Even without a show today, I still get a chance to give some treats just ahead of Halloween. This is the second of two giveaways for this week, this time I have a pair of tickets available for All female Indie-Rock Supergroup Wild Flag, featuring Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney and Mary Timony of Helium. These women love to jump around, have fun and rock the house and you could be there if you win tickets! All you have to do is e-mail by 12noon on Tuesday November 1st to michael[at]meltingpotblog.com to get a chance to win for either show!

It’s fundraiser time once again at KPFK and Melting Pot is going to be doing it’s part this weekend, Sunday October 23rd!!! It’s likely we’ll only be on for one week this fundraiser, so if you’re a fan of the show and can support the station that puts us on the air please support independent community radio!!!

This is probably the most excited I’ve been ahead of a fundraiser because the music I have for you guys is so spectacular. First off, we have an amazing 4 pack (really 5 pack) of CDs available at $125 to new KPFK subscribers, including the following:

Phonte – Charity Starts At Home
Ocote Soul Sounds – Taurus
Charles “Packy” Axton – Late Late Party 1965-1967
Michael James Kirkland – Don’t Sell Your Soul (2CD)

During my two hours only, I’ll also have a special limited (only 10 available) bonus 4 pack of CDs that you’ll be able to get as an add-on if you pledge $100 or more. You could transform the 4 pack into an 8 pack for the exact same price (and getting these 8 CDs for $125 is LESS than it would cost to buy them!) Included in the bonus pack are the following CDs:

DJ Shadow – The Less You Know, The Better
Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams
AM & Shawn Lee – Celestial Electric
Quantic – The Best Of Quantic (2CD)

We’ll have some amazing tickets to incredible shows as well, as add-on’s for pledges of $100 or more:

Tinariwen @ the Luckman Fine Arts Complex October 29th
Jane Birkin @ the Luckman Fine Arts Complex December 3rd
Aaron Neville @ the Luckman Fine Arts Complex December 17th
Wanda Jackson + Best Coast @ Club Nokia December 31st/New Year’s Eve

Finally, every person who donates on my show will be entered into a sweepstakes to win a copy of the recently released Jimi Hendrix Experience – Winterland 4 CD Boxset!!!

This is the Experience at the height of their powers, in 1968, recorded live in san Francisco and the set is amazing. Back in the 1980s they issued just a one-disc version of these concerts, but this includes almost 5 hours of material + a rare interview with Jimi Hendrix and a beautiful 36 page booklet. If you give $1 or $1,000 you’ll have a chance at winning this amazing box set, but you’ll have to donate during Melting Pot this Sunday from 4-6pm West Coast Time…tune in, tell a friend, spread the word and help support Melting Pot and radio powered by the people, KPFK Los Angeles!!!

{Update 8-22-2011: I’d originally planned on having these be temporary, but I’ve changed my mind…I’ll leave these up as long as the blog keeps truckin’ along}

As promised, here are our anniversary mixes, with my Top 20 tracks from each of the first two years of Melting Pot…Dig on it!!!

Melting Pot’s Deepest Digs Volume 1

Tracklisting:

1. Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot – Is What’s Happening (Dynamic)
2. Sugar Billy – Too Much Too Soon – Super Duper Love (Fast Track)
3. Ken Boothe – Time Passage – Everything I Own (Trojan)
4. Yuzo Kayama – Violet Sky – All About Yuzo Kayama (Toshiba)
5. The Corporation – India (excerpt) – The Corporation (Capitol)
6. Rotary Connection – Life Could – Aladdin (Cadet Concept)
7. Toni Tornado – Me Libertei – Toni Tornado (Odeon)
8. The Inner Drive – Party Man – 7″ (Zodiac)
9. The Soul Runners – Green Thump – 7″ (Patches)
10. The Purpose – Dustcracks, Bugs & Roaches – The Purpose Is… (ABC)
11. Roberto Carlos – Nao Vou Ficar – Roberto Carlos (CBS)
12. The U.S. Apple Corps – Don’t Do Me Nothing – Let The Music Take Your Mind (Plantation)
13. Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation – Memory Of Pain – Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation (Blue Thumb)
14. Gal Costa – Hotel Das Estrellas – Le Gal (Phillips)
15. Barry Goldberg – Sittin’ In Circles – Reunion (Buddah)
16. Eva Pilarová – Vážky – Eva (Supraphon)
17. U.S. 69 – I’m On My Way (Patch Of Blue) – Yesterday’s Folks (Buddah)
18. Philip Cohran & the Artistic Heritage Ensemble – Unity – Philip Cohran & the Artistic Heritage Ensemble (Zulu)
19. Leigh Stephens – Another Dose Of Life – Red Weather (Phillips)
20. Cactus – You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover – Cactus (Atco)

Melting Pot’s Deepest Digs Volume 2

Tracklisting:

1. Gil Scott Heron & Brian Jackson – Offering – First Minute Of A New Day (Arista)
2. Antonio Carlos e Jocafi – Hipnose – Voce Abusou (RCA)
3. The Battered Ornaments – Crosswords and the Safety Pins – Mantle-Piece (Harvest)
4. The Pretty Things – Cries From The Midnight Circus – Parachute (Rare Earth)
5. Jeffrey Simmons – Naked Angels Theme – Naked Angels: Original Soundtrack (Straight)
6. Marilia Pera – Shirley Sexy – O Cafona: Original Soundtrack (Som Livre)
7. Juan Pablo Torres y Algo Nuevo – Pastel En Descarga – Super Son (Arieto)
8. Sound Foundation – Soul Foundation – Sound Foundation (Smobro)
9. Jun Mayuzumi – Black Room – 7″ (Capitol)
10. Clarence Reid – Masterpiece – 7″ (Alston)
11. Freddie Robinson – Off The Cuff – Off The Cuff (Enterprise)
12. Franciene Thomas – Too Beautiful To Be Good – 7″ (Tragar)
13. Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra – Returning To The Stars – Chariots Of The Gods: Original Soundtrack (Polydor)
14. Andrew Hill – Illusion – One For One (Blue Note)
15. Elis Regina – Andança – Elis, Como E Porque (Phillips)
16. Asha Bhonsle & Suresh Wadkar – Yeh Hewa Yey Fiza – Sadma: Original Soundtrack (CBS)
17. Ray Camacho Group – Si Se Puede – Salsa Chicana (Californio/Luna)
18. Rastus – Sailin’ Easy – Rastus (GRT)
19. Arnold Bean – I Can See Through You – Cosmic Bean (SSS International)
20. Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Bright Moments – Bright Moments (Atlantic)

{Update: Now I see why I wasn’t able to get a mix up last year, it’s damn hard picking through these posts for the top tracks. Additionally I think the concept of “33 & 1/3″ songs is pretty cool, but I don’t have the skills to chop things up to make it into a concise and entertaining mix, so I’ll be posting my two anniversary mixes on 7-14 instead of today 7-11…They’ll feature my Top 20 faves from the past year’s Dig Deep section and I’m gonna call them “Melting Pot’s Deepest Digs” and I hope you’ll dig them too!}

Today marks exatly two years since I started this blog. On a personal and professional note, the past year has been hectic and a bit rough at times, but I’ve been able to keep the posts and the music coming here on Melting Pot. I feel like I’ve let a few things slide, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to get back to features I haven’t been posting nearly as regularly as I would like (such as Top 5′s, What Does It All Mean? and Pound For Pounds) and digging even deeper for the ones that have become a regular fixture on this blog.

The number of people checking things out has continued to increases every month since the beginning and for that I’m very very thankful. Thanks to all of you who check out the blog, the music, the radio show and especially those of you who have supported KPFK and Melting Pot in the past. Please continue to spread the word about this blog and the radio show!

At last year’s anniversary I’d mentioned that I was thinking of doing a mix of music from the past year, this year I plan to make good on that promise, so on 7-11-11 I’ll be posting two, that’s right TWO, special mixes (for real this time!). I think we’ll call them, “Melting Pot Digs Deep” and they’ll feature 33 and 1/3 of my favorite tracks from the past year’s Dig Deep posts. Music is generally only supposed to be up here for a month (I realize I’m seriously due for some cleaning…expect things to be back in line next week), but I’ll leave these up for just a little longer…33 and 1/3 days.

Thanks for checking things out and please keep spreading the word…Onwards and Upwards!

Cheers,

Michael

It’s been just a little over one year since I took over the 4-6pm slot on KPFK. I hope to be here for many years to come and hopefully this will be our tradition for future anniversary shows, showcasing the best performances from the prior year. Since the end of May last year we’ve had the good fortune of bringing in Pacha Massive, The Gories, Chicano Batman, Francoiz Breut, Quadron, Belleruche, La Sera, J-Rocc, Bing Ji Ling and most recently Corin Tucker. There are a handful of other bands I tried to get in, local, national and international, but things just didn’t work out, but hopefully will in the future. During the show I talk a bit about the interviews, some behind the scenes things and also about my hopes for the future of this program. Full versions of these performances/interviews can be found in the “Be Our Guest” section of this blog. It’s really been a pleasure hosting this show during this first year, even with the incessant fundraising, and I really appreciate those of you who listen to the show and have been spreading the word. Next week we’re back to regular business as we move on to year #2!!!

Melting Pot on KPFK #45: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #45: Second Hour

Melting Pot’s One Year Anniversary:

{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Bing Ji Ling – Move On – Recorded at KPFK: April 4, 2011
Pacha Massive – Your Love – Recorded at KPFK: August 1, 2010
Belleruche – Cat In A Dog Suit – Recorded at KPFK: November 29, 2010

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Corin Tucker Band – Performance & Interview Recorded at KPFK: May 6, 2011

~~~~ Break ~~~~

La Sera – Never Come Around – Recorded at KPFK: January 28, 2011
Francoiz Breut – Les Jeunes Pousses – Recorded at KPFK: September 29, 2010
Chicano Batman – A Hundred Dead & Loving Souls – Recorded at KPFK: September 26, 2010

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Quadron – Performance & Interview Recorded at KPFK: October 29, 2010

~~~~ Break ~~~~

{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)

The Melting Pot Summer Time 4 Pack!!!

Over the next two Sundays, Melting Pot will be doing it’s part ot raise funds for KPFK during our May Fundraiser! We’ve got a really amazing 4 pack of CDs available at $100 to subscribers including the following brand new releases:

Bing Ji Ling – Shadow To Shine – Tummy Touch
Femi Kuti – Africa For Africa – Knitting Factory
The Echocentrics – Sunshadows – Ubiquity
V/A – Those Shocking Shaking Days: Indonesian Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock And Funk 1970-1978

This Sunday May 8th is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Robert Johnson, so we’ll also have the new reissued Centennial Collection of all 42 sides recorded by Johnson, available for pledges of $75. Lots of other goodies and special tickets just for subscribers, please tune in, tell a friend and support Melting Pot and KPFK!!!

I’m going to be away from the blog for a bit since me and the fam are moving to a new spot this weekend. Posts should return sometime next week once I get all my tech and records squared away at the new digs. This week on the radio show over on KPFK, Oliver Wang of Soul-Sides.com is going to be filling in for me while I’m moving in, don’t miss that! As for now, enjoy the sounds already here and keep on digging!

Peace,

Michael

No Melting Pot this week on KPFK...I've gone fishing for music!

Melting Pot Radio is taking a bit of a break while KPFK runs a “Best of the Fundraiser” special as the fundrive comes to a close Sunday night at 10pm.  We’ll be back on the air on October 31st…until then, enjoy the tunes here and look forward to some extra nice ticket giveaways later this week!

Cheers,

Michael

Today marks exactly one year that Melting Pot has been up and running! I want to thank all of you who have been checking out the blog and especially for spreading the word (please keep doing so!). I think this coming year will be even better than the first, especially now that we’re over at KPFK. Expect more giveaways and performances to find their way here, in addition to the same mix of music.

One consequence of no longer being at KCRW is that I have to archive my radio programs directly on this blog which takes up significant space. This means that the majority of music will be up for only one month from the day it was posted. I may make exceptions for performances (once we start doing them!) and for special shows (the MJ Tribute will be here until the end of days…) but that’s the new policy now here at Melting Pot. So, if there’s music here that you dig and don’t have in your own collection, make sure you get it before it’s gone. In celebration of this 1st anniversary, at some point in between now and August 7th, I’ll be rolling out a mix of my favorite tracks from year one of “Dig Deep,” still in the concept phase right now, might focus just on breaks, might mix full versions, but I think this will be a yearly affair from here on out.

I’ll also be starting a new feature, Top 5′s, later next week. When KCRW started their “Five Things” blog stories, I found that there were a bunch of lists that were rolling around in my head, so “Top 5′s” will likely be a bi-weekly feature. Along with “Pound For Pound” and “What Does It All Mean?” I’m really hoping that as the years go passing by, “Top 5′s” will be another avenue for discussions about music, which is the only thing I wish we had a bit more of over here at Melting Pot. (Comment Please!!!)

Thank you all for checking out the blog and radio show…Onwards and Upwards!

Cheers,

Michael

It’s official! My new show on KPFK debuts this Sunday. “Melting Pot” will be on the air, every Sunday from 4-6pm, left coast time on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles, 98.7 FM in Santa Barbara and worldwide at KPFK.org. I’ll be putting up the audio for shows on the blog here and keep them up for a month at a time, in case you miss a show. The music will be similar to what I did over at KCRW and KALX, diverse sounds from all over, from different eras and different genres with an emphasis on all things funky.

I’ve also set up a new facebook page for the show and this blog. Check it out and become a fan!

Melting Pot Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melting-Pot/126895800669754

Top 10 Desert Island Discs

Pretty much since I started doing these webcasts of the Melting Pot Radio Hour I’d thought about doing a show like this, a show focused on the records that I can’t live without. When you’ve listened to thousands of records, from all over the world and different time periods, choosing the most essential music you’ve ever heard is a really difficult task. A lot of it, I’ve found, is very much related to where you are at a moment, in addition to how the music has affected you throughout your life. So, what I have for you here are my top 10 Desert Island discs, along with a couple honorable mentions. I hope you enjoy the show and I would love to hear your own Top 10 records that you can’t live without here in the comments section or over e-mail.

Melting Pot Radio Hour: Econo Edition #5: Honorable Mentions
Melting Pot Radio Hour: Econo Edition #5: Desert Island Discs 10 – 6
Melting Pot Radio Hour: Econo Edition #5: Desert Island Discs 5 – 1

Michael Barnes’ Desert Island Discs:

Book: The Complete Poetical Works and Letters of John Keats

Luxury item: King Size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Honorable Mentions:
The Monkees – Headquarters – Colgems (1967)
A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm – Jive (1990)
Curtis Mayfield – Curtis – Curtom (1970)
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground – MGM (1969)
Nick Drake – Bryter Layter – Island (1969)
John Coltrane – A Love Supreme – Impulse! (1965)

Top 10 Desert Island Discs:
10. Gal Costa – Gal Costa (Não Identificado) – Phillips (1969)
9. The Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime – SST (1984)
8. Michael Jackson – Off The Wall – Epic (1979)
7. Sly & the Family Stone – Stand! – Epic (1969)
6. Booker Little – Out Front – Candid (1961)
5. Irma Thomas – Down At Muscle Shoals – Chess/Charly (1988)
4. Charles Mingus – Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus – Impulse! (1963)
3. Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland – Reprise (1968)
2. Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden – EMI (1988)
1. Johnny Hartman – Songs From The Heart – Bethlehem (1955)

Wherever you are, I wish you a Happy New Year. Spread peace and love in 2010 y’all…

Sold three of the six records for a grand total of $150+ (minus Ebay fees), more than enough to keep Melting Pot in the black for another year (if only our state/federal budget could be balanced so easily…).

Thanks to the three winners of the records and to any and all of you who spread the word about the records up for auction. Sometime next year, after a suggestion, I’ll likely put together a fundraiser mix, but for now the best way to support this blog is to keep checking here and spread the word about Melting Pot!

Peace be with you,

Michael

Here’s the first official post for my new audioblog, Melting Pot.  In the coming months and years you’ll find notes on a variety of sounds from funk and soul to latin and psych to punk and jazz and back again (select About Melting Pot in the list of categories for more details on the different features of this audioblog).

I thought I’d start the festivities off with a song, one of my favorites that share the title of this blog.  The original is a classic B-boy cut by Booker T & the MGs from 1971, something that should be in every DJs collection.  The version I’m posting here was done shortly after that by Jamaican Boris Gardiner on his record Is What’s Happening, which I got on a crunchy Jamaican vinyl reissue of the original album, bought at Amoeba Hollywood some time ago. 

Here's the label to Boris Gardiner's Is What's Happening featuring "Melting Pot"

Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot

While this version retains much of the original’s funky feel, Gardiner does add some mean tambourine and fuzzy guitar into the rhythm, plus there’s a massive drum break towards the final third, something that always seems about to happen in the MG’s version, but never really materializes (at least not to my satisfaction, though I do love the original). 

If you’re new to Gardiner’s music, there’s an excellent retrospective put out by Vampi Soul that you should definitely check out.

Onwards and Upwards,

Michael

Michael Barnes DeeJaying @ RadioActive April 2009 © Salvador Farfan

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Michael Barnes has worked as a DJ at non-commercial radio stations around the country since 1993, including his current station KPFK Los Angeles, 90.7FM.  Barnes holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and is presently a lecturer in Sociology at CSU-Long Beach.  He currently resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Rosalba Gutierrez.