Ralph Tee

Interview With Ralph Tee

1. What’s your favourite Jazz FM programme and why?

Such a difficult one! Well, my background is in jazz/funk and soul, and both

of my mentors are on Jazz FM - Robbie Vincent and Peter

Young. Both have their own style and their own take on the music I

love. Robbie takes me back to the days when he owned the airwaves in London

around Saturday lunchtime. He played the week's best new releases you would

rush out and buy that afternoon and featured guests from Luther Vandross to

George Clinton and have Chaka Khan answering the phone. We have missed

Robbie recently due to poor health, but he'll be back soon with

his brand of humour, jazzy flavours and his authority on what's new, and

what deserves another spin. He's the guvnor. Peter Young is equally favourite with Robbie, again for different reasons. I love his presentation style which is

brilliant mix of knowledge and humour, and he digs the deepest with regards to

soul music to find amazing musical nuggets in cellars from the widest range

of decades and always manages to surprise.

2. What’s the first record you bought and where did you buy it?

I'm not going to admit to the Carpenters and Elton John in my collection

prior to my soul music awakening and tell you the first single I bought was

‘The Whole Town's Laughing At Me’ by Teddy Pendergrass. I knew I loved the

Philly sound since 1973 when The Three Degrees were No.1 with ‘When Will I

See You Again’, but the Teddy tunes is the first I bought as I was lucky to

afford 45p for a copy from The Recorderie in Northwood. It's a health food

shop now...

3. What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod/in your collection?

Actually, I'm not embarrassed by anything but I know people like to judge so

I do keep certain things to myself. All my 20,000 approx records are

catalogued and I happened to show someone my 7" single Groups list recently

who was horrified that it included some Boney M. Actually it was the success of some really commercial acts that got people interested in soul and dance, though I have to be honest and say I have no excuse for owning The Tubes’ ‘White Punks On Dope’.

4. In your opinion, what's the greatest album of all time and why?

So difficult, but people who know me well know that ‘Never Stop Loving Me’

by Keni Burke is my favourite track of all time, and I love the album it

comes from, ‘You're The Best’, released in 1981. Where do I start? I love the

full instrumentation, the extravagance and the individuality in the

arrangements. I love what Keni brings to it in terms of musicianship and as

a vocalist, but ultimately it's deeply emotional and hits a nerve. It was

produced during a wonderful period post-disco and before programmed keyboards and

drum machines so it's fully organic, contains a dance floor anthem in ‘Let

Somebody Love You’ and thrills with its midtempos and ballads. It's

definitive luxury soul! Pleasure beyond measure.

5. What’s the best live gig you have ever been to?

Without question, Roy Ayers at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1978 as part of the

‘You Send Me’ tour. Carla Vaughn was featured vocalist on the album and the

show (amazing), ‘Running Away’ was still a pretty fresh record (which

erupted the place) and he'd just released an album with Wayne Henderson from

which he played ‘Heat Of The Beat’ at 100 mph with a vibes solo played under

a strobe light. Roy Ayers has everything. Brilliant on vibes, great

vocalist, fantastic repertoire, funny, entertaining and the coolest looking

person on the planet.

6. What’s your favourite live music venue and why?

Hammersmith Odeon, or The Apollo as I believe it's still called today. Have

seen all my favourite shows there. It's big enough to feel like a major

event, but not too big that sound, visuals and atmosphere are compromised.

Old funkateers from the old days who thought they were 'in the know' used to

always aim for a seat in row 'J' of the stalls - as this is where you'd

enjoy the best sound :)

7. Jazz Is...

For me, it's jazz/funk. I grew up listening to artists like Roy Ayers, The

Crusaders and Ronnie Laws and some people, I know, would not consider the

music by these artists 'proper jazz'. I guess much of it is like soul music

with either less or no singing. And I particularly like a jazz

instrumentalists who play over funky bass lines in a musical landscape

layered with strings. That's it, I know jazz purists will never speak to me

again, lol...

8. In your opinion, who’s the most inspirational radio presenter of

all time and why?

Kenny Everett. A very funny guy with inspired broadcasting ideas and

techniques. When it comes to choosing my ultimate space hero, I am seriously

torn between Captain Kirk and Captain Kremmen, but at the same time he's

responsible for making ‘Celebrate Me Home’ by Kenny Loggins my favourite

'blue-eyed' soul' album of all time.

9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment in radio?

Ha ha. Nice try! I like my job.

10. What’s your favourite film and why?

‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ - all those secrets and lies and the mess they can

get you into. Plus the drama, passion, pain, and excitement :)

11. Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?

Aretha Franklin - the ultimate soul singer and diva who I bet has some great

stories.