This month Jazz & Beyond opens with music from Billy Valentine, The Universal Truth, Immanuel Wilkins – We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue, one half of the Valentine Brothers (of ‘Money’s Too Tight To Mention’ fame)– have released this stunning version of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue’, where Billy is accompanied by The Larry Golding Trio and Blue Note Records recording artist and very special saxophone talent Immanuel Wilkins. And later in the show I play another track from his new album, a cover of Gill Scott Herons, Home Is Where The Hatred Is.
To me this sounds like a debut album not from someone who has many years of performing under his belt, this is an Amazing album that has just blown me away.
Also in this show, I give my respectful nod to Wayne Shorter, having listened to the many tributes to Wayne I decided to play something a bit different, where Wayne has ventured just outside the main Jazz arena with Carlos Santana - Love Theme From Spartacus, Joni Mitchell’s Jericho and with Steely Dan on Aja’.
Then to finish the show, Wayne plays with Joe Zawinul on Weather Reports Nubian Sundance ‘Live version. I first heard this around 1974 after walking into a record store, and Nubian Sundance was blasting at maximum volume from a bank of Wharfedale speakers. That sold me there and then completely on Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Weather Report, and I have been a big fan ever since.
After selecting the music to play for you, every track for me is just amazing, and to single anyone else out, I will be writing a book. So please enjoy the music I love.
MCR.
Info
Website - https://www.nudirectionsfm.com
NDFM Music player - https://pod.co/nudirections
email - [email protected]
Please enjoy the music We love.
NDFM
Music
Billy Valentine, The Universal Truth, Immanuel Wilkins – We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue.
DoomCannon Lex Amor – Time feat (Lex Amor)
Eric Hilton Brian Jackson – Something for Byrd
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE - Samba Dee
Brian Blade - Forgotten Memories
Village of the Sun, Simon Ratcliffe, Moses Boyd, Binker Golding – Village of The Sun
Peter Erskine Trio To Love Again
Mother Nature Land (Mark Wayward Edit)
Anatole Muster, Hadrien Feraud, Morgan Ågren – Layers
Carlos Santana - Love Theme From Spartacus
Joni Mitchell Jericho
Steely Dan – ‘Aja’ - Aja
Mark de Clive-Lowe Shigeto Melanie Charles - The Creator Has a Master Plan Part II
Bill Laurance, Michael League – Bricks
Binker Golding – Strange-Beautiful Remembered
Billy Valentine, The Universal Truth – Home is where The Hatred Is
Moonchild – Cure
Alfa Mist, Kaya Thomas-Dyke – Aged Eyes
Work Money Death - At Once Familiar
Weather Report - Nubian Sundance - Live
Jazz Matters
Jazz Matters is a not-for-profit hobby project that I’m extremely proud of.
It began life in May 2021 as NuDirections, a weekly radio show on a London community station. That spirit of discovery still runs through everything I do.
But today, Jazz Matters has evolved into a global podcast platform for Jazz and World music lovers — reaching over 40,000 open-minded listeners across 57 countries on more than 24 platforms.2025/6 marks a new era. My love of music has always gone beyond Jazz, so I’ve created two distinct but connected spaces here
Jazz Matters: Podcasts, Playlists and Music Videos.
Jazz Lines: Blogs, Interviews, Gallery & Pulse for Who's Shaping the Scene.
I’m also preparing a full digital relaunch from my new studio, from 1st May 2026, then every Jazz Matters podcast, mix, and special will stream exclusively from my website—no third-party platforms and no algorithms. Until then, you can listen here and on 24+ podcast platforms.
Alongside the music, you’ll find in Jazz Lines, my platform for blogs, interviews, gallery, and pulse that links to things that catch my ear and eye. A bold new chapter begins soon. New location. New music player. New studio.
Jazz Matters. Because the music — and everything around it — truly does.
Enjoy the music I love