here is the summary of an interview i did with les “lofty” wright. he has a weekly radio show on ambersoundfm, a local radio station for the Amber Valley area of Derbyshire UK.

Q: your self-definition?

A: Music enthusiast, veteran, moved in and around a number of alternative scences since the 1970s. Never became a purist in any- so have a wide appreciation.   Former non-achieving punk rocker, more recently fruity looper, and soul DJ. Prevously spinning across the board on the northern soul scene in the Nottingham, Leicester, Derby area- most recently hosting a weekly alternative dance music radio show on  Amber Sound 107.2 fm Ripley, Derbyshire United Kingdom.

Q: Selection of best artists and albums over the years?

A: Bowie- All LPs up  to and including Lets dance
Brian Eno-  Another Green World
Temptations- Masterpiece
Four Tops, Supremes, Martha and Vandellas (Motown)
Dusty Springfield – Dusty in Memphis
Specials
The Jam- In the City
Pulp- His n Hers
Iggy Pop -Soldier/Lust for Life
Grover Washington Jnr- Mister Magic
Dreadzone-Second Light
Leftfield
Trans Global Underground- Dream of 1000 nations

Selection of best soul 45s

Lenny Curtis- Nothing can stop me now
Lou Johnson- Unsatisfied
Sly and Family Stone – Family Affair
Kris Petterson- Just as Much
Sam Cooke -Twisting the night away
Spencer Davis- Keep on Running
Curtis Mayfield- We got to have peace
Otis Clay-the only way is up
Bob and Earl- Harlem Shuffle
Ramsey Lewis- Wade in the Water
Candi Staton- Young hearts Run Free
Dany Livingstone- Suzanne Beware of the Devil
Ray Charles- Hit the Road Jack
Fontella Bass – Rescue Me
Luther Vandross- Never too much
Nolan Porter- If I Could Only Be Sure

Best live acts witnessed

Bowie (Earls Court 1977, Glastonbury 2005?), Fatback Band, Donnald Byrd and Blackbirds, BT Express, James Brown, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Hybrid-Groove Armada-Faithless on same bill (Sheffield University), Super Furry Animals, Pulp, Moby, Human Leauge, Heaven 17, System 7/Steve Hillage, Echo and the Bunnymen, Red Snapper,  Madness (Rock City 1980), Young Marble Giants, Japan, Limmie and Family Cookin, Brass Construction, Be Bop Delux, Merz, Coldplay, Killers, Lemon Jelly

Best current artists

Smoove and Turrel
Mario Biondi
Red Snapper
The Dining Rooms
Ju JU Orchestra
Deekline and Wizard
Joey Negro
Miguel Migs
Fred Everything
Lisa Shaw
Timewarp Inc
H&H Soul Survivors
Groove Diggerz
Sharon Jones
Ben Westbeech
Tal M Klien
Alf Tumble
Marc Evans
Koop
Jazzanova
Lorenzo Al Dino
Alice Russel
Hint
Sharok Sound of K
Exchange Bureau
All Good Funk Alliance
Uptown Funk Empire
Dusty
Tuomo
Brenda Boykin
Jake Island
Kraak and Smaak
Quiet Fire
Zwicker

Q: your radioshow on ambersoundfm?

A: The Sunday Alternative. 21.00hrs until midnight each week. Listen on-line at www.ambersoundfm.com.

A very bold move by the station manager (Chris Knight) to allow me complete freedom to play interesting danceable music. Its not typical of other programes on the station, and probably one of the least predictable programmes on UK local radio.

The idea of the show is to showcase independently produced dance music from across the world. Never focussing on any single genre, instead it seeks to play a refreshing blend of soul, funk, nu jazz, electro, and house music. Proud to place Ray Charles next to the Easy Star All Stars, alongside output from some of the finest independent labels from around the world. Very happy to have given UK radio debuts to several artists from the wonderful SoundCloud Community.

Not the highest standard of broadcast chat you will hear…but perhaps the best mix of quality grooves..A hip-shaking conclusion to the weekend. Very happy to know people listen from outside the broadcast area via live on-line streaming.

Q: definition of the term nu-jazz?

A: Inteligent and sensitive music which you can often dance to (although not essential), based on the spirit of experimentation with classic and contemporary rhythms, instruments and voices. Good nu jazz will prevent the machines from completely taking over and allows traditional regional music to be accomodated.  Unlikely to feature on X-factor or any manufactured industry-led show (thank fully).

Q: development in the music-scene with new medias like podcasts, videocasts ect…?

A: Technology makes it easier for anyone to release music- which is incredibly important, and allows access to expression for artists anywhere at anytime.  With so much music, quality control becomes important from an artists point of view, being different, and standing out from the crowd will be increasingly difficult.
From a recievers point of view, music collection will become difficult to properly appreciate. There was a time when I had less than twenty 45s, but I knew and loved everyone- A and B sides. Now I get hunderes of mp3s a month, and I “lose” great music because it will be replaced so quickly and easily.
I-pods mean people are more experimental and search through eras and genres like picking product from a super market shelf. This is great, and is keeping music that previously shone brilliantly for a short time- before fall victim of the next big fashion, but there is a risk that there will never be great opinion shifting developments because these were often fuelled by  feeling of being fed up with what immediately came before.
Is it time to kill off of vinyl? There was a time – like most veterans- when I would have never said this, but now I am beginning to see that the environmental impact of producing records is surely less justifiable than it was. Now the technology exists to produce, distribute and and deliver music with a much reduced use of energy and materials (also Im getting too old to lug great bags full of 12s around!). That said, I do still love to buy new records- and some of my albums have been with me for nearly forty years.
Video killed the radio star? There was definately an irriversable shift when the visual appearence of artists became firstly as important as the sound, but very quickly more important. Musicians who are not good looking or interesting visually are at a disadvantage, and the production costs for making a video instantly restored the advantage to well-resourced record companies in making this a big hurdle if an artists was looking to compete.   I’m not sure absence of seeing moving images of most of the great Motown artists ever took away from the impact of their music. Video is best used as a visual art medium that doesnt include too much of the artists. Great album art serves that purpose.

Q: your contact?

A: I am very happy to be contacted with new music for possible support on my radio show.  key4soul@hotmail.com see also Myspace.com/Loftybeat

Keep the Faith!!!