Soul DJ
Posted By Carlo on May 29, 2012
I spent most of this afternoon listening to tracks from Boddie Recording Company, the three-CD box Numero Group released in November. I’m selecting ones to play this Sunday afternoon over WRUW (91.1 FM), the Case Western Reserve radio station.
Shari Wilkins and Jeff Bishop, who DJ there, asked me whether I’d head a show based on recordings waxed at Boddie on Union Avenue near 122nd between the late ‘50s and the early ‘90s. No problem; the Boddie material is at the core of Invisible Soul, the book I’m developing on underground Cleveland soul music.
I’ll also play some non-Numero stuff; I’ve collected a gang of bootlegs, private pressings and burns of material from that era, including way-cool vocals by the Quails, the hard-edged ghetto funk of S.O.U.L., the ethereal doo-wop of the Fabulous Five Flames, and the eerie pop of the Elements. Not to mention CDs by Lou Ragland and Kim Tolliver, hot local performers that made occasional seminational noise.
The idea is to present a show that will focus on Invisible Soul, the underground Cleveland soul music of 30, 40, even 50 years ago. Shari and Jeff recently came across the Boddie box, and they’re hooked. For people in the Cleveland area, the show will run from 2 to 4 p.m. June 3 over WRUW.
I’ve also been going over my interviews. Lots of material there, all beginning to become of a piece. I can see this book taking shape. It’ll be fun to play the music at its heart, music that should have been a hit then. Maybe now’s the time.
Looks good carlo, keep it up, I DJ at WMTS 88.3 in Murfreesboro, TN!