Mixcloud is teeming with crate-diggers and few genres allow these connoisseurs to shine quite like jazz, funk or soul.
Whether old or new, smooth or skronky, northern or quiet storm, multi-platinum selling or completely unknown, music from these three genres is impressively popular on Mixcloud and inspires some of the most exciting, innovative and listenable shows on the platform.
It doesn’t matter if you like to get down to James or Jaimeo Brown, these top 10 most listened to jazz, funk and soul profiles in 2017 will have something for you.
This list is calculated based on the total minutes listened per profile:
10. The Retro Cocktail Hour
The Retro Cocktail Hour is hosted by veteran Darrell Brogdon. Darrell serves up music that’s “shaken, not stirred” every week from the Underground Martini Bunker.
The show is poured into glasses across America every week from the vintage bottle of public radio. If you like to sip on smooth jazz with a lounge flavour, The Retro Cocktail Hour is on the house for you.
9. dubbeldee
Creator of the Mo’Jazz radio show, dubbledee specialises in curating jazz shows with historical finesse.
Whether working through ‘A Decade of Jazz 1975-1985’ year-by-year or running specials on unsung jazz heroes, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a show more doggedly dedicated to chronicling the remarkable recent history of jazz.
8. WhoSampled
Everyone’s favourite source of information on samples, covers and remixes, WhoSampled claims to explore the very DNA of music – and by all accounts they’re right.
Many of their mixes take the listener through the source material of the greatest sample-based albums – an incredible experience if you’re a fan of the biggest funk and soul artists.
7. The Jazz Pit
Curated by Irish crate-diggers Emmet Hand & Ian Scott (Bootsy), The Jazz Pit is a weekly show on Frission Radio. It started all the way back in 2005, and has grown to have fans all over the world.
With special ‘The Jazz Pit Digs…’ episodes going in deep on specific labels, The Jazz Pit give one of the best ways to dig deeper into the world of jazz, soul and funk. If you like looking underground for your music, dive headfirst into The Jazz Pit.
6. Pete Smith (Planet Records)
Pete Smith sells northern soul and ska 45s by mail-order under the name Planet Records. From what’s on show via his Mixcloud profile, you’d better believe he’s got the goods.
Pete uploads a wonderfully mixed bag – northern soul, rocksteady, ska, reggae, 60s obscurities, and post-punk – but consistently makes one of the most glorious rackets on Mixcloud.
5. DJ Mr Lob
DJ Mr Lob is a Melbourne-based DJ and hardcore music collector. Having been active on the Melbourne DJ scene since 1999, he’s certainly put in the time to be a mature, carefully soulful selector.
While DJ Mr Lob’s live sets are generally an eclectic blend of funk, soul, jazz, hip hop, reggae, afrobeat and latin, his online mixes tend to be deeper dives into specific genres and themes. He claims that no matter what, he’ll only play tunes with “a real funky, jazzy and soulful sensibility”.
4. The Soul Preacher
Hallelujah! The Soul Preacher does what it says on the tin – evangelically spreading the good word about the best soul and jazz music, from Aretha Franklin to Barry White.
Mixing from vinyl and often curating around interesting themes and people, this is a very special selector with some of the best mixes on the platform.
3. Professor Eddy
From Groningen in The Netherlands, Professor Eddy describes his style as intimate funky soul or ‘funky chill’. Within the boundaries of his own genre, the funky Professor delivers a fantastic array of luscious music.
If you want to learn a thing or two about music that grooves hard – but not too hard – then get front-row seats at one of the Professor’s lectures. By which we mean: listen to his incredible shows on Mixcloud, and get intimately schooled.
2. Soul Cool Records
Our number two spot goes to someone who claims to not be “a DJ per se”, or even “someone with a musical ego.” Instead, Soul Cool Records identifies purely as “an eclectic listener and purveyor of good music”.
Soul Cool Records aims to collect some of the best vintage and rare soul, jazz, funk and disco, often from the 70s and 80s. This mishmash of music is loved by a large chunk of the Mixcloud community, and Soul Cool Records deserves to be pretty happy with the silver spot on this Best Of list.
1. Jazzcat
This year’s number one most listened to jazz, funk and soul profile on Mixcloud goes to Jazzcat, the alias of Massimiliano Conti. A truly passionate music lover from Pescara in Italy, Jazzcat honed his skills from years spent DJing in local radio stations and clubs.
In September 2010 Massimiliano joined Mixcloud, where he’s been stacking up impressive stats and an incredible collection of almost 500 mixes. He quite rightly prides himself in spinning the very best in classic and modern jazz, soul, funk, latin, afro and Brazilian music.
