Today’s Africa Incorporated was about getting deeper into House—not necessarily harder, faster or louder, but deeper into the groove, musicianship and Soul of the music.

We started with Trinidadian Deep’s “What It Is” before Eddie Amador’s “House Music” helped establish exactly where we were going. Todd Terry brought “Something Goin’ On (In Your Soul),” and from there Gospel entered the conversation through Maurice Joshua & The Whispers with “Praise His Holy Name.”

And naturally, Chicago started showing itself.

Roy Davis Jr. & Peven Everett’s “Gabriel” is one of those House records where the boundaries between House, Soul and Gospel almost disappear. Roy Davis Jr. grew up in Chicago’s House culture, while Maurice Joshua is another Chicago figure whose work stretches across House, R&B and Gospel. 

Terry Hunter and DJ Spinna kept the Soul moving before Spinna’s remix of Betty Carter’s “Naima’s Love Song” gave us the perfect example of Jazz entering the House conversation. That’s part of what I wanted to explore with this show. Deep House doesn’t have to live inside one narrow definition. Jazz, Soul, Gospel, African and Caribbean rhythms can all become ingredients when the groove is allowed enough room to breathe.

Then came Ron Trent. His roots are firmly planted in Chicago House, and his work became an important part of the deeper, more atmospheric side of the music. Rochelle Jordan’s “I’m Your Muse” through Ron Trent’s remix gave us another example of that lineage continuing through newer music.

Vick Lavender & Peter Jehrico’s “The L.O.V.E. Song (From Chicago to New York)” couldn’t have fit the conversation much better. Lavender was raised on Chicago’s West Side, and his music pulls deeply from Jazz fusion, R&B and the city’s House tradition. 

And New York deserved its side of the conversation too.

Kerri Chandler’s “You Are in My System” and Timmy Regisford’s “At the Club” carried that deep and soulful energy forward before we brought it back home with Anthony Nicholson. Nicholson’s musical history is closely connected to Ron Trent and Chicago’s deep House movement, including their work around Prescription Records. 

We closed with “Beauty In Sadness (Spiritual Dance),” and the title itself almost summarizes the show.

This wasn’t House built around waiting for the drop. These records were allowed to develop. Seven minutes. Eight minutes. Nine minutes. Basslines settle in, percussion evolves, chords breathe, vocals arrive when they’re ready, and the groove gets a chance to take you somewhere.

Soul. Jazz. Gospel. Spirituality. Chicago. New York. Deep grooves. No rush.

Let the House breathe!

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