DJ π’s final Psych 68 show on WholesomeRadio’s Soul Station is a deluxe journey through 1968’s trippiest sounds. This hour-and-a-half adventure includes rare tracks from Spirit, The Chocolate Watchband, MC5, The Monkees, and more, culminating in two unforgettable sets. With an eclectic mix of original songs and deep cuts, DJ π concludes his Psych 68 series in style. Don’t miss this last deep dive into a pivotal year for psychedelic rock, only on WholesomeRadio.

I am so excited to start a new series exploring psychedelic soul. I go in time-order so this first show starts in 1967. Join me, DJ π on WholesomeRadio’s Soul Station for the launch of Psychedelic Soul, a new series tracing the fusion of soul and psychedelia. This first show takes us back to 1967 and features The Chambers Brothers, Pacific Gas & Electric, The Soul Survivors, Sly & The Family Stone, Isaac Hayes, and more. DJ π delivers backstories and rare finds in an exploration of this mind-expanding genre, showcasing the incredible depth and range of Psychedelic Soul. Tune in for this unforgettable first chapter! Be prepared!

DJ π’s Double Play Show 3 on WholesomeRadio’s Soul Station brings you double—and even triple—plays of your favorite tracks. This show includes originals and covers from legends like Bobby Vee, The Contours, and Petula Clark, alongside gems from Lee Dorsey, ? & The Mysterians, and The Isley Brothers. DJ π’s playlist is a thrilling journey through ‘60s and ‘70s classics, with some covers more famous than the originals. Don’t miss this unique take on the double play concept, only on WholesomeRadio. Be prepared to be wowed and surprised.

A great exhibition of soul covering 1964 to 1974 featuring fantastic female singers. Most are sadly unknown. So now you know. Listen up and be prepared for swingers and moving soul ballads.

This second excursion into British Mod Psych features many tracks that were not released in the US so much might not be familiar even to devotees. There is also much organ here especially in the second set. Join me for a divers take on this scene.

Deeper and deeper int the realm of Psych '68

Another exploration into psych of 1968. This one is notable for the inclusion of some very early psychedelic soul. So do dig in

Further into the psych of 1968, wild noisy guitars, cheeky harmonies and for my mushrooms some of the best live Grateful Dead on record.

My Psych '68 shows were all American, so now, I am starting Mod Psych that is all UK. Done ready for some very different slices of psych from 1968!

This is the fifth excursion into American Psych sounds of 1968. It features several things by bands from the northern midwest as well as “classic” Cali music. So brace yourself for some soaring and percolating psyche sounds from 1968.

Today's show features afrobeat by the famous Tony Allen with Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and several afrobeat like performances by artists and groups from Benin, which is just to the west of Nigeria, where Allen and Fela were from. Feel free to dance and wish to be liberated.

In 1967 Jimi Hendrix said may you never hear Surf Music again. Well, we're going to contravene that today, not only hearing really early surf music but, we're going to do an investigation into its influences Surf and pre-Surf! I can hear the waves now..

As I say during the show, this one explores three pre-Beatles hit makers still making music after so many UK artists sweep the charts here. This music from the Everly Brothers, Del Shannon and Brian Hyland has some similarities and contrasts as well. And never mind when I say the Hyland record is from 1965 because it came out in 1966. Of these three the Hyland track, The Joker Went Wild claimed the biggest hit at #20; he did not crack the top twenty again until 1970.

Continuing Psyche '68 this show fetures four long jams from two groups. There is also one B-side to give you the amount of music (54 minutes at least!) I live by. So relax and prepare to jam and groove!

More great and mostly not well known psyche from 1968! Do you know where your head band is?

Ever heard in radio lingo of a double play? Tune into my latest show to find out! Great tunes, most of them soul though there is joyful blues and r&b, too! As always on the Soul Station with DJ π.

Another excursion into the deep well of 1968 psychedelia. This show has more "obscurities" than the first one, so light the incense and open your mind.

1968 saw something of a commercial explosion, of various aspects, of psychedelia, on AM radio especially. This show brings forth the hits, and misses from major groups on mostly major labels. Despite turmoil, murders and riots there is much joy in these sounds.

Three southern soul singers most folks don’t know, Big John Hamilton and brothers Mickey and Clarence Murray. Great vocals on ballads and more dance oriented soul!

Clyde King is best remembered as a prolific backup singer; she did have her own career and some of it featured here. Also in the spotlight is the influence of the Spector (as in Phil) on mid 60's Pop, R&B and Soul especially on records featuring female singers.

Mambo Pa'Chango

Even in the context of 1940s and early 1950s Afro Cuban music history, Alberto Iznaga seems virtually forgotten. He led what he called "Su Orquesta Siboney" in NYC for many years, and he made many records for major American labels as well as for much smaller labels specializing in latin music and mambo. This side for Decca from 1950 is one hot mambo and it notes Chango/Shango an Orisha! It was written by Obdulio Morales, who researched Afro Cuban traditions, and was as well a pianist and composer. Too bad there does not seem to be any Iznaga collections, because much of his output was very jazz, quite sophisticated, and very strong!

Llorá

Chano Pozo's Llora was initially recorded by the famous Orquesta Casino de la Playa, in 1946, with Cascarita singing and Perez Prado leading the band. Before the 1940s ended, and perhaps while Pozo was still alive (he died 12/03/48) it was recorded by Jose Curbelo in the US with Tito Rodriguez singing. Curbelo had come to the US in 1939 and he bounced around from the better paying, latin hotel bands (including Xavier Cugat's band) until he formed his own. Many future latin stars worked in his band, including Tito Puente and of course, the singer and band leader Tito Rodriguez!

RINKY DINK

The late 1950s and early 1960s rock scene in the Pacific Northwest was in some ways extraordinary. Most of the bands were influenced by great r&b and r&b tinged jazz, and many of them were very influenced by the Bill Doggett sound and approach, which always included organ and tenor sax. This goes for Paul Revere and the Raiders. Though some of their earliest music shows surf aspects (Orbit, their cover of Moon Dawg) The Raiders also covered the organ and sax thing, doing Allnight Long (Joe Houston, Rusty Bryant), Night Train, and this cover of a Baby Cortez big hit. It might not have the slinky qualities of the original, but whoever the sax player is, he had a strong go at sounding like early King Curtis, especially after the two minute mark. And seriously, it could BE Mark Lindsay! Cut in 1963 for the Sande label, for which the band recorded Louie Louie before it was picked up by Columbia.

Echale Tierra Y Tápala

Myrta Silva began her singing career before she was a teen. She wrote a song that Daniel Santos had a hit with when she was 15. By 1947 she was recording with the orchestra of Julio Gutierrez and soon she was known as 'the queen of the guaracha'. And so we have a very lively guaracha on tap, with some mambo touches-flourishes and a great piano solo either from Gutierrez himself or perhaps his favorite other pianist, Peruchin!

Take Me Back (Destination 635)

Chicago rock group The Flock, when they were on Columbia in 1969, were very much a jazzy fusion of rock and minor classical strains via violinist Jerry Goodman. Goodman did not join and record with the band until their 45 on U.S.A. in mid 1968. The earlier 45s  reveal a band capable of some exacting, uptown soul, and sometimes they sounded like a cross of The Spiral Staircase and the more updated aspects of The Four Seasons. This side is a good example. It is really tight pop-rock-soul, with excellent horns, and no violin at all!

Dynamo A

While in Paris Don Byas continued to play and record with Peanuts Holland and Billy Taylor, and in January of 1947, he waxed this bebop gem. Everyone plays and makes this slice of bebop quite juicy! It should be pointed out that this tune is, by any other name Dizzy Atmosphere, and was actually first done by Dizzy Gillespie as Dynamo A and the original Byas 78 gave Gillespie credit.

Look What You've Done

For a time, the band Smokestack Lightnin' was popular at the Whiskey A Go Go in L.A. Taking the group name from a Howlin' Wolf song, they did feature blues, blues rock and some gnarly psyche. Their earlierst 45s were done in 1967 before they got signed to Bell. From the end of 1968 to the start of 1970 the band cut four 45s and an album. Much of their material is very good, in part because of producer Bones Howe and also because singer Ronnie Darling's raspy voice handles the material very well. This track is from their second 45 and once the organ enters, it gives off an early scent of The Doors. The guitar solo is also quite sharp and edgy. Perhaps their most commercial release was their last, a version of the Delaney Bramlett gem, Hello, L.A., Bye-Bye Birmingham, but it came out at the same time as the one by Blue Cheer.

Bongo Riff

On the same day that Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra were recording Manteca, a milestone in Afro Cuban jazz and bop, Stan Kenton was recording Pete Rugolo's Bongo Riff. This was December 22, 1947. Other latin influenced tracks were cut by Kenton's orchestra the day before and a few earlier in the year. Bongo Riff is certainly brisk, aggressive jazz and shows some knowledge of guaracha--though I cannot think of one Cuban band that played anything this fast in the 1940s--and the mambo, too. It has some affinities with Manteca, though not that many, and it's themes are not as thoroughly developed. It is, however, a steamer and a step in an interesting direction for the coming together of two musical traditions.

I Fooled You This Time

After his huge Duke of Earl hit, Gene Chandler remained a consistent hit maker into the 1970s, and he was also an important figure in the Chicago soul scene. This record made #3 on the Billboard r&b chart in 1966. it is great, well sung, and beautifully arranged by Gerald Sims.