Luaka Bop in the studio and America’s radical independent labels – Listen to the new VF Show on Soho Radio

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Listen to the latest instalment of our monthly Soho Radio show.

For the first time in its relatively short history, we welcome a special guest into the studio for the VF Show. In London for David Byrne’s Meltdown, we’re joined by Eric Welles Nyström of New York record label Luaka Bop, and the man almost single-handedly responsible for turning enigmatic Nigerian synth pioneer William Onyeabor into a worldwide sensation.

With their first release project on the way since William Onyeabor, Eric came in to introduce Doug Hream Blunt, the self-taught San Fran guitarist and band-leader who recorded and self-released just one record, learning his craft playing live shows in the hospital where he worked as a nurse.

As well as a host of new VF releases – Jamie Lidell and Nozinja from Station To Station, a track from Planet Mu’s forthcoming 20th anniversary compilation and a new Firehouse Recordings test-pressing – the second half of the show is dedicated to the radical and independent record labels to emerge from Civil Rights era America in the ’60s and ’70s.

Picking up where our feature on Art Ensemble Of Chicago left off, we take a snapshot of the arts organisations, labels and recordings from Detroit, St Louis, New York and California that took matters into their own hands to release some of the most urgent jazz, funk and politically charged music of the era.

Listen to the whole show now, below:

Tracklist:

William Onyeabor – Fantastic Man (Luaka Bop)
William Onyeabor – Let’s Fall In Love (Luaka Bop)
Doug Hream Blunt – Ride The Tiger (Luaka Bop)
Doug Hream Blunt – Gentle Persuasion (Luaka Bop)
Doug Hream Blunt – Whisky Man (Luaka Bop)
Doug Hream Blunt – Caribbean Queen (Luaka Bop)
Lonnie Holley – Looking For All (All Rendered Truth) (Dust To Digital)

Jozef K & Winter Son ft. Flora Cruz – Tribal Rhythm (Firehouse recordings / The Vinyl Factory)
Kuedo – Slow Knife (Planet Mu / The Vinyl Factory)
Jamie Lidell – New Eyes (The Vinyl Factory)
Nozinja ft. Mumdance, Micachu & Tirzah – Thinking Of You (The Vinyl Factory)

Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Theme De Yoyo (Pathé)
Phil Cohran – New Frankiphone Blues (Zulu Records)
Phil Cohran – African Look (Zulu Records)
Wendell Harrison – Consciousness (Tribe)
Doug Hammond – Wake Up, Brothers (Tribe)
Lyman Woodard Organization – Saturday Night Special (Part 1) (Strata Records)
Gil Scott-Heron – The Bottle (Strata East Records)
Doug Carne ft. Jean Carne – Infant Eyes (Black Jazz)

Golden Rules ft. Yasiin Bey – Never Die (Lex Records)
Jeremy Deller – Voodoo Ray (Optimo remix) (The Vinyl Factory)