Podcasting: Then and Now

Image courtesy of The New York Film School

Podcasting has been around for as long as I have been officially blogging, which means 2007 (or possibly even 2001, when I coded my own home page in Geocities). Today it is big business and far more popular with the general public than it was back then. The model has been monetized and advancements in internet and mobile device technology and associated apps has made it easier than ever to create a podcast on the go.

Back in the last 2000s, I got into podcasting via the technology I already had in my home recording studio. I came up with the concept of The Sunday Soundtrack, a podcast that I created to be a substitute for the extremely popular smooth jazz podcast format, a podcast to introduce the genres of chill out, smooth electronica, ambient, two step (aka UK Garage) to a specific audience that, by my travels, weren’t getting introduced to said genres.

I started out by posting episodes every Sunday afternoon or evening, which required me to research tracks from somafm, some of the electronica and chill out stations from what was Apples Radio stations in iTunes, YouTube, and SiriusXM. I used Logic Pro as my recording medium, uploaded the final podcast to my blog server and starred it with the masses. It was quite an enjoyable experience.

At that same time, via Twitter, I began to see that there were others like me doing music podcasts…people like (just to name a few):

  • Jason Smith- BSOTS (Both Sides Of The Surface)
  • DarrenKeith – My Love For Music
  • Anjibee – The Chillcast
  • DJ Diva – The Mixtress of R&B
  • T. Grundy – Cupid’s Hunt
  • Todd Kelley – The Flowhop, Prototype Of NuSoul
  • EJ Flavors(RIH) – Old School Wednesdays
  • Fave (RIH) – The Friday Favecast

We ended up forming an unofficial podcast consortium and provided “podcast ID drops” to use in each others podcasts. This, again, was all before the days of heavy podcast commercialism, before the days of it being monetized on social media platforms and large business entities like NPR, NASA, and the like. It was, as with other things of days gone by, almost sort of a “pure” approach of audio media publishing and broadcasting, shared with the masses as a labor of love.

As the years went by, with “life” happening, The Sunday Soundtrack went from weekly episodes to monthly to occasionally. Some of the other podcasts above (with the exception of one, which I’ll get back to later), also fell by the ‘regularly posting” wayside for various reasons. Yet and still, all great podcasts which I enjoyed listening to throughly and participating in as I could.

Today, I try to repost the years of Sunday Soundtrack episodes, as I can, to share with seasoned listeners who were there from the beginning, to new listeners. I’ve said numerous times that I’d like to revive the podcast and post new episodes, but like everything else, that only requires “making the time/schedule” to do so. On an aside, my home recording studio has been down for months due to basement renovation that is about to finally start. I’ve been out of sorts, in a way, since the entire basement has been out of sorts but once I get back to normal, I’ll serious consider it.

Since then, I’ve created another podcast, Tech Times. It’s a 5 -7 minute “bite-sized” podcast where I just give my view on emerging consumer technologies that I fancy. I’m no expert, it’s just a fun way of publishing my thoughts. It started out as a purely mobile podcast back in 2014 or so and was posted to the then ADN (App Developers Network), now known as Pnut. Last November I participated in National Podcast Post Month #NaPodPoMo by publishing episodes of this podcast and still post occasionally now. I’ll post the links to both the Sunday Soundtrack and Tech Times below.

Back to the still ongoing podcast I mentioned above. Jason Smith of BSOTS was broadcasting alongside of the rest of this back in 2007 and has continued to provide us with quality episodes of great music. I felt it was fitting to give him a shout out and salute.

Today, technical podcasts and similar help my commute to work go very nicely and it allows me to keep abreast of the tech advancements I have interest in. I’m glad the tech has advanced to the point of making it quite easy to listen just about any place or any time.

Here’s a few links to my podcasts and BSOTS

Tech Tmes (available on all major podcast streaming platforms)

The Sunday Soundtrack

Both Sides Of The Surface (Jason Smith)

Thanks much for the read….

Fresh!

Welcome To The Sunday Soundtrack – 02 Nov 14

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Photo Credit: instagram.com/imthejam

Greetings listeners, welcome to another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. It’s always good to be back. I’m sitting in Starbucks as I type this post in preparation for what you are probably listening to as you read this. The image is perfect for the feel of the day outdoors. I was having a text chat with my publicist about rainy overcast days versus sunny ones and how they some stir up the creativity in me. I enjoy them and think the have a place along with sunny days. Whether it be rainy, sunny, or in between, I hope you’re enjoying it.

Today’s podcast playlist brings a number of new tracks, mixed in with some favorites. In particular, there are two tracks from some fellow friends that are also chillout/downtempo/artists as well as gifted musicians and bandleaders. I’ll elaborate on a bit more on the tracks “Radio Format” and “The Dreams We Dream” in the podcast. For the first time (if memory serves me correctly), an urban contemporary track finds its way into the playlist. The very popular track, The Worst, by Jhene Aiko. This is the instrumental version, which I’ll be talking more about in the podcast with regards to why I chose it.

1. Wanderer’s Creek- Between Yesterday and Tomorrow/Art Bleek
2. Not Just Anybody f/Kate Rogers (AtJazz Flugelhorn Mix) – Nocturnal/Rae and Christian
3. Radio Format – Radio Format (The Downtempo Sessions/The Sevens
4. Hidden Shore – Hidden Shore/Blackfish
5. This Journey In – The Rebirth/The Rebirth
6. The Worst (Instrumental) – Sail Out/Jhene Aiko
7. The Dreams That We Dream – Various Shades of Blue/e:trinity
8. Elephant (Dub Mix) – In Your Dreams/Spiral System
9. New Dawn – Halcyon Sky/Mr. Fresh
10. Our Secret Garden (Bonus Track) – Cool Off Chillout Vol. 2/Sine
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There you have it! A big thanks to my podcasting massive: Jason Smith, Nikki Norwoood, DJ Diva (The Mixtress), Calandra Branch, DK Wyatt, Anji Bee, Todd Kelley, Angel, NT Grundy, EJ , “The Sensei” Flavors, and everyone else doin’ it big. I hope you enjoyed the tracks. Special shoutout to my publicist, Felicia Hodges of Tigerlily Communications.

Halcyon Sky can be found here.
Ok, I’ve got a brunch date I’m a wee bit late too. Catch u soon.

::: oceans of rhythm :::

Fresh!

Welcome to The Sunday Soundtrack – 24 Aug 14

Tranquility

Greeting Listeners.

Welcome to another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. It’s always good to be back, especially as we come to the close of another summer soulstice. I don’t know about you, but I definitely would like there to be a “restart” button, I’d be pushing it with a vengeance! LOL.

I bring to you seven tracks, many of them are marked as first time appearances on the podcast. I hope you enjoy them as well as I do. Without further adieu….the tracklist:

1. Let Go – Inside Out/Kuba
2. Aerosol (Ice Lounge Mix) – Sunrider/Jens Buchert
3. Cosmopole – Cantoma
4. Deep (f/C3) – Halcyon Sky/Mr. Fresh
5. Zauis (Ski Oakenfull Mix) – Sousode Records Compilation/Incognito
6. Chamorrita – What Love Is/AfterSix Productions
7. New Dawn – Halcyon Sky/Mr. Fresh

Special shout outs to Cross Country Collective (Trel Robinson and Todd Kelley), Calandra Branch for conducting the interview of me for my debut EP, Halcyon Sky, my newest drop deliverer and CEO of the PR firm, Tigerlily Communications, Felicia Hodges, and of course…to all the fan, both of Halcyon Sky and The Sunday Soundtrack.

Have a great day!

::: oceans of rhythm :::

Fresh!

The Sunday Soundtrack (Special Edition) – Princestrumentals

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Greetings readers….

Welcome to a special edition of The Sunday Soundtrack, in honor of the 56th birthday of the iconic musician, songwriter, producer, and performer, Prince Rogers Nelson. This podcast, staying with the concept of the Sunday Soundtrack, is comprised of only his instrumental tracks.

With all the instrumental songs he’s composed in his 30+ years of being an artist, the list was hard to narrow down to seven tracks. It’s my desire that you enjoy the flow. That said, let’s jump to the playlist.

1. From The Lotus – LOTUSFLOW3R
2. Gamillah – Chocolate Invasion
3. North – NEWS
4. Copenhagen – C-NOTE
5. 13 (Paisley Park Mix) – 16/Madhouse
6. Kamasutra (Overture #8) – Kamasutra (aka The Truth)/Crystal Ball
7. Back To The Lotus – LOTUSFLOW3R

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Shout out to Shelly Ogden Nelson for sourcing the podcast artwork.
Shout out to Come Back Nikki for alerting me to the follow correction. I mispoke in the podcast! Truth and Kamasutra are actually two different cds, both came with Crystal Ball if you pre-ordered it. The Truth is mostly acoustic.

Glad to know that his longevity is ongoing. Enjoy!

::: oceans of rhythm:::

Fresh!

CH 2014: Every VDay Deserves a Great Soundtrack (A Sunday Soundtrack Special Edition)

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Greetings Listeners…

I trust this post finds you well. I have returned to the Cupid’s Hunt Podcast Extravaganza after a 4 year layoff. I’m pleased to bring you a special edition of the Sunday Soundtrack for those celebration this “Love’s Holiday”, in the way you choose. I present to you, the playlist:

Cupid’s Hunt 2014 – Every Valentine’s Day Deserves a Great Soundtrack
A Special Edition of The Sunday Soundtrack at vibesnscribes.com

Tracklist

1. The Way You Love – Incognito/Surreal
2. Got To Let My Feelings Show – Bluey/Leap of Faith
3. Your Love Is King – Sade/Diamond Life
4. Believe in Us – Mint Condition/Music At The Speed Of Life
5. Love Dub – Afterlife/The Afterlife Lounge
6. Right Is Right – Para Diso/Paradise II Paranoia
7. Sending My Love – Norman Brown/Sending My Love
8. So In Love – Norman Brown/Stay With Me
9. Really? – Blue Mind/OM Chilled Vol. 2

Background Intro Music: Cupid’s Hunt – Mint Condition/Livin’ The Luxury Brown

All the Cupid’s Hunt Podcasts celebration Valentine’s Day 2014 can be found at the Rhythms In Black Satin II website. Continually check there for podcasts as they are added!

Enjoy!

::: oceans of rhythm :::

Fresh!

Welcome To The Sunday Soundtrack – 05 Jan 14

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Photo Courtesy of Flaschi (instagram.com/flaschi)

Greetings Listeners…

Welcome to the first podcast of 2014! It’s great to be back. I appreciate all the requests and glad that you’re taking the time to listen to this edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. Seventy percent of the playlist are new tracks never featured on previous podcasts, so I hope you enjoy them.

Last year was a year of musical collaborations that were (and still are) very satisfying. One such collaboration was on the project entitled “Moods” by Todd “Big La” Kelley. The track, “One Time” is featured on his farewell release, which is available as a FREE download on Bandcamp. The remainder of the playlist is sure to provide tracks ranging from lush to tightly knit smooth grooves, perfect for that chillout timeframe in your day. So, without further adieu…the playlist:

1. ‪Rhythmbreeze‬ – Fresh Moods/Fresh Moods
2, ‪Almost There‬ – Hideo Kobayashi/Om Lounge 10
3. Fantasy (Hideo Kobayashi Deep Vocal Mix) – Afterlife/Fantasy
4 Sentient – MrFijiwiji and Tulpa/Friends EP
5. Want Me – Affelaye/Maybe There
6. Racetracks – Tony Watson/Abstrakt Sampler
7. Loose Tunes – Skipless/Rooftops
8. Francesa – Ricardo Silveira/Storyteller
9. Janeiro (Chiller Twist Blue Line Remix) – Solid Session/Armada Lounge
10. One Time (f/C3) – Todd Kelley/Moods

A big shout out to my entire podcast massive (you know who you ALL are) as well as the listeners. Have a great day, whatever day it is, whatever time it is.

::: oceans of rhythm :::

Fresh!

The Sunday Soundtrack – 14 Apr 13

Greetings Listeners….

Welcome to another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. “It’s been a long time, I shouldn’t have left you…” (a little hip hop lyric reference there). It’s great to be back with another edition, albeit overdue, of the podcast. It’s about 12:37 am here in studio, but it’s done. I hope to stay on a regular (to be determined) schedule. Starting with pre-production on Monday for the following Sunday helps, doing a little everyday helps even more. The plan is to finish Saturday evening 🙂

For my new listeners, The Sunday Soundtrack podcast is geared towards giving you an alternative listening experience to the standard Sunday afternoon commercial smooth jazz formatted programs and expose you to independent artists with tunes that provide that same smoothness, but in such genres as electronica, nu jazz, downtempo, experimental, chillout, instrumental jazzy hip hop, and the like. Please feel free to take a listen and leave comments, if u like. You can also reach The Sunday Soundtrack at (301) 458-0499

Without further delay, let’s get to the playlist.

1. Moon Beat – LTJ X-Perience/Moon Beat
2. Consequences (Late Night Mix) – Blank & Jones/Relax 4
3. Gutenmirgenduft (Morning Scent) – dZihan & Kamien/Gran Riserva
4. Subsolitude – Hypoetical/Pendulum
5. Try Me – J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science f/Goapele & Capitol A/J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – OM Records 2003
6. Square Purity – The Jazzment/Beats – Old Stuff
7. Sunbeams – Uko/Cafe Del Mar – Vol. 7

Some special shout outs:

  • My entire podcast massive: Fave, Big La (Todd Kelley), DarrenKeith, Anji Bee, Nikki, BSOTS, DJ Diva, EJ Flavors (The Sensei), and T. Grundy (Mr Brilliant). All excellent podcasters whose episodes range from smooth jazz to soul to hip hop to R&B to chillout to funk. My hats off to all of you, thanks for the encouragement
  • All the podcast drops done by the crew above AND listeners – thank you!
  • Ray Garraud – The Garraud Files Podcast, a versatile tech enthusiast, author, blogger, podcaster, public speaker, and good friend with whom I’ve had several great conversations with on his own thoughts of mobile podcasting and the evolving tech out which allows it. Thanks for the push, Ray!
  • Calandra and Madeline for the re-encouragement
  • @DVSJr, @Upright for the re-tweets/favorites about the return!
  • I hope you’re enjoying the tracks. Please feel free to follow the The Sunday Soundtrack on Twitter

    Take care and have a great week.

    ::: oceans of rhythm :::

    Fresh!

    The Sunday Soundtrack – 07 Aug 11 – featuring Clara Hill

    Greetings listeners. Welcome to another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack! It’s been about a nine month hiatus…whew…long time coming, but it’s good to be back once again. It’s been a hot summer this year…all the more better to bring you some CHILLED tracks to offset the heat. This edition of the Sunday Soundtrack features one of the smoothest female vocalists I have ever heard…the inimitable Clara Hill.

    From her last.fm page:

    Clara started to discover the power of voice in the eighties, when she was singing alongside some tunes by Madonna. At a certain point it was clear to her that she wanted to join and front a band. Aged seventeen, she founded the acid jazz combo Superjuice, together with her friend Funès. In the early nineties, at the height of acid jazz, the band toured through Berlin clubs, gathering a high-profile reputation. During these years, Clara made her first steps in live music. During one of her shows, she met DJ Alex Barck from Jazzanova, who was spinning records as a support DJ. In 1998 he introduced her to the producers of Extended Spirit (2/6 of Jazzanova): Stefan Leisering and Axel Reinemer, that produced a few tracks with Clara. Relaxed and easy, a friendship started with Stefan Leisering and Clara Hill. With him, the song “No Use”

    Clara’s thick, lush, harmonies go so very well with the wide chordal arrangements that Jazzanova and other similar artists she’s work with that I have to describe her music by taking the first letter of her first name, and combining it with her full last name: CHill!

    Without further adieu, I bring you the playlist:
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    1. Still Here – Aural Float
    2. Reel Life (Evolution II) – The Cinematic Orchestra/Man With a Movie Camera
    3. Reprise – Clara Hill/Best Of 3
    4. Maybe Now – Clara Hill/Restless Times
    5. Crush – Chevalier
    6. I’m Here – Clara Hill/Restless Times
    7. Flawless – Clara Hill/Restless Times
    8. Under The Radar – Two Little Satellites
    9. No Use – Jazzanova Feat. Clara Hill/In Between
    10. Dub In Ya Mind (Blue Water Mix – Afterlife/Simplicity Two Thousand (Disc 1)
    ~~~~~~~~~~

    I hope you’ve enjoyed the tracks as much as I do. Big shout out to my podcast massive for the ID drops in the podcast. Thanks for the encouraging words regarding the return of the podcast. An equally important shout to my regular and new listeners, as well. I appreciate you checking it out.

    Clara Hill on last.fm

    Official Website

    Enjoy the day, night, afternoon, morning, or whenever you are listening to this podcast. For those of you on Twitter, feel free to follow The Sunday Soundtrack there.

    ::: oceans of rhythm :::

    Fresh!

    Welcome To The Sunday Soundtrack – 20 Feb 2011

    Crew,

    Welcome, once again to The Sunday Soundtrack. It’s been a few months, almost four months, since the last podcast and during the necessary hiatus, it was good to rearrange somethings, and get some new tracks to share with you. Officially, I wish you a Happy New Year and hope things are going well for you.

    As said above, brand new tracks are on the playlist, representing the essence of what I’ve created The Sunday Soundtrack for years ago – a relaxing, yet no so common mix of laidback music for any day of the week. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank all who gently poked me in the side to get the podcast back on board. Mad shouts to my entire podcasting crew (see the blogroll) for the encouragement, the ID drops, the whole nine. Keep doin’ it big, you keep me inspired. Special shout to all the fans of the podcast as well, your comments keep me inspired in the same way.


    1 – Optymystic-Tom Middleton/Life Tracks
    2 – Letcha Letcha-Ten Madison/Travelling
    3 – Harissa-Ten Madison/Travelling
    4 – Miner’s Son (Aquatic mix)-Beth Hirsch
    5 – Another Time, Another Space-Citrus Sun/Another Time Another Space
    6 – afterthewoman-rdm
    7 – Afternoon in the Park (Orbiting Dream) Ft. Dan Prudian-Inner Light Spectrum/The Path to Reality
    8 – A Touch Of Jazz

    It’s been a pleasure. I’ll be back with another edition within the month. Big shouts to all my indie musicians who are flowin’ everything from jazzy, downtempo instrumental hip-hop (stay tuned in the coming episodes), to @fave and @toddkelley, my writing partners on the Cross Country Collective (C3) project, my writing and business partner as well as LONG time good friend, Dan McCollum (we are After Six Productions on FB) and to all artists adding to this universal language of of music. One last shout out to @dvsjr and @shaktiirocket, I hope The Sunday Soundtrack continues to provide that musical backdrop for your Sunday brunches. To my fans, I salute you! Follow me here:

    Fresh on Twitter
    The Sunday Soundtrack on Twitter

    ::: oceans of rhythm :::

    Fresh!

    Welcome To The Sunday Soundtrack – 101010

    Welcome listeners, to another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. Here we are in the last quarter of the year, 2010. Seems like a whirlwind of time has past. Sometimes I just wanna stop the world, and hop off, hahah. Hope all is well with you.

    All brand new tracks today, thanks to some time spend searching YouTube. Interestingly enough, I can spend hours in this goldmine, gathering tracks for the show, and the last treasure hunt turned up some really nice gems.

    Back on this episode, after some time, is an artist I discovered when The Sunday Soundtrack first hit the netwaves, Michael E. I discovered him on myspace, and recently came across his track “Blow” from his latest release, Cafe Tranquillo. A signature track by him, it employs lush movements and laidback rhythms. His music’s always been a favorite of mine.

    Returning once again, is Lazybatusu with their track, Keep On Keeping On. This duo produces tracks that range from a large sounding arrangement to, at times, tracks leaning towards a minimalistic sound, while all the time laying in that chillout vibe. This is a nice track, and you’ll be hearing more from this group in future podcasts.

    I always say The Sunday Soundtrack is not The Sunday Soundtrack without Afterlife. This time, Dub In Ya Mind (Blue Water Mix), is what I’m featuring. Steve Miller brings the essence of Ibiza chillout in a relaxing track that can always find it’s place in activities where no multitasking is aloud (smile). I always love the way he incorporates the elements of female vocals


    1. Viva Cubana (beachhouse mix) – Clublife/Dubai Chillhouse Grooves Vol 2.
    2. Keep On Keeping On – Lazybatusu/Supperclub Presents San Francisco Vol. 8 Disc 2
    3. People Come, People Go (Chillout Mix) – Arnej/After Hours Anthems
    4. Always on my Mind (Bar Lounge Music Mix) – Soul ‘N’ Sound
    5. Consequences f/Vanessa Daou (Late Night Mix) – Blank & Jones/Relax-Edition 4
    6. Blow – Michael E/Cafe Tranquillo
    7. California Sunset (Ambient Lounge Mix) – Various
    8. Moon Beat – LTJ – X-Perience/Formetara de Dia Volume 1. Part Two [IMPORT]
    9. Dub In Ya Mind (Blue Water Mix) – Afterlife/Simplicity Two Thousand (Disc 1)
    10. Sunset Chill Lounge – Various

    I was laced with some swag from SomaFM recently, here’s a short video about it. Shout out to Rusty Hodge, DJ at SomaFM,

    As always, thanks for listening, it’s much appreciated. I hope the podcast provides the necessary chill(out) you’re looking for when you need it.

    ::: oceans of rhythm :::

    Fresh!