Umoja HiFI's Aaron Paar (Worldship Records, Teflon Dons) pays tribute to DJ Al Jackson, of the LA-based Soul Children, presenting his recorded works as Aljax3. This set originally appeared on Paar's Stomping Grounds radio show (2nd & 4th Mondays 8-10 PM on dublab.com). Al Jackson's show Explorations is also archived on dublab.com Al Jackson: peace be with you brother, thank you for your life and music!

A mix for the first day of Kwanza (Umoja or Unity) to celebrate the origins and sound of my DJ collective Umoja HiFi Soundsystem.

This 1-hour mix features sublime selections from Latin and downtempo to broken beat, and other eclectic rhythms.

Day of Umoja Tracklist

Brownout – Con El Cuete (Second Sky and Thomas Blondet Remix)

Ondatropica – Tiene Sabor, Tiene Sazón (iZem remix)

Joe Bataan – Ernestine

Robert Glasper Experiment – Afro Blue featuring Erykah Badu (9th Wonder's Blue Light Basement Remix)

Om Unit – Lightgrids

Arp 101 – Warriors Galactic

Pomrad – Bofhaun

Tatham,Mensah,Lord & Ranks – Teacup feat Eric Lau

Mr. Scruff – Music Takes Me Up Featuring Alice Russell

Willie Colón – Ché Ché Cole (Sake1 Leftism Edit)

Ambient Jazz Ensemble – Jazz Face (Kirk Degiorgio Remix)

Chip Wickham – Snake Eyes (Ishmael Ensemble Remix)

Kid Sublime feat. Nicky Guilland – Something About Your Love

Yellowtail – Juju

Mim Suleiman – Bibi Na Mpu (Maurice Fulton Dub)

Nomumbah – Milziq Sleepwalke – Brotherhood (Marc Mac Dirty Jazz Mix)

Atjazz feat Sarah Jane Morris – Fantasy (Domu remix)

4hero – Sink or Swim

Peshay – Vanguard

It's Umoja Hi-Fi's Nice Up Radio show #46 with DJ Tomas in the mix. New music from Buju Banton, Anthony B, Jah9, Romain Virgo, Nattali Rize, Christopher Ellis and more. New riddims, and strictly 2020 reggae vibes! Listen to the show live Sundays 3-5PM PST or catch the weekly re-posts at www.soundcloud.com/umojahifi

Welcome to the Umoja Hi-Fi podcast. Umoja Hi-Fi is a seven person DJ collective formed in Los Angeles in 1992 and we are active to this very day! Subscribers to this podcast may be used to the various DJ mixes we’ve been dropping on this channel, and those are going to continue, but today we’ve got something special - we'll talk to DJ Tomas's long time friend and colleague Star Eyes, a.k.a. Vivian Host, an accomplished DJ, producer, music journalist, radio host and podcaster in her own right.

DJ Tomas met Vivian in LA in the early '90s around the same time that Umoja Hi-Fi formed. Tomas booked Star Eyes for one of her first gigs at, an after-hours event at Nova Express cafe, he wrote and edited with her at URB and XLR8R magazines, and watched her career flourish at Red Music Music in New York.

Speaking of Red Bull, Vivian's New York party crew Trouble & Bass won the 2013 Red Bull Culture Clash event -- a true underdog upset, besting Max Glazer's Federation Sound, Que Bajo and hip-hop producer Just Blaze. Since then, she's only continued to rise.

Dubbed "Brooklyn's Queen of Heavy Bass," hear how Vivian discovered reggae sound system culture, became a pioneering US drum & bass DJ, and forged a successful music journalism career along the way.

We present a very special vinyl 45s mix from Umoja Hi-Fi co-founder DJ Daz. This versatile DJ was born in London and raised in Los Angeles where he got deep into music from a young age.

In his London youth he attended Dingwalls sessions (where Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge, Paul Murphy and others played) and after relocating found his way to LA’s Delicious Vinyl Records, home to the Pharcyde, Masta Ace and Brand New Heavies, among others. Later he became a resident at influential LA rare-groove/acid jazz club Brass.

He co-founded Umoja Hi-Fi with DJ Tomas in 1992 and has been an active club DJ in the hip-hop, rare groove, soul, funk, house and reggae scenes. His long running Chocolate Bar night saw dozens of artists and celebrities pass though its doors. Daz agreed to dig in his 45 box for this special guest of rare and cool funk 45s. Enjoy the groove!

Ximeno Records was co-founded by Danny Holloway and Aaron Paar in 2011 and releases limited-run vinyl 45s, focusing mainly on rare, funky vintage reggae and soul cuts. Aimed with DJs and selectors in mind, Ximeno has released though cover versions of tracks like “Let It Whip”, “I Want Your Love,” and “Rock With U” by artists including Derrick Harriot, Grace Jackson, Blood Sisters, Skatalites and Tappa Zukie. Check their Discogs page for more selections (https://www.discogs.com/label/48266imeno-Records). Holloway and Paar first experimented with a 200-pressing 45, when it sold out quickly, and records number two and three also sold out, they knew they were on to something. Says Paar, “A lot of the ideas came from from Danny Holloway’s personal (record) collection; we would discuss and I would recommended the tracks I thought would work for DJs — things that people could play in the clubs right away.

We’ve released a lot of reggae boogie or disco covers, and funkier tracks like “Melting Pot” by Underground Vegetables. Danny and I just combined our knowledge to give DJs something in our bag and make it more accessible.” Now enjoy this mix by Paar, who rep’s Umoja Hi-Fi and Worldship Records in addition to Ximeno.

This mix is an Umoja Hi-Fi exclusive of the first 10 Ximeno singles.

Umoja SoundStation 3-5PM PST on Nice Up Radio with hosts from Umoja Hi-Fi DJ Tomas SF, Culture D and King CoknI O'Dire. Listen on niceupradio.com or download the app from Apple App Store or Google Play. #reggae #roots #classic-dancehall #one-drop #nice-up-radio #umojahifi Catch the re-broadcast every week on soundcloud.com/umojahifi Find Umoja on all your socials @umojafifi (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube)

DJ Tomas SF presents Rocksteady to Rub-A-Dub Mix
1. Melodians – Swing and Dine
2. The Cables – Baby Why
3. Hemsley Morris – Little Things
4. Derrick Morgan – Want More
5. Derick Harriot – Have You Seen Her
6. The Heptones – Party Time
7. Johnny Osbourne – Rub-A-Dub Party
8. Hopeton Lewis – Rockashocka
9. Bob Marley & The Wailers – Nice Time
10. Slim Smith – Rougher Yet
11. Lone Ranger – Love Bump
12. Lloy Robinson – Can't Stand It
12. Alton Ellis – I'm Just A Guy
13. Sugar Minott – Vanity
14. Jimmy London – I'm You Puppet
15. Zap Pow – This Is Reggae
16. Anthony Johnson, Little John, Don Carlos – Roll River Jordan
17. Jr. Reid – Concrete Castle King (Dub)
18. Dennis Brown – I Can't Stand It
19. Sister Nancy – Transport Connection
20. Delton Screechie – Get Up Stand Up
21. Ranking Devon – All Nation Have To Bow
22. Brigadier Jerry – Jamaica Jamaica
23. Johnny Osbourne – Water Pumping
24. Nicodemus – Bubble Nicodemus

DJ Tomas – Umoja Hi-Fi Sound Station

"I’m A Rootsman, Part 1: Deep Roots Mix"

A 73 minute selection of deeper roots reggae music from the 1970s and ‘80s. This selection focuses on slower, dubbier tracks with conscious themes and lyrics. I was trying to invoke the spirit of reggae radio in the ‘80s – be it pirate radio in the UK, college radio in the US or Dread at the Controls broadcasts in Jamaica. Another inspiration was DJ Andrew’s foundation/roots underground parties in Los Angeles in the mid-90s. A UK native and carpenter, Andrew would hold late night affairs in small after-hours bars on Fairfax Ave, focusing on strictly roots and culture selections. Honest Jons’ Dave Phelps would bring his 45s and Daz and Cokni would rope in. I & I hope you enjoy this set. More soon. Giving I-ses unto Jah I-tinually. Word sound is power.

 Tracklisting:

The Silvertones – Rejoice Jah Jah Children

Jah Lion – Columbia Colly

The Heptones – Sufferers Time

Junior Murvin – Police & Thives

Delroy Williams – Foxhole + Dub Version

The Abyssinians – Good Lord

Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

Prince Lincoln – Humanity + Dub Version

Patrick Andy – Every Tongue Shal Tell + Dub Version

Kojak – Penitentiary

Johnny Ringo – Tense Me Tense

Penitentiary Dub Version

Wayne Jarrett & Silver Fox – Saturday Night Jamboree (12" Mix)

The Viceroys – My Mission Is Impossible

Prince Alla –  Only Love Can Conquer

Jah Woosh – Marcus Say + Dub Version

Gregory Isaacs – Mr Cop

Mikey Dread – Barber Saloon

Bunny Wailer – Boderation

Carlton Livingston – 100 Weight of Collie Weed

Frankie Jones – Don't Smoke The Seed

Johnny Osbourne – Give A Little Love

Scientist –  Give A Little Dub

Bob Marley & The Wailers – Rebel Music

Horace Andy – Zion Gate

Leroy Smart – No Love + Dub Version

Johnny Clarke – (Just Call) Me African Roots

Fabian – Prophecy

PLAYLIST:
Political Fiction Half Pint
Tightrope Steel Pulse
Study People Serani
Cyaan Look Inna Wi Eye Bugle
Dem Bwoy Ah Baby Vybz Kartel
Dem Nah Look Nuh Gal (Raw) Assassin
Nuh Linga Elephant Man
Usain Bolt Nuh Linga
Line Fi Line (Raw) Busy Signal & Assassin
The Next Movement The Roots
Sunday Coming Alton Ellis
Christmas Coming Alton Ellis
Im Still In Love With You Boy Sean Paul Ft Sasha
Umbrella (Offical Reggae Remix) Rihanna & Shaggy
brown skin Richie spice
My African Queen
Youths Are So Cold Richie Spice
Cherish The Day Sade
Never Dis Di Man Sanchez
Shine Criss Shabba Ranks
Reprimand Shinehead
Respect Shabba Ranks