RootDown FM is a subscriber-only, internet radio station, streaming live 24/7. Subscription is the only way we can cover costs and keep our playlist as freeform and funky as our listeners like it (check our Music Policy) and ad-free.
Subscriptions cost just US$7.50 per month and we are offering a 3 day Free Trial for a limited period only! That's just a quarter a day for quality grooves 24/7! You can register through Paypal by clicking the button below:
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RootDown Radio
Sage Studio
2834 Glendower Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
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 Latest tunes played live:
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"Blue Note Trip" - Various Artists
Germany's hippest nu-jazz crew trawl the Blue Note crates and come up with an unusual selection with alot of pointers to their own contemporary stylings - heavy on melody and arrangements, light on dancefloor classics - a refreshing Trip indeed...
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"Zimology" - Zim Ngqawana
Top drawer South African jazz from flute / sax man Zim Ngqawana - "Zimology" offers a stunning blend of contemporary jazz stylings and SA jive and swing - cheers to Bill for this one - outstanding...
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"Yoyocuts" - RDYO and Buttercuts
Buttercuts at it again - Slovenian/UK hip-hop soundclash that is truly 'one of the most multi-cultural records you will ever hear' made by a crew from 11 countries! - best of all, the beats are industrial strength and the rhymes flow free - awesome...
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"France History X" - Dadoo
French answer to the Dirty South - yeah, you might here some Nelly in there, but there's Rai and Django too - very listenable hip-pop - merci PF...
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“ sale sud part 2 (4)”
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"Let The Games Begin" - Derek Frank
Bass player Derek Frank's affinity for all that is low and funky has recently manifested itself in the release of his long-awaited debut album, Let the Games Begin... . This mostly instrumental, bass-heavy funk record projects a sound and vibe that is old and familiar, yet somehow new and unique at the same time. Armed with his flatwound-equipped 63 Fender Precision Bass (and a few other choice 4 and 5-stringed instruments), Derek takes us on a journey to the groovy side with music that rings of influences such as Curtis Mayfield, Jamiroquai, Pleasure, Groove Collective, The Brand New Heavies, Tower of Power, Marcus Miller, and many others that listeners will simply have to name for themselves. Of the twelve tracks on the album, eight were penned by DF; the remaining four are his instrumental arrangements of covers by the likes of Hall and Oates, Soundgarden, Curtis Mayfield, and even something from early episodes of Sesame Street.
Derek s album comes to fruition after years of his being a bass player for hire on the Los Angeles music scene... spending time on the road and in the studio with all kinds of artists and bands, playing all kinds of music. At some point in every working musicians career, he decides that it s finally time to start creating and playing the music that he hears in his head, with people that he feels best interpret those particular sounds, drawing on that which has influenced his musical being since its inception. For Derek, that time is now. On this album, DF has enlisted some of LA s funkiest players, including special guests such as Hammond B-3 organ legend Brian Auger, veteran drummer Steve Ferrone, and up-and-coming hip-hop artist Kosha Dillz. Let the Games Begin... is an apt title to kick off this new phase in Derek Frank s musical life. Look for Derek in the not-too-distant future as he leads his 7-piece horn-injected old-school funk band to stages throughout the world.
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"Lotek HiFi" - Lotek HiFi
The Lotek sound is fat funky electroid beats, veering into dancehall now and then, with a trio of MC's with strong flow and distinctive vocal styles - one time Roots Manuva collaborator Wayne Bennett leads the pack and it's all good good goodness...
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"Soul Explosion" - Daktaris
The Daktaris are actually several alumni from Fela Kuti's band, and as expected, Soul Explosion contains massive chunks of throbbing Afrobeat, the style perfected by the late Nigerian performer. Part Nigerian and part American funk à la James Brown, these 10 mostly instrumental tracks are hardcore, juju-headed time bombs from the dance floor of the motherland, with a baritone sax-fronted horn section riding earthshaking rhythms, thundering bass lines, and occasional wah-wah guitar. Except for classic workouts on Fela's "Upside Down," James Brown's "Give It Up, Turn It Loose," and the rare "Musicawa Silt" from Ethiopia's Wallias Band, these are all original tunes from a 15-strong ensemble that charges straight at you like a herd of elephants, absolutely unstoppable. Hopefully, any future release from this outfit will extend the group's monumental grooves beyond a five-minute format, which most of these Lagos-produced tracks fit into. --Derek Rath
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"Donuts" - J Dilla
Damn - Dilla just got this out before he passed on - a huge talent lost - Donuts is fitting testament - sweet nuggets of hip-hop joy that capture the melodic, leftfield Dilla sound perfectly - magnificent...
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"4hero Present Brazilika" - Various Artists
Primo DJ mix from Marc Mac - a real peachy selection of Braziliana that's a joy from start to finish - focused on the funky dancefloor end of the spectrum with some tasty remixes in with great original material - another phat one from Far Out...
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"Babarabatiri" - Benny More
Vintage performances from the greatest (arguably) Cuban singer of all time. Don' tknow much about him except he sang with Perez Prado and other famous orchestras of the 40's and 50's and this stuff es calliente...
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"Lost Horizons" - Lemon Jelly
Nice downtempo pop musings - take a break, take some lemon jelly…
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MORE HISTORY...
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