Happy New Year Everybody!!

This is the first Pheno's Lounge episode of 2026 and on this mix I delve into a strng mix of old and new, mostly R&B, with a little funk and smooth jazz mixed in for good measure. I am looking forward to new changes for 2026 but one thing will never change... I shall PROCEED and continue to "Expand On The Smoothness".

Enjoy -
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:

Stephanie Mills - Deeper Inside Your Love (1979)
Michael Henderson - In The Night Time (1978)
Zhane - Sending My Love (1994)
Musiq Soulchild - Buddy (2007)
Lalah Hathaway - If You Want To (2011)
Butterfly Black - Baby Star (2024)
Boney James - Butter (2009)
Alexander O'Neal - When The Party's Over (1987)
Chic - Soup For One (1982)
Al Jarreau - All I Got (2002)
Prince - Jam Of The Year (1996)
Zo! featuring Sy Smith - Crash (2016)
Chico DeBarge - Oh No (2009) 

Wassup Y'all??

Straight from Katzpheno Studios in beautiful downtown Good Good Music Village, comes yet another episode of groove!

Pheno's Lounge is dedicated to expanding on the smoothness, an hour long celebration of R&B, Soul & Smooth Jazz... and so much more. Curated for those with discerning musical taste, like Maxwell House this podcast is good till the last drop.... or at least that's the word of mouth.

Enjoy,
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Kaidi Tatham - Chui Nui (2017)
Boney James - Contact (2011)
Butcher Brown - This Side Of Sunshine (2023)
Ronny Jordan - Word Of Mouth (2003)
Lalah Hathaway - Angel (2015)
D'Angelo and The Vanguard - Back To The Future (2014)
Marcus Miller - Jekyll & Hyde (2012)
James "PJ" Spraggins - 70 x 7 (2015)
George Duke - 6 O'Clock (1992)
Norman Connors featuring Peabo Bryson - You Are My Starship (2009)
Chris Standring - Yesterday's Heaven (2014)
Brandon Williams featuring Choklate & Phil Denny - Where'd You Come From (2014)

Yes, yes y'all another Lounge Mix has dropped - chock full of musical goodies designed to put a smile on your face. You got your ticket, boarding pass, and the itinerary suggests good vibes and love abound so don't be late for your journey on Astral Flight 17. 

See you on the other side.

- Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Sergio Mendes [featuring: Justin Timberlake, Pharoahe Monch & Will.I.Am] - Loose Ends (2006)
Brian Culbertson [featuring: Ledisi] - World Keeps Going Around (2008)
KeiyaA - Take It (2025)
Marc Cary - Astral Flight 17 (2015)
Miguel Migs [featuring: Meshell Ndegeocello] - Tonight (2011)
Living Colour - Love Rears Its Ugly Head (1991)
Dwele - What Profit (2012)
Butcher Brown - DYKWYD (2023)
Chris Strandring - Liquid Soul (2008)
Omar - There's Nothing Like This (1990)
Robert Glasper [featuring: D Smoke & Tiffany Gouche] - Shine (2022)
Lianne LaHavas - Read My Mind (2020)

DJ Katzpheno back again with another world class groove!! 
A little something, something to celebrate the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Just as the days now are a little less hot, but still just as sunny... falling in love in Autumn is a tad more mellow, but still just as yummy!

Enjoy the mix,

Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Michael Henderson - You're My Choice (1980)
Sylvia Striplin - You Can't Turn Me Away (1981)
George Howard - Africa Talks To You The Asphalt Jungle (1998)
Anderson.Paak featuring Lalah Hathaway - Reachin' Too Much (2019)
Butterfly Black - Baby Star (2024)
Euge Groove - Old School (2012)
Rahsaan Patterson - Don't You Know That (2019)
Cleo Sol - When I'm In Your Arms (2020)
The Brand New Heavies - Once Is Twice Enough (2010)
Prince - Xtralovable (2015)
Maxwell - Cold (2009)
Bosco - We Cool (2017)
Terrace Martin featuring Rose Gold - Think Of You (2016)

The Iceman Cometh.... this time with a soulful, bluesy groove...just in time to cool you off during these blistering summer days and nights.

Enjoy,
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Legally Blynd - Nena (2015)
Kendra Morris - As Long As I've Got You (2013)
Prince - Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful (2009)
Little Jackie - 28 Butts (2008)
Donny Osmond - Would I Lie To You? (2000)
Rod Wave - Sinners (2025)
Beyonce - 6 Inch (2016)
Charles Bradley - The World (Is Going Up In Flames) (2011)
Butcher Brown - Espionage (2023)
Alabama Shakes - Don't Wanna Fight (2015)
Robert Cray - I Shiver (1993)
Marcus Miller - Slippin' Into Darkness (2012)
Billy Childs featuring Ledisi - Stoned Soul Picnic (2014)
Gregory Porter - No Love Dying (2013)

Hey Gang!!
DJ Katzpheno Back 2 U with more groove for your mind, body and soul. New music from Lalah Hathaway, Norman Brown and a whole lot more! So go ahead get your groove on... it's all on me and it's all free...like Donny Hathaway said "...someday you'll see we'll all be free..."

Enjoy,
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Lalah Hathaway - Mood For You (2024)
Boney James - I Wanna Show U Sumthin' (2009)
Jeff Bradshaw featuring Tweet & Eric Roberson - All Time Love (2015)
Marc Evans - Falling Back Into Love (2019)
The Brand New Heavies - Let's Do It Again (2006)
DJ Spinna featuring Selan - Back 2 U (2006)
Spur Of The Moment - Steps To The Capital (2006)
Erykah Badu - Think Twice (2003)
Gary Bartz - Big Apple Love (1978)
Chris Standring featuring Mica Paris - No Explanation (2019)
Maurice Brown - Good Vibrations (2010)
The Foreign Exchange featuring Carmen Rodgers - If I Knew Then (2013)
Norman Brown - Chicken Shack (2024)

What Up Y'all?? 

Your friendly neighborhood DJ is on the scene, laying in the cut with a gangster lean. Katzpheno here, bringing you a playlist set for Spring! The April showers are falling and will surely to bring us May flowers. Just as the musical rain of this podcast is sure to take away all your pain. I titled this one "Take It Slow", because those seeds/resolutions you planted in your subconscious at the start of the new year need sun, rain, nourishment and most importantly time to grow, so like all good things in nature, they take it slow and so should you.

Enjoy the mix -
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Boozoo Bajou  - Take It Slow (2009)
Teena Marie - Baby I Love You (2009)
Boney James - I'll Be Good To You (2009)
Rahsaan Patterson - 6 AM (2011)
Maysa - The Bottle (2000)
Dionne Warwick - Move Me No Mountain (1975)
Jesse Boykins III - Amorous (2008)
Angie Stone - I Wasn't Kidding (2005)
Kirk Franklin - Love Theory (2019)
Paul Johnson - Better Than This (2014)
Roberta Flack - You Know What It's Like (1988)
Leon Thomas - Mutt (2024)
Lalah Hathaway & Gregory Porter - Insanity (2016)

My Life, My Life, My Life.... In The Sunshine!

With those 6 words an artist sealed his status in African -American Pop Culture. Roy Ayers was born in South Central LA on September 10th, 1940 and began his career as a post bop jazz artist, releasing several Jazz oriented studio albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped to pioneer Jazz Funk Fusion. Roy Ayers and his band incorporated all flavors in their music, soul, funk, latin and jazz as well as a strong sense of the Black Power Consciousness which was a key element in his music philosophy of Ubiquity (encompassing all things, omnipresence). Roy Ayers has been described as "The Godfather" of Neo Soul and one time he was listed among the performers whose music was most often sampled (and beloved) by rappers.

I grew up in the 1970's and Roy Ayers Ubiquity was truly omnipresent in my household. You could not go to a gathering of any merit and not hear some Roy Ayers music on the stereo. His energy, his passion for love and joy was infectious. He also let you know it was important to develop your mind and to have an African Consciousness. Roy always emphasized the significance of The Motherland collaborating in many of his compositions and in the late 80's he collaborated with The "Godfather" of the Afro Beat, Fela Anikulapo. 

The last time I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live was a few years ago at the Keystone Korner in Baltimore, MD. The place was packed and the band brought the energy, but unfortunately Roy probably close to 80 years old at the time was only partially there, but when the band got the groove right the old spark came alive and Roy let his inner sun shine on us all. I will miss Roy but he left behind memories and a musical legacy that will be a part of my life, my life, my life...forever!

Enjoy the mix,
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Show Us A Feeling (1975)
You And Me My Love (1976)
Brother Green (1975)
Everybody Loves The Sunshine featuring Erykah Badu (2004)
Mystic Voyage (1975)
Simple And Sweet (1979)
Running Away (1977)
Get On Up, Get On Down (1978)
Baby You Give Me A Feeling (1976)
Reaching For The Highest Pleasure (previously unreleased)
I Wanna Touch You Baby (1978)
Hey Uh What You Say Come On (1976)
Don't Stop The Feeling (1979)
Take All The Time You Need (1975)
Oh, What A Lonely Feeling featuring Merry Clayton (previously unreleased)
No Stranger To Love / Want You (1979)
Miles - Love's Silent Dawn (1975)
Searching (1976)

The icons are passing. 

It feels like the moorings are coming loose and the foundational elements I so steadfastly relied upon are no longer there. You know my love of music goes deep, like cradle deep. My older brother, older by a full 11 years, used to tell the story of how he would place my baby crib in front of the family stereo and play his latest 45 rpm singles. He said he knew a song was a hit by the way I wiggled, laughed and rolled around or didn't... I guess. Happy laughing baby brother, a hit, no happy baby brother, a flop. So, music listening and later, music collecting became foundational for me. I have a wide variety of recording artist I love and I have curated quite an extensive catalog of recordings over the years.  But more and more it seems the icons, the foundational ones are leaving us one by one. 

The latest icon to transition is a big one for me. I mean the first time ever I heard this artists voice.... well like her hit song says I felt the earth and the stars move. Roberta Flack had a major impact on me. She possessed a romantic sophistication and class that few could compare to and soul that was full of magic and  love. Classically trained on the piano, she was a child prodigy and as such was awarded a full scholarship at the tender age of 15 to attend and study music at Howard University in Washington, DC. I also attended and graduated from Howard, but no scholarship, no child prodigy and I barely got out with a BA in Communications. Yet and still, I feel an affinity to my fellow alum, her sound speaks to me. I have enjoyed many Jazz performances at the very same DC club were she was discovered in the summer of 1969 by Jazz pianist Les McCann. I walked the yard where she walked and ate lunch outside on a sunny day on campus bench or under a tree where she probably did as well. Since the news of her passing I have been diving deep into my listening sessions of her music, concert videos and interviews (thank GOD for YouTube). All of this has awakened in me a sense of romance that I thought had withered with age and worry. That is the power of music, the power of spirit reaching out and speaking to spirit. It can make dry bones dance! You know they don't make love songs like they used to anymore, but I sure am glad I collected all the ones I cherish and here are a few... I'll share with you, it's OK, Roberta said I could.

Enjoy,
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
Roberta Flack - Lovin' You (Is Such An Easy Thing To Do) (1981)
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - You Are My Heaven (1980)
Roberta Flack - In A Sentimental Mood (1994)
Roberta Flack - What A Woman Really Means (1978)
Roberta Flack featuring Luther Vandross - If Only For One Night (1980)
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Back Together Again (1980)
Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love (1975)
Roberta Flack - Sweet Georgia Brown (1994)
Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song (1973)
Roberta Flack - Do What You Gotta Do (1970)
Roberta Flack - Compared To What (1969)
Roberta Flack - Qual e Malindrinho (1981)
Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest - Set The Night To Music (1991)
Roberta Flack - Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love) (1980)
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Where Is The Love (1972)
Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (1969)

Pheno's Lounge is baaaack! 
And beware y'all - this one is NASTY! This episode is chock full of all those chocolate covered goodies, you know the ones so tasty and juicy you can't seem to get enough of that FUNKY stuff! Admittedly these are stressful, troubled times we are living in and to get through these coming days we gonna need a lot of help and thangs.... but of all the thangs we need, most of all... WE NEED THE FUNK!

Enjoy the mix,
Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix

featuring:
The Steve Gaad Band - Rat Race (2018)
Funkadelic - Baby Like Fonkin' It Up (2014)
Xenia Rubinos -Mexican Chef (2016)
Marcus Miller - Mr. Clean (2012)
The Headhunters featuring N'ea Davenport & Tre Henderson - Watch Your Back (1998)
Joi featuring Big Gipp - Munchies For Your Love (2002)
Bootsy's Rubber Band - Disciples Of Funk (1990)
Graham Central Station - Water (1975)
Funk, Inc. - Goodbye, So Long (1973)
Fantastic Negrito - The Duffler (2018)
Erykah Badu - Love (2010)
The Black Eyed Peas - The Boogie That Be (2003)
Prince - Kiss (2000)
Ohio Players - I Want To Be Free (1974)