Solar Radio

We are pleased to advise that the following dates have been confirmed for Solar Radio SOUL CRUISE events through 2023, these aboard the Golden Jubilee sailing from Temple Pier, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PN, leaving at 2.00pm and returning at 7.00pm with two floors of music and Solar Radio DJs.

The dates are:-  Sunday March 26,  Sunday May 7, Sunday  May 28, Sunday June 25, Sunday  July 23,  Sunday  August 20,  Sunday  September 24 and Sunday October 22  2023.

Our South Coast Cruise 'SOUL ON THE SOLENT' will be on Sunday June 11th from 1 - 6pm

on board the Ocean Scene sailing from the Town Quay, Southampton.

Ticket and pricing information will be published on this website and on our Social Media outlets as each event is made available for purchase, usually six to eight weeks ahead of the event.

To mark its 30th anniversary Opaz is releasing a limited edition twelve track vinyl LP 'Opaz 30' featuring Martine Girault, Mica Paris, Maysa, George Howard, Patrick Jean Paul Dennis, Natasha Campbell, Cartier Fraser, Imaani, new signing Mary Jane and Ray Hayden.

Opaz's first release as a label was Martine Girault's 'Revival' on June 1st 1992. It entered the UK dance chart at No.1, winning The DMC/ Mix Mag 'Best Soul Record' of the year award and went on to feature in movies with Tu Pac Shakur, Micky Rourke and Meg Ryan and added flavour to Nescafe's advertising campaigns. The Opaz 30 album will be available from all the usual stores and online sites ( HMV, Tower, Juno etc)

This opened the door for the Opaz sound, with productions, writing and remixes for Marvin Gaye, Tyrese, Mary J Blige, Will Smith, Omar, Incognito, George Howard, Ronny Jordan, Swing Out Sister, Sade, The Brand New Heavies and many more.

Opaz secured licencing deals with A&M, London and BMG records for its artists and internationally JVC and Sony in Japan opening up the Japanese market which led to work with Monday Michiru, Towa Tai, Sandii and Mondo Grosso to name a few.

Opaz's most recent release 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' May 2022 entered Amazons RnB chart at number 2 and features new signing Mary Jane

Opaz started as a recording studio In Hackney, on Mare Street right next to the Hackney Empire Theatre in 1986 and has evolved into a film company under the banner Opaz Multimedia, having secured a Hollywood agent, it's first feature is in production 'Brightlingsea'

Mary Jane was signed to the label to work on the film soundtrack as well as an animated project called Agatha Crup.

NOW AVAILABLE - "MORE SOLAR SOUL" - 19 (yes 19) track CD containing tracks featured on Solar Radio in recent times - price for mail-order to the UK is just £13.50. For track listing visit the webstore . For sale to global markets EXCEPT the U.S.A. Regret NOT for sale to U.S.A, customers due to licensing restrictions. Mailing costs outside the UK will differ, and could be subject to customs fees  (email info@solarradio.com for overseas quote). UK orders from our webstore  HERE

With the ever-increasing number of people tuning to Solar Radio, we are happy to welcome new customers to our events including the ever-popular Soul Cruises, and it may be timely to advise new folk (and remind valued 'regulars'!) of our ticketing procedures. TICKETS ARE SOLD ON A 'FIRM SALE' BASIS. There is no automatic refund for cancellations unless we have published a 'Buy Back' message - any returns will be offered to any Waiting List customers for re-sale. We do not send out tickets for our river events, either by post or as e-tickets, but we do hold all tickets for collection on the day, just before the event. After the initial acknowledgement, the buyer will  later be sent another email, advising of collection time and boarding information. We hope this helps!

“AFTER WE PLAY” is the title track from the forthcoming Johnny Britt album “AFTER WE PLAY” which will be the 5th solo album on J-Jams Records from Johnny Britt. The single “AFTER WE PLAY” was written, produced and arranged by Johnny Britt and features Smooth Jazz Guitarist Peter White. “AFTER WE PLAY” music video will be released the fall of 2022 where Johnny Britt and Peter White will be performing together. Britt will perform “AFTER WE PLAY” at music festivals nationwide including THE OXNARD JAZZ FESTIVAL 2022, LOMPOC JAZZ FESTIVAL 2022 and the CAPITAL JAZZ SUPER CRUISE 2023 amongst other upcoming scheduled events. You can also purchase the digital download of new single at www.JohnnyBritt.com.

Musician on the single “AFTER WE PLAY” are Johnny Britt (Flugelhorn, trumpet and keyboards), Peter White (guitar), Marcus Williams (drums)  Dean Mark (bass) Sean J. Lawson (percussion). Mixed by Nils and Mastered by Ron Boustead 

With so many presenters playing new music, and with the present inability of singers and musicians to earn income from indoor shows and gigs, they are even more dependent on revenue from sales of downloads, CDs and merchandise. DJs are usually careful to announce names of performers, but if you happen to miss this information, there is usually a podcast available with a playlist, these posted usually on the DJ's social media account and/or on the Solar Radio Group Page   on Facebook.

Solar Radio is  available to listeners on a range of  streaming platforms including our free branded apps for iPhone and Android mobile devices, and similarly with smart speakers such as Echo Dot and Google now available from web dealers and electrical retailers, plus Internet Radios. Solar Radio is also readily available via  other apps including TuneIn Radio and RadioplayerUK, and directly from our website at www.solarradio.com.

Solar Radio has also been involved in the path-finding small-scale DAB experiment, and is currently available on DAB+ in the Inner London area (within the North and South Circular Roads), Brighton and Norwich.

At the end of 2019, TONY MONSON asked all connected with SOLAR RADIO, including DJs, listeners, artists and all friends of the station to submit their ALL TIME TOP 10 favourite tracks and albums. Contributors totalled some 500 people, from whose suggestions the TOP 500 chart was compiled.

The first 100 can be seen here-Top 500 # 1 to # 100

The next hundred, 101 to 200 - ...the next 100, # 101 - #200

Positions 201 to 300 are here-..third segment, #201 - #300

SOLAR RADIO now has a dedicated SKILL app on the ECHO DOT device to enable easy access.

Listening to Solar Radio on an Amazon Dot or Echo and Google Home device:

AMAZON DOT / ECHO:  If you have an Amazon Dot or Echo (or any other Amazon smart speaker device) you can listen to Solar Radio by enabling the Solar Radio Alexa Skill.  All you have to do is say “Alexa, Launch Solar Radio”.   You may need to repeat the sentence a couple of times before it responds but once enabled you can simply say  “Alexa, Play Solar Radio” to play the station.  You can also enable the Skill via the Amazon store HERE.

GOOGLE HOME:  For Google Home simply say “Okay Google, Play Solar Radio”.   You may need to add  “… on TuneIn”  at the end if it fails to respond

A reminder that the dedicated SOLAR RADIO app for Android devices is available NOW to download and install FOR FREE from the Google Play Store, featuring choice of 64k or 128k streams, schedule information, contact and social media links, available at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SolarRadioAndroid  Also available from the Apple Store, is an UPGRADE to the SOLAR RADIO app for i-PHONE.

Solar Radio can be heard on DAB in Brighton, in the London area, with the boundary of the North and South Circular Roads,  and Norwich, all part of the Small Scale DAB trial as promoted by OfCom. If you are new to DAB radio receivers, it is worth noting that the most complete range of available stations will be found by doing a full scan near to a window and in the highest available location in your property.