Gilles Peterson is Worldwide

Monsour Gilles Peterson, radio tastemaker from the Gods, is the man. Don't get mad at him for his overpriced CDs or the cult-like devotion fans (like me) express. No other dj has broken as many artists... from national stars like Jill Scott, Neptunes or Zero 7 to LA locals like Plantlife, Rebirth and Dwight Trible... even hit records like "one thing"...

The man has an ear. It comes from years of dedication to music and a left of center worldview. Twenty years ago he was "joining the dots" of jazz, funk, early electro and reggae on pirate radio. From his days of clubbing at places like the Electic Ballroom and Dingwalls with the likes of Chris Bangs, Paul Murphy and Eddie Piler the fateful word Acid Jazz arose out of a joke. Then came comps like Jazz Juice, Blue Bossa and Journeys by... His Worldwide radio show has been legit on Kiss Fm since 1990 and BBC since 1998. Its popularity is a godsend to that bloody island.

If you listen to the current incarnation of Gilles' Worldwide show on Radio 1 you will recognize the last one by Steve Reid, mid 70s Miles Davis percussionist who later played withfriggin everyone... hubbard, bartz, sun ra, shepp, silver, fela even james brown. Gilles' most recent comp is a 2CD follow-up to Gilles in Brazil called Gilles in Africa. Both feature original music from the source, then remixes and interpretations from today. The second cut is by Feqadu Amdé-Mesqel, an associate of the ASTOUNDING Mulatu of Ethiopia. The track is an example of the kind of previously unknown track that he routinely mines. The first track is a recent Worldwide biggie by (Matthew) Herbert vocalist:

Roisin Murphy - So Into You
Feqadu Amdé-Mesqel - Asmarina
Steve Reid - Lions of Juda