In conversation with Angelo Starr, brother of Edwin Starr

'God's on Fire' by Prophet Michael and 'Love Revolution' by Pat Hodges

Where Opera meets HipHop with Madam Butterfly

Shelly Clark talks about the Honey Cone 2024 Tour

Sarah Brown Sings Mahalia Jackson

<p>Legend Freda Payne, known for 'Band of Gold' talks about her friendship with the late Lamont Dozier, (June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan, known as the Motown master craftsman who created miracles under pressure. &nbsp;Freda shares about his influence in her life and her career.</p>

<p>On the Sofa with Esther Formed in London, UK, <strong>Brand New Heavies</strong> are a pioneering jazz collective who helped create the sound of acid jazz, fusing funk, soul and hip hop production&nbsp;... Here Esther talks to Andrew Levy, Founding member from Brand New Heavies ahead of their live stream gig at The Jazz Café in February 2021 about their album <strong>TBNH.</strong></p>

We are all on our own individual journey. Each day is a new day, a new start, a new awareness of who we are of where we want to go in our lives. This podcast seeks to inspire and encourage us all, myself included to reach for the skies to be the best for ourselves, to know it's ok to look at the man in the mirror knowing it's ok to look at ourselves and to dig deep and heal and understand and expand. We may not want to reach for the mountaintop and that's ok. But wherever we are at in our lives are we comfortable in that place?

<p>On Wednesday 18th August 2021, all roads led to the the Odeon Luxe and Dine in Islington, as members of the Press congregated to celebrate the launch of Marshayne's latest single 'I Kneel for You' (formerly known as Wayne 'G-Spot' Marshall). &nbsp;Another sassy, sexy track of pure sexual indulgence that could make anyone grow weak at the knees and which also came with a titillating video, full of niceness and naughtiness, taking us back to those moments and memories of &nbsp;Marshayene's 90's timeless tune &nbsp;'G-Spot' and what this man truly stood for. &nbsp;Sex. &nbsp;Touch. Intimacy and lots of Lurving.......<br></p><p>I managed to grab 5 minutes with Wayne to talk about his latest single and a little more.........</p>

<p>"The Jones Girls were an American R&amp;B vocal trio of sisters from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Consisting of Brenda, Shirley and Valorie Jones, The Jones Girls first signed and recorded for GM Records in 1970. The trio were best known for their singles during the late–1970s through the 1980s; most notably 1979's "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else." Wikipedia<br><br>The Legendary Shirley Jones, surviving member of the Jones Girls talks to Esther about life growing up with her sisters Valerie and Brenda, she shares about what she is doing now and about the remakes of &nbsp;- 'Who Can I run to?'</p><p>Remember: Nights over Egypt, 'You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else,' 'At Peace with Woman'</p><p>A fabulous interview with a living legend.<br><br></p>

<p>Whittington Still is one of the most incredible Soul/Rnb/Jazz Singers/Songwriters I have come across in a long time.<br><br>Her velvety, sultry, deeply rich vocals is able to take you on a journey beyond yourself. &nbsp;Likened to Phyllis Hyman, Whittington takes you on an incredible journey. &nbsp;Whittington has been crafting her art for a long time and has produced some incredible tracks such as:</p><p>Missing You, The Chase, Don't Be Afraid and more.......<br>WHITTINGTON'S MUSIC IS AVAILABLE ON PANDORA, SPOTIFY, ITUNES, AMAZON MUSIC, YOUTUBE &amp; MORE.<br><br>Whittington also has her very own bespoke jewellery range called The Whittington Still Collection</p><p>Visit: www.whittingtonstill.com for more details<br><br><br></p>

<p>Esther talks to Jon about his upcoming album 'We Are' to be released on 19th March. &nbsp;Jon and his band are performing live at The Brooklyn Bowl on March 11th. Jon is an American musician, bandleader, and television personality.&nbsp;</p><p>'We Are' is an eclectic mix of a compilation of various genres of song and music, along with Jon's deeply rich, melodic voice of consciousness - as he ranges from the sounds of gospel through to pop, infused with a touch of soul. &nbsp;</p><p>This interview provides an insight into an incredibly deep man whose has been used as a vehicle to create music of hope and joy with messages to support us all in standing in that place of contemplation and reflection in order to birth something different, new and even better within our lives, especially during the times we are in. His track 'I Need You' is cheerful, playful and fun-filled &nbsp;- one of optimism and longing for better days, subtly and enticingly asking us all to find fun in the moments of the music, to let our souls ride with the rhythm of the beat and our feet to tap out those tunes.</p><p><strong>SOUL</strong> is on Digital from 23rd March and on Blu-Ray™ and DVD from 29th March</p><p>&nbsp;I Need You: (3) jon batiste i need you - YouTube</p>

<p>John 'The Bossman' Hall joins me on the sofa with an eclectic story of his life in the entertainment industry and all the amazing artists and legends he has worked and performed with.<br><br>John 'The Bossman' Hall is from Philadelphia and is a performer, singer, dancer and actor who has had an eclectic career in the entertainment industry. &nbsp;He comes from a family of entertainers. &nbsp;He is an incredibly talented, driven and focussed individual, always one for pushing forwards towards bigger and greater heights.</p><p>I have watched John conduct a James Brown performance and he is incredible. &nbsp;John also once toured with James Brown and he also met Michael Jackson as well as produced a single for Michael Jackson called 'Let's Do The Michael Jackson' by The Broadway Thrillers. That was the first song John did in 1984. &nbsp;</p><p>John was also a member of Philly Cream who sang on 'Love Can't turn around' by Philly Cream and his new song by Fyrestorm is called 'I'm The Bossman'</p><p>John has also recently starred in a film called Erie Planet Live.</p><p>Interview on 21st February 2021</p>

<p>Another great conversation with an incredible person. &nbsp;Apt for celebrating Valentine's Day. &nbsp;Here Chris talks about his late brother Eddie, his passion for music. &nbsp;He gives an insight into the journey of The Real Thing and more.</p><p><br></p><p>Remember tunes such as: Can you Feel the Force? &nbsp;Children of the Ghetto? You to me Are Everything?<br><br>Also you will hear Five Minutes of Health Motivation from Tray Ann from Inside-Out Lifestyle . &nbsp;Tray Ann joins me every week on the show to give the audience tips about healthy eating, fitness and well-being.<br>For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/insideouthealthylifestyles/</p>

<p>Freda Payne is an American singer and actress and is best known for her career in music during the mid–1960s through the mid–1980s. Her most notable record is “Band of Gold“ &nbsp;her 1970 hit single. Freda was also an actress in musicals and film, as well as the host of a TV talk show and she is the older sister of Scherrie Payne, a former singer with the American vocal group The Supremes.</p><p>On the Sofa, Freda shares some great insights into her life as a vocalist and actress. &nbsp;Freda is a woman who has toured the world and worked with an eclectic array of renowned artists and people including Quincy Jones, Pearl Bailey, and Bill Cosby. &nbsp;She is a woman who has a love of life, her music and aspires to do so much more. &nbsp;Freda also talks about the passing of the great late Mary Wilson, one of the co-founders of The Supremes. <br><br>Freda was inducted into the 2017 class of the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, in her hometown of Detroit.<br><br>In November 2020, Freda recorded a duet with Johnny Mathis called 'They Can't Take That Away From Me'.<br><br>https://www.fredapayne.com<br><br></p><p><br></p>

<p>Valentine's Day has been celebrated for centuries. &nbsp;The music of Marvin Gaye is legendary for that of love and sensuality. &nbsp;On today's show I talk to his sister the wonderful Zeola Gaye who has written a book 'My Brother Marvin.' &nbsp;Zeola Gaye shares candidly brief excerpts of her life growing up and what her father was like as well as Marvin. &nbsp;She touches briefly on the relationship between each family member. &nbsp;Zeola doesn't give much away in our interview about the book, but just enough to whet our appetite of curiosity, an inspiration for us all to purchase a copy of her book.<br><br>The interview with Zeola was affirming, refreshing and incredibly open and authentic. &nbsp;Zeola shares about her struggles, her failures, her weaknesses and yet with introspection and self-reflection she has come through her journey stronger, wiser garnering a spirit of contentedness and an appreciation for life. &nbsp;<br><br>My Brother Marvin can be purchased at:<br>https://www.amazon.com/Brother-Marvin-Memoir-Zeola-Gaye/dp/0615518761</p><p>You will also hear 10 minutes of Fine Dining Inspiration by the delightful Tony Jazz, Bespoke Lifestyle Manager/ Public Speaker on Hospitality Careers. &nbsp;Here he shares Fine Dining Etiquette at home with a loved one. &nbsp;To book Tony Jazz for your VIP Private Function visit:<br>https://www.facebook.com/tony.jazz.370/</p>

<p>Esther interviews The Three Degrees, Valerie Holiday, Helen Scott and Freddie Pool who are a <strong>female Philadelphia soul and disco vocal musical group</strong>, formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. &nbsp;The threesome have retained all three of their major qualities — their beauty, their sparkling choreography and their precise vocal qualities. The Three Degrees have been in the business for over 50 years. <br> <br> They are best known for their chart topping hits such as: &nbsp;"When Will I see you Again" , “Dirty Ol’ Man”, “Take Good Care Of Yourself”. &nbsp;&nbsp;They shared about their love for music and performing, they shared about the lock down and how it has affected them and they also shared about their latest album STRATEGY - Their tribute to Philadelphia all in between lots of laughter and giggles. &nbsp;&nbsp;It was an absolute pleasure talking to them. <br> <br> Interview conducted on 7th February 2021on www.lnsoulradio.com <br> <a href="http://thethreedegrees.com/">The Three Degrees</a> <br> <br> To view other interviews with legends and artists visit: www.estheraustinglobal.biz</p>

<p>Benidito King is the eldest son of Legend Ben E King. &nbsp;Benidito is a Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Musician at Torrienti's Enterprises. &nbsp;<strong>Ben E. King</strong> was Famous for his songs Stand By Me, Spanish Harlem, and I Who Have Nothing. &nbsp;Here we talk briefly about his father, Ben E King and memories from his childhood.&nbsp;</p> <p>A fabulous discussion with an incredible artist about his music, his partnership with his son who is also a famous rapper. &nbsp;He also shares his outlook on life and lots of giggles with his wonderful wife Kim.<br> </p> <p>Benidito also shares briefly about his upcoming book: Son of A King<br> <br> Interview Conducted on 24th January 2021<br> </p>

<p>Darryl F. Walker is a Singer/Saxophonist/Percussionist/Songwriter and International Recording Artist. &nbsp;I've had the pleasure of interviewing Darryl on several occasions. &nbsp;Darryl is an incredible artists with stunning vocals. &nbsp;In this interview he talks about wisdom gained from his journey and his passion for music. &nbsp;Listen to this interview and some of his tracks such as 'Hold Me' and 'You Send Me'. &nbsp;Mellow madness at its best.<br> <br> On the Sofa with Esther on www.lnsoulradio.com<br> <br> <a href="http://www.darrylfwalker.com/?fbclid=IwAR0yHgfzQZgK5oiMonY27YbH_H3eYbSOv6m41yCPDWYSXPS_CDTheTl2QFY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.darrylfwalker.com/</a><br> Interview conducted on 24th January 2021</p>

<p>"The Brand New Heavies’ debut album first strutted its way into the public eye with a winning funky formula that would go on to earn them sixteen Top 40 hits and three million worldwide album sales, not to mention two UK Platinum albums? Emerging at the heart of the Acid Jazz scene, they made an instant impact with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, and over the last three decades the band have not let up releasing enduring classics such as ‘Never Stop’. &nbsp;'You Are The Universe', 'Midnight At The Oasis' and 'Dream Come True'.The Brand New Heavies will be performing a livestream gig at the London Jazz Cafe for Valentines Day on Sunday 14th February 2021 at 8pm.<br> <br> For the first time ever, and in their first performance since last year’s lockdown, TBNH, led by Andrew Levy and Simon Bartholomew and featuring stunning vocalist Angela Ricci, take to the stage on Valentine’s Day to stream live to their worldwide fans and lovers of stylish, good-time grooves direct from London’s Jazz Café on Sunday 14th February at 8.00pm UK time. Get ready for some of the best in-close-up funk and soul right in your home!"<br> <br> Tickets £20 available from <a href="http://www.streamzy.co.uk/">www.streamzy.co.uk</a> and the Jazz Cafe website <a href="//www.jazzcafelondon.com">www.jazzcafelondon.com</a><br> <br> </p>

Today's message suggests we take a different look at the thread..Happy New Year. Every year we greet the new year in with the same message. However at the end of that year many cant wait for that year to end. So maybe we should look at the thread..Become the Change you Want to See. 2020 has been the mother of all years on so many levels, however many of us have come through, humanity has come through, humanity has finally seen its humanity in others. It's been a time of revelation, resilience, self awareness, activism, a breaking down of and a building up of and so much more.

   Liz Mitchell is the only woman to sing three singles in UK All-Time Top 20 will perform classic hits including Rivers of Babylon, Brown Girl in the Ring and Mary’s Boy Child.  Intimate ‘Reggae Christmas’ show from Liz’s Oxfordshire home will celebrate her Jamaican roots, featuring special lockdown backing group.    Free live-streamed Facebook concert at 7pm UK/8pm CET Monday December 21The free live performance on Monday December 21 (7pm UK/8pm CET) will be on the official Liz Mitchell Facebook page.....It will also be streamed via Instagram and Youtube on Liz Mitchell Official. Further details can be found at..https://estheraustinglobal.wixsite.com/estheraustinglobal

I caught up with Oliver to find out how he was managing with lockdown and to find out whether he was being challenged or inspired. This was an inspiring interview full of laughter. I was inspired by Oliver's wisdom, his outlook on life and his sentiments. I felt as if I was sitting at the feet of an elder.

The BFI London Film Festival 2020 premiered I Am Samuel. 'A quiet, nuanced vérité documentary filmed over five years, I am Samuel is an intimate portrait of a queer Kenyan man and his partner Alex, and their struggles to navigate rejection, violence and complex family relationships. In a country where their love could land them in prison, or worse - dead in the streets - Samuel and Alex find comfort and strength in a colourful, close-knit community in Nairobi whose courageous bond is a beacon of hope in their search for belonging.' Here Esther Austin talks to Peter Murimi about the film and further explores issues around understanding, compassion, culture and tradition and societal beliefs around homosexuality. @IAmSamuel

Esther interviews Tiny about his performance in the UK in 2018 and his latest music. Tavares are well known for tracks such as..Heaven Must be Missing an Angel. More than a Woman. Don't Take Away the Music