FALL IS HERE, AND THE SOUL IS FEELING GOOD! 🍂🎶

Y’ALL, I’m still feeling the musical energy from witnessing FKJ live in Prague last Friday!

What an experience!

Watching somebody move between instruments, build grooves and bring so many musical influences together reminded me why I LOVE what I do.

And when Monday rolled around, I wasn’t quite ready to leave that feeling behind.

So I decided to keep things SMOOTH!

No complicated musical journey this time. No jumping all over the place. Just an afternoon dedicated to some of my favorite R&B and Soul records, those beautiful harmonies, and the kind of music that makes you think about LOVE!

And with autumn settling in here in the Czech Republic, the timing couldn’t have been better.

The leaves are changing colors, the air is getting cooler, and I’m behind the microphone bringing y’all some GOOD MUSIC!

WELCOME TO AFRICA INCORPORATED #135!

LET’S START WITH SOME MINT CONDITION!

We opened with Mint Condition and “So Fine.”

Now THAT’S a group!

One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Mint Condition is that they’re a BAND. Real musicians who know how to bring those instruments together with incredible vocals.

And coming off that FKJ experience, it felt right to open with a group that understands musicianship!

Then we stepped into BLACKSTREET with “Don’t Leave Me.”

MAN!

You already know what happens when that record comes on!

Those harmonies, the production, that feeling! Blackstreet delivered some serious R&B during the 90s, and this one still sounds GOOD!

From there, Tevin Campbell brought us “Can We Talk.”

COME ON NOW!

If you grew up with this music, you know how many memories are attached to that record.

And that’s part of what makes these songs special. Sometimes all it takes is hearing those first few notes, and suddenly you’re remembering a completely different time in your life.

NOTHING BUT THOSE BEAUTIFUL HARMONIES!

Next up, Tony! Toni! Toné! with “Whatever You Want.”

I’ve always loved how those brothers brought live instrumentation, Soul and R&B together. Their music had its own personality, and those records have aged beautifully.

Then came After 7 with “Ready or Not.”

Now we’re talking about some serious VOCALS!

The harmonies, the emotion, the arrangements. This was the kind of R&B that didn’t need a whole lot of extra decoration.

Just give those voices room to shine!

And we weren’t finished.

Hi-Five stepped in with “I Like the Way (The Kissing Game).”

That record takes me BACK!

Then Soul for Real brought us “Candy Rain.”

Y’ALL!

Those two records alone can bring back an entire chapter of 90s R&B memories.

The radio, the music videos, the house parties, the slow dances!

Growing up in Chicago, I remember when records like these were everywhere. You heard them on the radio, at parties, coming out of somebody’s car, and everybody knew the words.

That’s what I enjoy about revisiting these classics. The music brings the memories right along with it.

A LITTLE ZHANÉ AND BABYFACE!

We kept the afternoon moving with Zhané and “Request Line.”

Now Zhané always had that beautiful combination of Soul, rhythm and a little Hip Hop flavor.

Their music could make you move without losing that smooth R&B feeling.

And then came BABYFACE!

“There She Goes.”

What can you say about Babyface?

As a singer, songwriter and producer, his fingerprints are all over some of the greatest R&B records of that era.

And I love that his music can be so smooth while still carrying plenty of emotion.

That’s the kind of songwriting and production that stays with you.

THEN WE TOOK THAT SOUL ACROSS THE ATLANTIC!

One thing I’ve always appreciated is how Soul music travels.

The sounds that came out of Black American musical culture inspired artists all over the world, and some of those artists developed their own incredible interpretations.

So we headed over to the UK!

SOUL II SOUL!

“Back to Life (However Do You Want Me),” featuring Caron Wheeler.

We brought in the a cappella version, letting those vocals and harmonies speak for themselves.

And what a beautiful sound!

Soul II Soul brought something distinctive to the music scene, blending Soul, dance rhythms and British club culture into records that reached audiences around the world.

Then came Lisa Stansfield with “All Around the World.”

Another CLASSIC!

That voice, that groove, that production. Lisa had a sound that fit beautifully alongside the R&B coming out of America while bringing her own personality to the music.

And I couldn’t leave out Loose Ends!

“Hangin’ On a String.”

MAN, I LOVE THAT RECORD!

Loose Ends were another important part of that British Soul movement, bringing smooth vocals, electronic production and those irresistible grooves together.

The kind of music that still sounds fresh decades later.

GROOVE THEORY AND THAT SMOOTH R&B FEELING!

We also brought in Groove Theory with “10 Minute High.”

Amel Larrieux’s voice alongside Bryce Wilson’s production created something special.

Groove Theory had that beautiful balance between R&B, Soul and Hip Hop-influenced production.

And that’s exactly the feeling I wanted throughout this afternoon.

Smooth, soulful and full of LOVE!

From Mint Condition and Blackstreet to Soul II Soul, Groove Theory and Loose Ends, this was an afternoon celebrating the artists who helped shape the sound of R&B and Soul.

AUTUMN COLORS AND SOULFUL MEMORIES!

There’s something about this time of year that makes me want to slow the music down just a little.

Here in Prague, the leaves are turning yellow, orange and red. The days are getting shorter, and autumn is making its presence felt.

And after experiencing FKJ live, I was still carrying that appreciation for beautiful musicianship and musical connections.

So instead of taking the show in another direction, I followed that feeling.

I wanted to play records that make you SMILE.

Records that remind you of somebody special.

Records that take you back to a house party, a school dance, a relationship, or just a beautiful moment in your life.

And most importantly, records that remind us how much incredible music we’ve been blessed to experience.

That’s what this edition of Africa Incorporated was all about.

LOVE, HARMONIES, SOUL AND THOSE TIMELESS R&B GROOVES!

Sometimes you don’t need anything more than a great record and a little time to enjoy it.

And that’s exactly what we did!

Another beautiful Monday afternoon with DIESAL!

GOOD MUSIC. GOOD PEOPLE. BEAUTIFUL CONNECTIONS.

Another Africa Incorporated in the books! 🍂🎶

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SlowDown Rádijo — Africa Incorporated

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