) - Fading Blues (Dealers Of Nordic Music, 2004)
04. OLLI AHVENLAHTI - Grandma`s Rocking Chair (Crippled Dick Hot Wax!, 2002)
05. MULATU ASTATKE - Yègellé Tezeta (Buda Musique, 1998)
06. BILLY PAUL - East (Philadelphia International Records, 1971)
07. BILLIE HOLIDAY - Speak Low [Bent remix] (Verve, 2005)
08. STAN TRACEY QUARTET - Starless & Bible Black (Universal Jazz, 2004)
09. MARK DE CLIVE LOWE & FREESOUL CREW - Heaven (live at Maida Vale) (Columbia, 2006)
10. LITTLE DRAGON - Test (Off the Wall, 2006)
11. LENNY WHITE - Wolfbane (Hip Bop Essence, 1995)
12. AMADOU & MARIAM - Artistiya (Manteca, 2006)
13. QUANTIC - Bomb In A Trumpet Factory (Tru Thoughts, 2006)
14. MATTHEW HERBERT (vocals- Neil Thomas & Dani Siciliano) - The Movers and the Shakers (!K7, 2006) 

been contributing some words to the online music magazine Fly.

http://www.fly.co.uk

articles include:

Akli D - Ma Yela

emil viklicky trio - cookin in bonn

BBE 10th Anniversary

CDR at Plastic People

Freesoul sessions at Jazz Cafe

more words (added jan 2007)

Chico Mann - Manifest Tone Vol 1

Finn Peters at Other Worlds, Guanabara

Amadou & Mariam at Roundhouse

Stan Tracy Trio as part of London Jazz Festival

Robert Mitchell Trio at Basement Jazz Sessions

Fat Freddys Drop dnb & dub remixes

Nostalgia 77 Octet - The Impossible Equation

Longevity. Some albums may sound splendid after a few listens but soon get stuck on the shelf. Not this. Nostalgia 77 (aka Benedic Lamdin) and Octet have crafted a genuine future classic. Recorded in early 2006 in Wales the Octet have complied 3 tracks totalling nearly 40 minutes, this is contemporary epic jazz inspired by UK or US greats, from Graham Collier to the Arkestras of Sun-ra or Horace Tapscott.

Side A contains the title track, The Impossible Equation that takes you on a steady, 20-minute, wonder-filled journey, that builds with spooky percussive beats, sails through untamed horn arrangements over rich drum hits and concludes with gentle horns that flirt with, then rise out of wriggling piano notes.

Arguably the LPs highlight is on the B side with a fantastic rendition of Jesse Sharps' composition 'Desert Fairy Princess' (original versions feature on Nimbus West releases).
The impact of the opening horn riff that drifts in is as Great as in Horace Tapscott & the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra's original. As the song unwinds the melodies enthral and engage. This enchanting composition is a terrific choice of song to cover, and like the best cover versions it is a delight in it's own right whilst also drawing attention to the original track.

The LP's finale is a short song that rises out of an extended heavy cymbal-led intro, titled 'Well Being I'. As with the title track this is a new composition by the Nostalgia 77 Octet and yet another atmospheric treat. 

The Octet consist of Graham Fox - Drums, Riaan Vosloo - Bass, Ben Lamdin - Guitar, Ross Stanley - Pianos, Tom Allan - Trumpet, Trevor Mires - Trombone, Jonny Spall - Alto Sax, Mark Hanslip - Tenor Sax. They are currently touring the UK, details of the tour and previous releases can be found on their website. The LP is a limited edition vinyl only release on Tru Thoughts. There are links below to where it can be purchased. One to enjoy now and play the Grandchildren in years to come.

Links

http://www.nostalgia77.com/
http://www.tru-thoughts.co.uk/?page=records/release.html&id=140
http://www.tru-thoughts.co.uk

http://www.nimbuswest.com/

I am no Hiphop dj so no spectacular mixing. Features some of my favourite ever hiphop tracks, I'm pleased with the selections, blending old & new stuff with acts from both sides of the Atlantic, some smooth ones & plenty of firers. Feedback welcomed, Enjoy.

Tracklist
---------------------
1. Bone thugs n harmony - Thuggish Ruggish Bone
2. broke n english - History
3. 4hero - The Action (Visioneers Remix)
4. MC Solaar - Nouveau Western
5. nas - heaven
6. mentat/skinnyman - When I Give My Heart To You (original cut)
7. common - the light
8. grandmaster flash - The_Message (Roots Manuva Remix)
9. lady sovereign - random (brucker & sinden remix)
10. Diamond D - I Went For Mine
11. only child feat. Kriminul - memories
12. madvillian feat. Viktor Vaughan - Fancy clown
13. Pharoahe monch - agent orange (produced by Sa-Ra)
14. dangerDoom & cee-lo - benzi box
15. jaylib - the red
16. digable planets - Dedicated

http://www.sendspace.com/file/nvlk3p