As the sweet beat of summer raps softly, let your happiness outshine the morning sun and behold the soulful glory of Shuggie Otis, Stevie Wonder, Hugh Masekela & Hedzolah Soundz, Betty Everett, Kermit the Frog, Manu Dibango, Otis Redding, and Vi Redd!

Five months ago, our lives changed forever as we were united with our son, Miles Zekariyas. Today, his first birthday is soulfully celebrated by the The Ponderosa Twins Plus One, Diana Ross & The Supremes, De La Soul, Helen Reddy, Al Jarreau, Nat Adderley, The Jackson Five, and Mulatu Astatke!

Let the soulful poetry of this week’s Fresh Friday inspire the succulent change in which we all aspire to ripen… with The Rolling Stones, Astrud Gilberto, The Ramsey Lewis Trio, The Incredible Bongo Band, Elis & Tom, Cymande, Sam Spence, Ricardo Marerro & The Group, and The Four Small Faces!

As time runs and passes, passes and runs…relax and flow downstream with this week’s Fresh Friday, held afloat by the introspective soul of Mary Hopkin, David Axelrod, The Last Poets, A Tribe Called Quest, Charles Wright, Alice Coltrane, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Sarstedt, and Junior Parker.

It’s been a stretch since I’ve posted a new mix, and there couldn’t be a better occasion. Today, we travel across the planet to meet our boy. This is our soundtrack… powered by the soul of Labi Siffre, Mulatu Astatke, Manu Dibango, Letta Mbulu, and Aretha Franklin, among others.