Yushka presents Funk Show 6 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music radio station, DJ agency, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Originally from Nottingham in the UK, Yushka has developed his DJing through free parties, raves, festivals and club nights across the UK, Ireland and, since the mid-2000s, Vietnam. He was a key member of Nottingham's What The Funk? DJ group and founded Nottingham's Shits and Giggles and Hot-Point Sound Systems.
As a teenager, he was interested in the structure of music and made mixtapes. Without the money for DJ equipment, he used basic software and a CD recorder to create mixes for schoolmates, earning recognition as a DJ among his peers.
In 2004, at the age of 22, he first played on professional equipment. By 2006, he was regularly playing Nottingham bars and nightclubs within the underground scene alongside co-host and founder Animinimal of Deck-starter and Catalyst.
As the events grew, the venues' inadequate PA systems led the group to bring their own sound system. That decision established the Sh!ts and G!ggles sound system.
After spending a long period listening to music with Matty C of Hanoi Hi-Fi, Yushka established Nottingham's Hotpoint Sound System. It led to underground free events and partnerships with East Midlands promoters including Substance D&B, Pure Filth, TSA303, Monkey Nuts and Psycle, as well as the multi-genre nights for which Hotpoint and S&G became known.
Yushka has supported drum and bass artists EZ Rollers and Kenny Ken, and played at Sidewalk Hanoi - Bar / Kitchen / Events in Hanoi and Broma: Not a Bar, Arcan and Bann Bar in Ho Chi Minh City. His selections encompass chilled, laid-back beats, breaks, hip hop, electro, tech and drum and bass, with funk and soul central to the programme.
He became a regular performer at Sunday Funk Sessions at Arcan in Ho Chi Minh City and was due to make further appearances during 2019. Funk Show 6 was first broadcast on Friday 9 August 2019.
Yushka's Funk Show 6 on Scientific Sound Asia opens with Bill Withers' Grandma's Hands on Sussex, setting out a warm soul foundation. Aaron Neville's Hercules on Charly Records and Bootsy Collins' I'd Rather Be With You on Warner Bros. Records then bring R&B and funk into sharper focus.
The Meters' Just Kissed My Baby on Josie Records keeps the rhythm section prominent, while Wendy Rene's After Laughter (Comes Tears) on Chamber Music eases the pace with a more intimate vocal. RJD2's High Lights on Decon introduces a rap music reference before The O'Jays' For The Love of Money on Philadelphia International returns to the groove.
Sly and the Family Stone's Everyday People on Geffen and Al Green's Love And Happiness on Hi bring classic vocal records together with a Nu-Disco-friendly pulse. Bobby Rush's Mary Jane on Galaxy adds a bluesy edge, before Ann Robinson's You Did It on All Brothers and Gladys Knight and the Pips' Who Is She on Soul return to R&B and soul.
African Music Machine's Tropical on Soul Power leads into Lack Of Afro's Touch My Soul on Freestyle, keeping the selection rooted in vocal-led funk. A Perfect Circle's The Hand Of Time on Mastercuts, Future Shock's Curtis Mayfied & The Impressions on Curtain and Hook And Sling Meets Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings' The Funky Superfly on Desco Records widen the source material without losing that emphasis.
Freddie North's Love To Hate on Mankind and Los Chorbos' Sones del Chicarro on Lovemonk make room for contrasting record-store discoveries. George Benson's California Dreamin' on CTI Records brings in jazz music, while Bobby Patterson's How Do You Spell Love? on Wagram restores the vocal R&B thread.
Charles Wright Band's Express Yourself on Warner Bros and Clarence Reid's Nobody But You Babe on The Zoo give way to Betty Davis' This Is It on Vampi Soul. The closing stretch moves through The Chambers Brothers' Funky on Columbia, Eric Clapton's I Shot The Sheriff on RSO and Dr. John's Right Place Wrong Time on Wind-Up before Fred Wesley and the JB's' Soul Power '74 on Polydor, Parliament's Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) on AEM, Freedom's Get Up And Dance on Malaco Records, Fatback Band's Yum Yum (Gimme Some) on Polydor, Lack Of Afro's Pure Filth on Freestyle and Tony Alvon & The Belairs' Sexy Coffee Pot on Crypt close on funk.
Yushka Funk Show 6
Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands [Sussex]
Aaron Neville – Hercules [Charly Records]
Bootsy Collins - I'd Rather Be With You [Warner Bros. Records]
The Meters - Just Kissed My Baby [Josie Records]
Wendy Rene - After Laughter (Comes Tears) [Chamber Music]
RJD2 - High Lights [Decon]
The O-jays - For The Love of Money [Philadelphia International]
The Chosen Few - We Are The Chosen Few [Funk Spectrum]
Randy Crawford & Crusaders - Streetlife [MCA]
Sly And The Family Stone – Everyday People [Geffen]
Al Green - Love And Happiness [Hi]
Bobby Rush - Mary Jane [Galaxy]
Ann Robinson - You Did It [All Brothers]
Gladys Knight And The Pips - Who Is She [Soul]
African Music Machine - Tropical [Soul Power]
Lack Of Afro - Touch My Soul [Freestyle]
A Perfect Circle - The Hand Of Time [Mastercuts]
Future Shock - Curtis Mayfied & The Impressions [Curtain]
Hook And Sling Meets Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - The Funky Superfly [Desco Records]
Freddie North - Love To Hate [Mankind]
Los Chorbos - Sones del Chicarro [Lovemonk]
George Benson - California Dreamin' [CTI Records]
Bobby Patterson - How Do You Spell Love? [Wagram]
Charles Wright Band - Express Yourself [Warner Bros]
Clarence Reid - Nobody But You Babe [The Zoo]
Betty Davis - This Is It [Vampi Soul]
Chambers Brothers - Funky [Columbia]
Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff [RSO]
Dr John - Right Place Wrong Time [Wind-Up]
Fred Wesley and the JB's - Soul Power '74 [Polydor]
Parliament - Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) [AEM]
Freedom - Get Up And Dance [Malaco Records]
Fatback Band - Yum Yum (Gimme Some) [Polydor]
Lack Of Afro - Pure Filth [Freestyle]
Tony Alvon & The Belairs - Sexy Coffee Pot [Crypt]
Listen on Mixcloud here.