Sunday the 3rd of May was James Brown's birthday - the Godfather would've turned 93 - but rather than trot out the usual JB bangers, we went completely sideways with global covers, reinterpretations and JB-adjacent joints from every corner of the globe: Brazilian jazz-funk, Afrobeat, big band, boogaloo, library music, orchestral easy listening, and everything in between. Enoch Light's lush big band arrangement of "Hot Pants," Dick Hyman's barrelhouse take on "Give It Up or Turnit Loose," ESG's stark post-punk reimagining of "There Was a Time," Albert King cutting "Cold Sweat" from a Delta blues angle, joined by Combo Xingu, Larry Willis, NZ's Quincy Conserve, and the Boogaloo Combo.

Kirk held it down through the boogie and soul section with some serious heat, and from there we moved into a deep run of soul, jazz-funk, smooth boogie, and contemporary beats - from Azymuth's cosmic Brazilian groove and Bob James to George Benson, Shakatak, Shalamar, and and exclusive spin of some forthcoming heat from one of NZ music's MVPs: Nathan Haines.

The back end got more current with Los Retros, Ego Ella May, Corto Alto, and Shy One's "Nort Wess" choppy electro and grime-inflected mid-range synths released on South London's Touching Bass late last year. We rounded things out with Orgone's deep funk stomp "Hambone" and Alex Nut and Steve Spacek's "Bright." A big spread for a big birthday - happy 93rd, JB!

The Swap Meet is a market-stall sprawl of finds from across the spectrum of black music, where the logic is curatorial rather than chronological. Pass go at the Chicago soul continuum: Jerry Butler's Gamble & Huff productions sitting near Terry Callier's folk-tinged melancholy and Jill Scott's 21st century soul interpretation - alongside the Philly institution of MFSB's "Love Is the Message," one of those eternal records. Rufus and Chaka comes from their mid-70s peak on ABC, Campbell revisits Jhelisa's "Friendly Pressure" part of the '94 Acid Jazz scene (on Dorado) before switching to Brothers Johnson's jazz-funk alongside Spyro Gyra and The Crusaders.

Further afield Gilberto Gil's "Maracatu Atômico" and the Aposento Alto gospel cut sit in the same programme as Tapper Zukie's Kingston pressure, Area Code 615's Nashville session-player funk, and a clutch of contemporary releases demonstrate that the search ain't over; sampling Chuck Bynum, The Mighty Tiny & The Many Few, and Glenn Meinecke. The modern soul pocket is well covered: Odyssey, Two Tons of Fun, Steve Parks, the Dianne Reeves track from her pre-Blue Note years. 

That's the blurb - now it's time to listen.

RIP Asha Bhosle, HB Bernie Worrell!

Kirk's back for another fix. This week celebrating 50 years since the release of Norman Connors 'You Are My Starship' album, also 40 years since the release of The S.O.S Band's 'Sands Of Time' & Chris Rea's 'On The Beach' albums, plus birthday shout outs to Brenda Russell for the 8th, Jazmine Sullivan & Steve Gadd for the 9th, Louis Johnson & Peabo Bryson for the 13th. 

Last night's show was three hours for James Gadson, one of THE seminal drummers of soul, funk and disco, who left us this week. If you don't know the name, you almost certainly know the unmistakable 16 note accents, deep pocket playing that underpins some of the most beloved soul, funk and R&B records ever made. From the raw funk of Dyke & the Blazers and Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St Band, through the sophistication of Phyllis Hyman and Patrice Rushen, to Bill Withers' timeless catalogue and D'Angelo proving Gadson's genius translated across generations - every track on last night's show had one thing in common, and that was the man wielding the sticks.

Three hours is barely enough time to scratch the surface of what James Gadson contributed to recorded music. A session drummer at the heart of the Los Angeles soul scene, he played on an extraordinary breadth of records, often uncredited, always indispensable. We went deep to tip our hat to a true giant. Rest easy sir.

Last night's show was three hours for James Gadson, one of THE seminal drummers of soul, funk and disco, who left us this week. If you don't know the name, you almost certainly know the unmistakable 16 note accents, deep pocket playing that underpins some of the most beloved soul, funk and R&B records ever made. From the raw funk of Dyke & the Blazers and Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St Band, through the sophistication of Phyllis Hyman and Patrice Rushen, to Bill Withers' timeless catalogue and D'Angelo proving Gadson's genius translated across generations - every track on last night's show had one thing in common, and that was the man wielding the sticks.

Three hours is barely enough time to scratch the surface of what James Gadson contributed to recorded music. A session drummer at the heart of the Los Angeles soul scene, he played on an extraordinary breadth of records, often uncredited, always indispensable. We went deep to tip our hat to a true giant. Rest easy sir.

It's the Tairāwhiti takeover at the Meet today with b-boy Matty B and aural archiologist Cassawarrior joining host Campbell Ngata for essential selects to keep the b airways stocked with all the funky treats you have come to depend on for your Sunday afternoon listening pleasure.

Oogun in the area! 

This edition of Swap Meet on 95bFM sees Oogun of Drunk Elephant Sound take the controls again.

We have to kick off with Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (as he's just announched a show 30 May at the Auckland Town Hall), celebrate 40 years of Anita Baker's Rapture LP. From there the show journeys through Hammond organ jazz courtesy of Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery, the irresistible samba groove of birthday boy Jorge Ben, Zanzibari taarab rhythms from Rashid Makame, and the hypnotic desert blues of DJ Bamanan. Rail Band and Orchestra OK Jazz bring the golden age of Malian and Congolese rumba into the mix, while Ebo Taylor and the Souljazz Orchestra represent the broader Pan-African sweep that runs through the whole set.

Oogun also brings original productions - "Version for Version" and "Deep Architecture" teaming with OSC alias  sitting alongside dub selections from Mungo's Hifi, Matty G and Jaffa Sound that give the show its NuZillund reggae tip. We spin Gang Starr to salute Preem's birthday, Ethiopian jazz textures arrive via Zena's "Kazanchis" (Brownswood) and AHC's "Push Me Pull You," and the cosmic soul of Nona Hendryx and Azimuth round things out. Press the button.

Oogun in the area! 

This edition of Swap Meet on 95bFM sees Oogun of Drunk Elephant Sound take the controls again.

We have to kick off with Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (as he's just announched a show 30 May at the Auckland Town Hall), celebrate 40 years of Anita Baker's Rapture LP. From there the show journeys through Hammond organ jazz courtesy of Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery, the irresistible samba groove of birthday boy Jorge Ben, Zanzibari taarab rhythms from Rashid Makame, and the hypnotic desert blues of DJ Bamanan. Rail Band and Orchestra OK Jazz bring the golden age of Malian and Congolese rumba into the mix, while Ebo Taylor and the Souljazz Orchestra represent the broader Pan-African sweep that runs through the whole set.

Oogun also brings original productions - "Version for Version" and "Deep Architecture" teaming with OSC alias  sitting alongside dub selections from Mungo's Hifi, Matty G and Jaffa Sound that give the show its NuZillund reggae tip. We spin Gang Starr to salute Preem's birthday, Ethiopian jazz textures arrive via Zena's "Kazanchis" (Brownswood) and AHC's "Push Me Pull You," and the cosmic soul of Nona Hendryx and Azimuth round things out. Press the button.