Have you ever asked your GP if they are ok? I know what you're thinking: that’s not how it works. But after reading Also Human, Caroline Elton’s damning study of the medical profession in the UK, perhaps we all should.
Read MoreWhat's up doc?
Slowly but surely
The internet has opened many doors, bestowed copious gifts on humanity, but a forum for reasoned debate is not one of them. You don’t have to scroll down very far in a Facebook/Twitter post, or a comments section below the line, to read a vile insult, meet a troll or find a promising discussion derailed by angryboy69 or some other keyboard warrior with an axe to grind.
Tortoise is trying to do news and comment differently. Their tagline is “Slow Down, Wise Up” – a reflection on how overwhelmed most of us feel by the sheer volume of media flying around and a riposte to the obsession with breaking news. Fans of Aesop’s fable will get the point. You can read BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan’s piece from last year to learn who’s involved and how they plan to make money.
Read MoreCharles Stepney documentary streaming now
Charles Stepney is the mastermind of seminal records from the likes of Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis and Earth Wind & Fire. Most people will know him for two timeless tracks – Minnie’s ‘Les Fleurs’ and Rotary Connection’s ‘I Am the Black Gold of the Sun’. But his influence and achievements reach much further.
Artists, critics and collectors often compare him to legends such as Quincy Jones and George Martin. But he worked mostly behind the scenes, little more an album credit to those outside of the industry, and passed away at 45 without gaining his due recognition.
Today, Stepney remains a mystery – a rarity in the age of the internet. Until now…
You can stream a special three-hour show on Worldwide FM, hosted by Leanne Wright and featuring her co-presenter Kam Bhogal as well as producer/dj Marc Mac, selector Patrick Forge, artist Cleo Sol and I.
In the documentary, Kam and Leanne share a very personal portrait of a genius with the help of his family, friends and close collaborators.
Featuring:
Ramsey Lewis
Larry Dunn (EW&F)
Marshall Chess
Eibur Stepney
Louie Vega (Masters at Work)
Marc Mac + Dego (4hero)
Patrick Forge
Gilles Peterson
Shirley Wahls (Rotary Connection)
I co-produced and wrote the script. The past 20 months have felt like taking a PhD in Stepney but the experience has proven, like the man himself, that you rarely get anywhere without total commitment.
Please tell us what you think in the comments section on Mixcloud or below this page. You can also tweet us @amarofpatel, @KamBhogal and @bshmntgrl.
Hats off to Jazz Bhandal for the sublime engineering and mastering.
I read the news today … oh boy
Lots of speculation on the future of traditional news and digital media brands this past month… The big headline was obviously the loss of more than 1,000 jobs at BuzzFeed, AOL, Yahoo and HuffPost. Yes, even Buzzfeed. “Wasn’t this the company that was supposed to have it all figured out?” the Business of Fashion gasped.
Read MoreYour silence will not protect you
“Your silence will not protect you.”
I don't think I have read a more crucial line this year. It is discomforting and empowering all at once.
What makes this sentence even more curious is that it was written in 1977 by someone confronting their mortality in public for the first time. The author? A self-proclaimed “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet”.
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