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Name: Martin Hodge

Show: Roots and Shoots.

When are you on?
Roots and Shoots is on on Monday’s from 6pm to 8 pm. I am one of a team of three on the show. My colleagues are Martin Henning and Rich Cooke. Sometimes there’s one of us, more often two. On special occasions, all three of us are on!

What can we expect to hear on the show?
Folk, roots, world music. I am encouraging – and getting – more and more live music from local artists on the show and we also do interviews with people involved in music locally.

How did you discover this type of music?
Listening and dancing to the various forms of folk/roots music over the years and developing a passion for it. I am active as a participant and dance leader of British, French/Breton and Eastern European dance. I am not much of a musician myself but have lots of friends who are!

From time to time I also organise and promote folk/roots music events in Devon.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
It’s been a lifelong ambition achieved. I began with Vibraphonic in 2006.

How did start DJ’ing?
Martin Henning had put in an application to present a show called ‘Roots and Shoots’ on Vibraphonic FM in 2006 and suggested to me that I share the presenting with him – which I was keen to do. I always wanted to be a DJ playing music I like!

Do you DJ anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I’m only on Phonic FM.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Going for an on the spot interview with someone who (I discovered) had very little command of English. I failed to get much out of him!

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
Playing music by and interviewing local singer, songwriter, guitarist Tobias Ben Jacob, a joy to be with: intelligent, calm, relaxed and informative – and so talented. I get a real buzz out of interviewing interesting people on air.

Who is your favourite artist?
I can never think about one favourite though the quintessentially English singer Shirley Collins comes to mind.

What is you all time favourite album?
Difficult again but I’ll go for Shirley Collins’ Power of the True Love Knot, simple, soulful and beautifully crafted music that sends me to another place!

Where do you shop for music?
I don’t really shop in any one place, but I do like Solo Records.

Name: Martin Henning

Show: Roots and Shoots.

When are you on?
Roots and Shots is on on Monday’s from 6pm to 8 pm. I share the show with two other DJ’s, sometimes there is one of us, sometimes two and on special occasions all three of us are on.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
You can expect to hear Folk, roots and world music that includes Jazz, R&B and Blues.

Roots and Shoots has a philosophy of focussing on roots/world music and local and unsigned bands. I am encouraging, and getting, more and more music from local artists on the show, I like them to send in their demos and finished recorded work to be included on the play list.

We also try and do interviews with people involved in music locally and get guest presenters to present part of a show on particular music they like.

How did discover this music?
I developed a passion for folk, roots, jazz, and rock music over the years by listening and dancing to it and performing it in its the various forms.

I am a musician, playing Guitar/Bass Guitar/Double Bass/Mandola and mandolin in various bands. At the moment my most regularly performing band is Spinach for Norman ceilidh band, playing traditional dance music from the UK, Ireland, Europe, America and the Jewish tradition. I also play, French/Breton Dance music with a band called Poisson Rouge, which came together as a house band for the monthly d’Accord French and Breton dance club at Ide village hall, which I help organise. And I play Gypsy Jazz locally and have been a member of The Tango Band, which played Tango, Klezmer, African and R&B influenced original music, and a blues band called StraightJacket.

From time to time I also organise and promote folk/roots music events in Devon.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I began DJ’ing on Vibraphonic in 2006.

How did you start DJ’ing?
My daughter Zaida ‘made’ mm go for it and I’ve enjoyed it ever since! She suggested that as I have a wide interest in music I should be on the radio – being bossy she persuaded me!

Do you DJ anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
No, I only DJ on Phonic FM.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Probably announcing a track and the CD not playing, then being totally lost for words while I tried to find another CD.

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
It’s all been enjoyable, but interviewing someone who really knew his subject – Klezmer music as it happens – and getting very positive feedback from listeners.

Who is your favourite artist?
That’s a difficult one but if you pressed me…Frank Zappa and John Coltrane, because of their compositional and musical skills coupled with, especially in Zappa’s case, a real sense of humour and a radical message.

What is you all time favourite album?
It changes all the time as I come across new music. At the mo it’s Tal Wilkenfeld’s Transformation and Sandy Lopicic Orkestrar’s Balkea but I still go back to Afro Blue by Coltrane. It’s music that changes my brainwaves and sends me to a better place for a while.

Where do you shop for music?
I get a lot of music from Amazon but also Solo Records and that shop down Fore Street, whose name escapes me, if it’s still there!

Name: Rich Cooke

Show: Roots and Shoots

When are you on?
I am usually on on Monday’s from 6pm to 8pm. There are three of us who do the show. There is always one of us in the studio, sometimes two and on special occasions all three of us are there.

What type of music can we expect to hear on the show?
On the show we play world music, my thing is largely Latin, the other two DJ’s on the show play different types of world music.

How did discover this music?
I was in London and was into rock music. Then I heard some Latin, picked up on the rhythm and really liked it. I also used to play the conga a bit. When I moved to Exeter I joined a conga class from there I joined a band and that introduced me to a lot of the music I love today.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I’ve been a Salsa DJ for two years

How did you start DJ’ing?
I was invited by Martin Hodge to join the Roots and Shoots team. I’ve known Martin for a very long time and it nice to be invited.

Can we find you DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I DJ at monthly a Salsa night held at the Moose Centre on Blackboy Road. I am also thinking about putting on my own Salsa night.

What was has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
I was DJ’ing at the Salsa night and accidentally pressed the wrong button and the room went silent. The whole crowd looked at me with daggers!!

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
Probably some of the positive email feedback we get on Phoinc.

Who is your favourite artist?
I’d have to say El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.

What is you all time favourite album?
30 Aniversario by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico…so many great songs

Where do you shop for music?
I usually shop online for my music.