Had expected to have a guest DJ, Alberto Sol, but unfortunately he wasn’t able to make it (you can catch him at Funky Sole’s Cinco De Mayo fiesta), so that meant I had to bring a little extra vinyl but I’ll never complain about that. Only thing that I knew I wanted to play for today’s show was something to commemorate the LA Uprisings of 1992, since Sunday was the 20th anniversary. I mention a bit of what I remember living in Atlanta at the time of this historic event and decided to play Ben Harper’s “Like A King,” which I think is probably one of the better songs written in the wake of the riots. When I was at WRAS, Album 88, we had a 7 minute long acoustic version of this that he’d performed at the station, I really wish I still had that somewhere, it was just amazingly raw and beautiful, as good as the studio version is, it’s always paled in comparison. From there we have a couple more songs that seemed fitting for the date, “A Tree Never Grown” from the short lived, but very necessary, Hip-Hop For Respect project and “The Creator Has A Master Plan” from Leon Thomas. After that first set, all bets were off as I went all over the map, from some funky funky sounds from La Clave and Soul Toranodoes, to psychedelic tunes from Edip Akbayram, John Howard Abdnor and spiritual jazz from Charlie Haden & the Liberation Music Orchestra. Next week I’ll be at KPFK’s Hero Awards, so Oliver Wang of the legendary Soul-Sides.com will be filling in for me…see you back on the air in two weeks!
Melting Pot on KPFK #83: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #83: Second Hour
Playlist: 04-29-2012
{opening theme} Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot – Is What’s Happening (Dynamic)
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Ben Harper – Like A King – Welcome To The Cruel World (Virgin)
Hip-Hop For Respect – A Tree Never Grown – Hip-Hop For Respect 12” (Rawkus)
Leon Thomas – The Creator Has A Master Plan – Spirits Known And Unknown (Flying Dutchman)
El Chicano – Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child – Viva Tirado (Kapp)
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La Clave – Latin Slide – La Clave (Verve)
The Hook – Homes – The Hook Will Grab You (UNI)
Charlie Musselwhite – 4 p.m. – Stand Back! (Vanguard)
Natural Gas – Live & Learn – Natural Gas (Firebird)
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Ranil & his Tropical Band – Cumbia Sin Nombre – Ranil’s Jungle Party (Masstropicas)
The Soul Toranodoes – Go For Yourself – 7” (Magic City)
Edip Akbayram – Ince Ince Bir Kar Yagar – 7” (Sayan)
Muddy Waters – Herbert Harper’s Free Press – Electric Mud (Cadet Concept)
Nancy Priddy – You’ve Come This Way Before – You’ve Come This Way Before (Dot)
Zoo – Mammouth – Zoo (Mercury)
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The Moon People – Happy Soul – Land Of Love (Speed)
Ohio Players – Funky Work – 7” (Westbound)
Clarence Reid – Masterpiece – 7” (Alston)
BW Souls – Marvin’s Groove – 7” (Round)
Jorge Ben – A Historia De Jorge – Africa Brasil (Philips)
Johnny Lytle – Daahoud – Be Proud (Solid State)
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Uniao Black – Geracao Black – Uniao Black (Mercury)
Jeremy Steig – Nardis – Portrait (UA)
John Howard Abdnor Involvement – Relaxation – Intro To Change (Abnak)
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Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra – La Santa Espina / Els Segadores – Ballad OF The Fallen (ECM)
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{closing theme} Joe Henderson – Earth – The Elements (Milestone)