Douglas Noble, in conversation with Artur on Soul Roots Radio

A few weeks ago, Douglas Noble kindly asked me if I felt like sharing my story about the Balearic Breakfast Blog. I was humbled and gladly accepted his invitation!

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About the interview. – December 2023. When Douglas proposed to me on Instagram to do a feature about the Balearic Breakfast blog, I was really humbled. As you all know, this adventure started because of the show itself and its quality. I gladly accepted Douglas' proposal and we started working on the interview in the course of January 2024.

I will never forget that Interview for a lot of reasons. First things first, I was as tired as I could be (hence the few mistakes I made during the interview) because I wasn't able to sleep the previous night, you know, "life's Downs and ups". So I was a little bit nervous. Would I be able to sustain a 40-minute conversation in English? I haven't done that for years! Secondly, and this is the main reason I will never forget this experience, Douglas has been incredible: relaxed, gentle, and joyous, and he made me quickly forget how tired I was. 5/10 minutes into the interview, I just started telling my story, finding my own rhythm, you know... (laughs!). I was really happily surprised when we got to the end of it! I said to Douglas, laughing, "I think we nailed it; it was perfect"!

Then, I proposed to Douglas to edit the interview (o so slightly to cut some uninteresting things and some blurps and some more, you know..., laughs!). I quickly felt I could do something original with that recording. Almost 8 hours later, I sent him the first draft of the interview with the songs mixed in. But, what happened is that when I listened to this first edit on my speakers, I felt our voices were not loud enough. So I quickly said to Douglas, "let me correct that, I know how to handle it". Douglas gave me "carte blanche". And I did compress our voices slightly more to bring them out. They have been equalised, too, to bring out small details that were not audible in the first place. It's a tedious process, but I felt I could not do better than that, so this is the version you're going to hear now.

Take the time to listen to it; you'll hear how music underlines the message I tried to convey and how it pops out on specific occasions. It is a small work of art I did, I believe, really. Oh, and listen also to my Silences… So, so important…

All in all, despite me being so tired, despite the internet's small cutouts making me sound like a fish out of water, and despite trying to speak between a tear and a laugh, this experience was really worth it. Douglas has been incredible in every step of this wonderful journey. He's been absolutely Balearic, and I can only hope that one day you, too, have the chance to do an interview with him! Also, not to mention, the rhythm he gave to his show was perfect. I wasn't aware that he would cut the interview into two parts, but he really nailed it! It is such a good idea because it allows the listener to take some distance with my never, well, you know... ending flow, laughs!

Once again, thank you, dear Douglas. And a big hello, and thank you, for his kind words to DJ Don Pablo!

To Colleen. To Adam. To the Artists. To the Music and to each and every one of you, you, the Members of the Balearic Breakfast Family...

Listen back to Douglas' interview with Artur:

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PLAYLIST

Eddie Palmieri – Chocolate Ice cream

Astrud Gilberto – Light My Fire

Mike Lindup – World Is Ready (feat. Ursula Rucker)

Oluko Imo – Were Oju Le (The Eyes Are Getting Red) (Edit)

Ahemaa Nwomkro – Yebre Ma Owuo     

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Douglas in conversation with Artur (Part 1)

Jacob Gurevitsch – Elevation in Minor (Cosmodelica Remix)

The Prince St. Reels – Johnny Mathis - Simple

The Grid – AW Floatation subsonic Grid

The Mighty Pope – Sweet Blindness

Chuck Magione with the Hamilton Philarmonic Orchestra – The Land of Make-Believe

Roberta Flack – The Impossible Dream

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Los Charly's Orchestra (Aka Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel) – Open Up Your Mind

Chiara Civello – Sono Come Sono (Whodamanny remix)

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Douglas in conversation with Artur (Part 2)

Francois Feldman & Joneice Jamison – Joue Pas

Linda de Suza – Gri-Gri

Gwen McCrae – Keep the fire burning

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Paul Valery At the Disco – A Man Called Adam (Farmaram Remix)

The Cranes – What Is Love

Chalupa – Jungle Fire

Karl Hector & The Malcouns – JB Rip

La Clave – Latin Slide

Blue Lines Trio – Dark Goeree

Circling Sun – Kohan

Thomas Haak vs BOW-tanic – Magic Hancock (Instrumental Essence)

Lego Edit – Escucha Mi Melodia

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A Balearic Lioncub

The Playlist

Nota. – To me, Childhood is the most important moment of life. Some of us forget that period of time, and some of us don't. I compiled in this playlist songs that I grew up with. Don't use the "shuffle" option, as I worked countless hours on this one to propose a Musical Flow. Simply select a song, click play, and let me take you to my Dreamland...

Mike Oldfield – The Inner Child

Akademia Pana Kleksa, Małgorzata Ostrowska – Podróż w Krainę Baśni (z filmu Podróże Pana Kleksa)

Noir Désir – Le vent nous portera

George Koutalieris – Silent Messages

Commodores – Nightshift

François Valéry – Aimons–Nous Vivants

Tina Turner – We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - Extended Version

Alannah Myles – Black Velvet

ABBA – Eagle – Long Version

David et Jonathan – Bella vita

Luba – The Best Is Yet to Come

Kim Carnes – More Love

François Feldman, Joniece Jamison – Joue Pas

Johnny Hallyday – T’as le bonjour de l’amour – Version 2014

Linda De Suza – Gri-gri

Chico & Roberta – Frente a Frente

La Compagnie Créole – Vive le Douanier Rousseau

Charles D. Lewis – Soca Dance

Zouk Machine – Maldòn

Kaoma – Lambada

Jimmy "Bo" Horne – Don't Worry About It

Cliff Richard – Doing Fine

Garland Jeffreys – Hail Hail Rock 'N' Roll

Daran Et Les Chaises – Dormir dehors

France Gall – Babacar – Live 1988

Patrick Bruel – Décalé (Live "Si Ce Soir")

Michel Sardou – Afrique adieu

Rose Laurens – Africa (Version longue)

S'Express – Theme from S'Express – 12" Version

Donna Hightower – This World Today Is A Mess

Dominik Hauser – Love Boat Theme

Marie Dauphin – Lady Oscar

Solomon Burke – Let Your Love Flow

Traks – Long Train Running

Jacob Gurevitsch, Cosmodelica – Elevation In Minor (Cosmodelica Remix)

Budka Suflera – Martwe morze

Czerwone Gitary – Płoną góry, płoną lasy

Matia Bazar – Solo Tu

Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater – Precious Thing

Nicole Croisille – Léo

Gérard Lenorman – Nostalgies

Canada – Mourir les sirènes

Fredericks, Goldman, Jones – Nuit

Gianna Nannini – Luna dell'est

Matia Bazar – Ti Sento

Rammstein – Angst

Robert Miles – Children

Dschinghis Khan – Moskau

Claude François – Je vais à Rio

Gilbert Montagné – Les sunlights des tropiques

Aqua – Cartoon Heroes

Desireless – Voyage voyage

Jean-Pierre Mader – Macumba

Gwen McCrae – Keep the Fire Burning – U.K. Club Remix

Moon Martin – Kitten of Love

Gold – Ville de lumière

The Korgis – Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime

Black – Wonderful Life

Candy Dulfer – Lily Was Here

Chris Isaak – Blue Hotel

Sylvester – One Night Only

Alain Bashung – Madame rêve

Diana Krall – If I Take You Home Tonight

Eva Cassidy – I Can Only Be Me

Dan Fogelberg – Tucson, Arizona (Gazette)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Power Of Love

Donovan – Sailing Homeward

Steven Wilson, Ninet Tayeb – Rock Bottom

Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb – Live

Ange – Capitaine cœur de miel – Live

Eagles – Hotel California – Live; 1999 Remaster

Led Zeppelin – Kashmir – Live: O2 Arena, London – December 10, 2007

Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon (Live 1977)

Czeslaw Niemen – Pod Papugami

Jacques Brel – Les Marquises

Francis Cabrel – Hors-saison

Nourith Sibony – Ten Od Yom

Céline Dion – Tu nages

Vangelis – Conquest of Paradise

Vangelis, Piano in a Living Room – La petite fille de la mer

Joe Dassin – L'été indien

Patricia Kaas – Mon mec à moi

Johnny Mathis – Simple

Jairo – Les Jardins Du Ciel (Sun Of Jamaica)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax

Matthew Wilder – Break My Stride

Dorothée – L'étranger

Jimmy Cliff – We All Are One

Philippe Lavil – Elle préfère l'amour en mer

Charles Aznavour – Trousse-chemise

Evanescence – Secret Door

Vaya Con Dios – Lulu's Song

The Doors – Riders On The Storm (2021 Remaster)

Julie Pietri – Eve lève–toi

Aural Exciters – Spooks in Space (Disco mix)

John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air

Bernard Lavilliers, Jimmy Cliff – Melody Tempo Harmony

Ace of Base – Happy Nation

Serge Gainsbourg – Relax Baby Be Cool

Mory Kanté – Yeke Yeke

Kassav' – Syé bwa

Bézu – La Queuleuleu

Crystal Waters – Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) (La Da Dee La Da Da)

Everything But The Girl, Todd Terry – Missing (Todd Terry Club Mix / US Radio Edit)

Kat Mandu – I Wanna Dance

Peter Brown – They Only Come Out at Night

Róisín Murphy, Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy – Murphy's Law (Cosmodelica Remix)

Ren Woods – Everybody Get Up (12" Mix)

Julio Iglesias – Souriez madame (Con una Pinta Asi)

Thierry Pastor – Sur des musiques noires

Natalia Kukulska – Puszek-okruszek

The Earons – Land of Hunger

Linda Clifford – Runaway Love

Lou Rawls – You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

The Getaway Plan – S.T.A.R.S.

Thierry Pastor – Where is My Love

Josefine Cronholm & Ibis – My Room

Paul Desmond, Dave Brubeck – Koto Song

How To Destroy Angels – A Drowning

Barbie Bertisch – Warm In The Dark (Release)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake (Suite), Op. 20a, TH. 219: I. Scene – Swan Theme

Luciano Pavarotti – Caruso

Chuck Mangione, Esther Satterfield – Land Of Make Believe

Bernard Lavilliers – If.

Maxime Le Forestier – Né quelque part

Nina Simone – Baltimore

Nino Ferrer – Le sud

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole – Somewhere Over The Rainbow_What A Wonderful World

Roberta Flack – The Impossible Dream

The Doors – The Crystal Ship

Janis Joplin – Kozmic Blues

Cerrone – 101

Tori Amos – A Sorta Fairytale (Live In Toronto 10/23/07)

Gerry Rafferty – The Ark

Kim Carnes – Sailin'

Baccara – Yes Sir, I Can Boogie

Vincent Lagaf' – Bo le lavabo

Róisín Murphy, DJ Koze – Can’t Replicate

Dan Hartman – Instant Replay (12" Single)

Haddaway – What is Love

Dr. Alban – Sing Hallelujah!

Jimmy Somerville – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

Dzem – Do Kołyski (Live)