"I Grew Up In The 80s Segment" Debuts On BOOGIE

On Boogie today we’re STILL celebrating Tanzania’s 50 years of independence with the SECOND installment of 100 DISCO DANCEFLOOR CLASSICS spanning two decades—the 1970s and the 1980s—with ABSOLUTELY NO repetition for several weeks GUARANTEED. And debuting a BRAND NEW segment—I Grew Up In The 80s—we have VERY SPECIAL guests Isla Gilmore and Swahili blues artist Leo Mkanyia in the studio for a chat today. On today's playlist expect Evelyn "Champagne" King, Chaka Khan, The Three Degrees, some more Glady's Knight & The Pips, Phreek, Stacy Lattisaw--who opened for the Jacksons Triumph Tour in 1981; Cheryl Lynn, Heatwave and much much more. 


Tune in to BOOGIE on Times 100.5 FM from 6pm EVERY Sunday EVERY week for MORE action—I GUARANTEE it! And if you want to come on the show to talk about YOUR growing up in the 80s and 70s—karibuni sana! On BOOGIE, everybody is welcome!

Catch you later!

JOETT

Singing Lessons - How to Improve Your Breathing Technique

I've reviewed quite a few learn-to-sing CDs and one thing a lot of them seem to have in common is the lack of in-depth information on breathing technique. There's so much detail about breathing properly in order to sing properly that I feel is key to developing a great singing voice. I want to address this element of singing - beginning with this article. As a vocal coach I always tell my students, if you open your mouth to suck in that breath gradually as you drop the jaw, you will sing that way -- correctly. It's about developing a new habit and dispensing with old. There is a direct connection between opening your mouth to sing and opening your mouth to breathe. Get the breathing bit right, and you'll be singing like a pro in no time. This article will explore the pros and cons of breathing technique to help you not only sing better, but also sound a heck of a lot better than you ever did. It's all in the breathing.

Try stifling a yawn right now -- genuinely, whilst looking at yourself in the mirror. Notice the way your jaw drops. Now that's how you're meant to breathe when you sing. In through the mouth as you gradually drop the jaw. If you could create a breathing exercise where you breathe in through the mouth, as above, to the count of eight beats (put a piece of music on); hold your breath for eight beats; and then slowly exhale with a hiss (controlled) to the count of sixteen beats, and you're half way there. But do it properly, using the yawning example above.

As a vocal coach I always tell my students, the way you breathe is the way you're going to sing. If you breathe incorrectly, you will sing incorrectly. Here's a very simple example: With your teeth separated just two inches apart, try holding a note with the vowel "A" for several seconds. Now take a look at your mouth in the mirror. As you sing AAAAA start to drop the jaw gradually whilst maintaining the same amount of thrust and see how that alters your voice. You will notice that you begin to scale upward without really doing much at all. It is effortless. So here's the crux. When you learn to sing with the jaw-drop pattern as illustrated above, you will also be inadvertently learning to go up the scale by simply dropping the jaw--by creating more space down the throat--with the vowels A and E--or words that sound like that.

Here's a good example. Listen to the first verse of the song "Touch Me In The Morning" by Diana Ross. Note the second line "Then just walk away." Now try singing that line and when you sing the word AWAY drop the jaw gradually in the second 'A' and slowly close the mouth to fade the note. It would sound like an extended W-A-A-A-Y. This action produces a very refined articulation of the vowel. Dropping the jaw at the right time and at the right pace will produce a better-sounding vocal. Try working with the entire verse again, this time focusing on the breath intake spots before the note. Make sure you drop the jaw to breathe each time there's a gap that allows you to. And remember this. The pattern with which you open your mouth to breathe is the exact same pattern with which you should open your mouth to sing and articulate the vowel. The two work in synergy.

Author Bio

Joett, a singer-songwriter and member of ASCAP, is a vocal coach based in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. His highly acclaimed single "I Could Never Live (Without Your Love)" can be heard on Internet radio Jango and is available for download on iTunes and Amazon MP3. He also presents a 70s Disco 80s Pop retro radio show called BOOGIE from 6pm Sundays on Times 100.5 FM

Boogie 70s Disco Dance Workouts at Nanasi Studios is BACK!

Guys, just to let you know very quickly, that my 70s dance-into-shape classes -- now re-branded BOOGIE 70s Disco Dance into Shape with JOETT, are now back as of this evening. December 15th at 6pm till 7pm. I'd taken a three month break from this due to other pressing commitments, but I'm now back in action once a week...every Thursday from 6pm. So, karibu and let's Boogie! -- JOETT

Boogie Radio Show - 100 Disco Dance Floor Classics

Tanzania is 50. To celebrate, we‘re going to double that numeric figure with the FIRST installment of 100 DISCO DANCE FLOOR CLASSICS spanning two decades—the 1970s and the 1980s—with ABSOLUTELY NO repetition for several weeks GUARANTEED. So if you miss a show, your loss! To hear all of the one-hundred-in-a-row DISCO CLASSICS, stay tuned to Boogie EVERY Sunday EVERY week—and make sure you never miss! Tune in to Times 100.5 FM at 6pm Sundays or go online at TimesFM.co.tz and follow Boogie TZ on Facebook.

In today's show expect hits from  The Trammps, Sister Sledge, LaBelle, Rose Royce, Stacey Lattisaw, Melba Moore, Chic, Billie Ocean, The Detroit Spinners and much more besides.

Catch you later!

JOETT

Boogie Radio Show 80s Groove & Soul Classics

On today's show DJ Cue and I will be spinning you 80s Groove & Soul Classics you probably haven't heard in a while. I quite look forward to today. Awesome tracks! Tune in to Times 100.5 FM at 6pm till 8pm.

Take a look at my playlist:

1.    Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance 1988. This single "Buffalo Stance" was an international blockbuster. "Buffalo Stance" eventually peaked at number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, and the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the US Dance chart. In the late 1980s, Cherry helped to bankroll the band Massive Attack.
2.    Brass Construction – Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing 1979
3.    Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – Too Many Games 1985. In 1971, after an introduction to Marvin Gaye, the group became an immediate success. Marvin Gaye took the group on the road with him as one of his opening acts, and in 1976, he suggested that they changed their name from Raw Soul to Maze.
4.    Dayton – The Sound Of Music 1983
5.    Light Of The World – Time 1980
6.    Willie ‘Beaver’ Hale – Groove On 1980
7.    Inner City – Big Fun (Original 12” Mix) 1988
8.    Meli’sa Morgan – Fool’s Paradise (Paradise Mix) 1986
9.    Loose Ends – Hangin’ On A String (Original 12” Mix) 1985
10.    Soul II Soul Featuring Caron Wheeler – Keep On Moving 1989. The group went on to commercial success in 1989 with the singles "Keep on Movin'" and "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)", which topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks, and was the fifth best-selling single in the UK that year.
11.    Beggar & Co – (Somebody) Help Me Out 1981
12.    Brooklyn Bronx & Queens Band – On The Beat 1981
13.    Phil Fearon & Galaxy – What Do I do 1984
14.    Lillo Thomas – Sexy Girl 1987
15.    Adeva – Respect 1989. Noted for her powerful vocals, she released a house rendition of the Otis Redding hit "Respect" in 1989 that reached #17 in the UK, and released her debut album in the same year. "Respect" remains a favorite on Urban contemporary radio stations, especially in New York City to this day.
16.    Musical Freedom from Her 1989 self-titled debut album Adeva! was a critical and commercial success in the UK and contained several hit singles including "Beautiful Love" and "Musical Freedom"

And there's more in the second hour.  :-)

Tune in to Times 100.5 FM at 6pm Sundays or go online at TimesFM.co.tz and follow Boogie TZ on Facebook.


Catch you later!

JOETT

SHALAMAR Weekend On BOOGIE Radio Show 27th November

I've always wanted to do this...have a SHALAMAR weekend. Well, it's here! I will play Shalamar's greatest hits from 1977 to 1983 on today's BOOGIE radio show, followed by 80s groove tracks by various artists in the second hour. This should be interesting.

The band's record sales in the UK increased when Daniel demonstrated his body-popping dancing skills on BBC Television's music programme Top of the Pops, premiering the Moonwalk on television for the first time. Michael Jackson was a fan of the group, in particular, Daniel and his dance moves, after watching him on Soul Train. Jackson and Daniel met after, and Jackson took his then 12-year-old sister Janet to see Shalamar perform at Disneyland. Jeffrey Daniel co-choreographed Michael Jackson's "Bad" and "Smooth Criminal" videos.

Shalamar reformed in 2005, for the UK television series, Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, with original member Jeffrey Daniel and Howard Hewett, and with new member Carolyn Griffey—a long time friend and fan of the original band, and daughter of Shalamar founder and Solar Record boss Dick Griffey. Carolyn's mother is Carrie Lucas for whom Watley sang backing vocals. They reached the grand finals of Hit Me, Baby, One More Time in May 2005, utimately losing out to Shakin' Stevens.

In October 2009, the reformed Shalamar of Hewett, Daniel and Griffey, performed as a part of "The Ultimate Boogie Nights Disco Concert Series", at IndigO2 within O2 Arena Entertainment Avenue in London. This prompted their return to the UK in April 2010 for a tour.

Hewett, Griffey and Daniel, returned to IndigO2 in October 2011.

Tune in to BOOGIE, the retro radio show on Times 100.5 FM Sundays 6pm till 8pm.

SHALAMAR Weekend Playlist November 27th 2011

1. The Second Time Around (12" MIX) 1979. The group scored a US million seller with "The Second Time Around".
2. Take That To The Bank (12" ― MIX) 1979
3. A Night to Remember (Album Version) 1982
4. There It Is (12" Mix) 1982
5. I Can Make You Feel Good (12" Mix) 1982
6. Friends (12" Mix) 1982
7. I Owe You One (Album Version) 1980
8. Right In The Socket (12" Mix) 1979
9. Make That Move (12" Mix) 1980
10. Dead Giveaway (Album Version) 1983
11. Disappearing Act (Album Version) 1983
12. Sweeter As The Days Go By (Single Version) 1981
13. Uptown Festival (12" Mix) 1977. Their first hit was the 1975 Motown-inspired production "Uptown Festival," and released on Soul Train Records the success of which inspired Griffey and Don Cornelius to replace session singers with popular Soul Train dancers Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel to join original Shalamar lead singer Gary Mumford.

Enjoy the show!

JOETT

Boogie Retro Radio Show Snippets November 20th

80s Groove was born just as disco was on the way out. The beats were slowed down and the basslines cranked up, giving us dancefloor anthems that still resound today. It was one of the most funky and feel-good periods of club music, producing classics from the likes of Chaka Khan, Jocelyn Brown, Sister Sledge, The Jacksons, Luther Vandross and Earth Wind & Fire.

There were the artists that were feeling the love too, with classic slow jams from Marvin Gaye, Imagination, Jean Carn, The Jones Girls and The Isley Brothers. Back in the main room the birth of electro was being tried and tested and ultimatley given a massive tick with Indeep, Freez, Herbie Hancock, Shannon, D Train and Lisa Lisa.

Jazz funk stepped up via the soul weekender scene in some of the cooler resorts around the UK's east coast, and yet more anthems were appropriated by DJs of the day thanks to Tom Browne, Dexter Wansel and Keni Burke.

In today's show, we'll kick off with tracks from the 70s in the first segment and into 80s Groove in the second half of the program. Up to the very last minute--yesterday evening, I was quite undecided as to what I was going to play for you today. I have so much music...and I only have 2 hours on the show, so you can imagine. I'm sure you'll enjoy the music today, it will be an outright corker. Here's what to expect:

GIORGIO -- FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (R&B #2/ UK #16) [1977]
Giorgio Moroder: After producing "I Feel Love" for Donna Summer, I wanted to do my own song with me as the singer in the same style and technology with that synth bassline. I was quite happy with it but it did much better in Europe than the States.

CHIC -- DANCE DANCE DANCE (YOWSAH YOWSAH YOWSAH) (R&B #6/Pop #6/Disco #1/UK #6) [1977]

Alfa Anderson (Vocalist, classic-era Chic): There are so many favorites in this collection -- it could aptly be named the soundtrack of my life. But 'Dance, Dance, Dance' really was the penultimate change agent in my life. That's one of the first songs I sang background on for Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. I remember the session like it was yesterday. I walked into the studio with Luther Vandross and David Lasley not expecting to like what I heard. Boy, was I wrong. I was immediately captivated by the catchy lyrics, driving bass and rhythmic guitar licks. And wonder of wonders, I loved the background parts. Listening today, it stands the test of time. Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah!

Jody Watley: Chic are the best dance/pop/funk band of the era for me. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were the best.

Daryl Easlea (Music journalist & author of 'Chic: Everybody dance -- The Politics Of Disco'): In the year that Summer and Moroder were embracing the future, Chic were celebrating its past. Although not as lauded as "I Feel Live" this track is a groundbreaking record: its repetition, irony and detachment set it apart from its contemporaries. Its gimmick, the 'Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah' refrain, was taken from the 1930s Depression-era dance marathons where dancers would stay on the floor until near death to win a meagre sum of money. It showed how bittersweet Nile Rodgers as a lyricist could be.

GRACE JONES -- I NEED A MAN (POP #83/ DISCO #1) [1976]

Tom Moulton: As for Grace Jones, it was like watching someone grow up. She was determined to make it and nothing would stand in her way (just like the song says). She continued to improve as a singer and the attitude right along with it. I pushed her continually to make her sing better and I felt my ass was on the line as a producer to come up with a production I could be proud of.

Mr Pinks: Before working with Sly and Robbie, Grace Jones was a disco diva. With Tom Moulton on production duties, her debut album 'Portfolio' was a sure fire hit. The album is choc-full of classics including 'La Vie En Rose' and 'I Need A Man'. The subject matter of the latter perfectly matched her vampish man-eater character. Disco was meant to be fun and with Grace it was certainly that...and more!

There's more on the show. Tune in to Times 100.5 FM.

JOETT