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The Music Is Black: Gambo's Favourites

Paul plays his favourite black artists - giving us some blues, jazz, funk, gospel and soul. So expect some James Brown, Sam Cooke, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Alicia Keys and Macy Gray.

Produced by Ora et Labora for BBC Radio 2.

27 days left to listen

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Sunday20:00
BBC Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Sam Cooke

    You Send Me

    • Sam Cooke - The Man & His Music.
    • RCA.

  • The Supremes

    Where Did Our Love Go

    • Diana Ross & The Supremes - 40 Motown.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • Benjamin Clementine

    Cornerstone

    • At Least for Now.
    • Virgin EMI.

  • Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

    Summertime (Porgy and Bess)

    • Melodies Of Love (Various Artists).
    • Global Television.

  • Paul Robeson

    Ol Man River

    • Charleston Great Stars of the 1920s.
    • Past Perfect.

  • Lead Belly

    In The Pines

    • San Juan Music.

  • Aretha Franklin

    Respect

    • Aretha Franklin - Queen Of Soul.
    • Atlantic.

  • Ray Charles

    I Got A Woman

    • Best Of The 50's (Various Artists).
    • Disky.

  • Wilson Pickett

    Land Of 1000 Dances

    • Where It's At (Various Artists).
    • Kent.

  • Gabriels

    Love And Hate In A Different Time

    • GABRIEL.

  • Edwin Hawkins Singers

    Oh Happy Day

    • 25 Years Of Rock'n'Roll 1969 (Vol 2).
    • Connoisseur.

  • Herbie Hancock

    Bring Down the Birds

    • Sampled (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.

  • Stevie Wonder

    Pastime Paradise

    • The Definitive Collection.
    • Universal.

  • Grandmaster Flash & Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five

    The Message

    • Now.

  • Alicia Keys

    Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

    • The Element Of Freedom.
    • Sony Music.
    • 14.

  • Shirley Bassey

    Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me

    • NOW That's What I Call Jukebox Classics - True Love Ways (Various Artists).
    • Now.

  • Tracy Chapman

    Across The Lines

    • Tracy Chapman.
    • Elektra.

  • The Weeknd

    Blinding Lights

    • (CD Single).
    • Universal Republic Records.
    • 1.

  • Nina Simone

    My Baby Just Cares For Me

    • Heartbeat - The 60's Gold Collection.
    • Global Television.

  • Sekou

    Better Man

    • NWS/Island Records/Republic Records.

  • Little Richard

    Lucille

    • That's Rock'n'Roll (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • Chuck Berry

    You Never Can Tell (C'est La Vie)

    • The Best Of Chuck Berry.
    • MCA.

  • Billy Preston

    My Sweet Lord

    • Encouraging Words (Expanded Edition).
    • EMI Catalogue.
    • 4.

  • Macy Gray & BBC Concert Orchestra

    I Try (Radio 2 Piano Room, 5 Feb 2026)

  • Michael Kiwanuka

    Black Man In A White World

    • Polydor Records.

  • Joan Armatrading

    Love And Affection

    • A&M.

  • James Brown

    Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine Part 1 & 2

    • Polydor.

  • Dionne Warwick

    Heartbreaker

    • Friends & Lovers (Various Artists).
    • K-Tel.

  • Miles Davis

    So What

    • Columbia.

Broadcast

  • Sunday20:00
    BBC Radio 2

Featured in...

  • The Music is Black

    Celebrating Black British music, as part of a special season in collab with the V&A East.