Author Archives: Bill Tilford

About Bill Tilford

Bill has been a shortwave listener since the 1960s, a program host and producer for the past several years, and he currently produces and hosts From the Isle of Music, Uncle Bill's Melting Pot and WBCQ Concert Hall in addition to curating the Radio Angela block of entertainment programs on that station and periodic collaborative specials with other stations. He also writes about Cuban music including on the website TIMBA.com and is active in the music industry as a producer and liner notes writer.

FTIOM & UBMP, May 13-19

From the Isle of Music, May 13-19:
No interviews this week, rather a potpourri of new releases of new Cuban Jazz and Popular Dance Music
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sun, May 13 & Tues, May 15, 2018
Episode 62 presents two of Uncle Bill’s favorite Brazilian singers, Elis Regina and Claudia (aka Claudya).
1. Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz  from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Tuesdays 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach from Iceland to Western Russia, Scandinavia down to the Middle East, AND occasionally a long bounce to parts of New Zealand.

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FTIOM & UBMP, May 6-12

From the Isle of Music, May 6-12:
This week, musicologist and producer Gretel Garlobo helps us explore Trovuntivitis, a contagious musical movement that broke out in Villa Clara province Then, we listen to some excellent Afrocuban Fusion from Los Hermanos Arango.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sun, May 6 & Tues, May 8, 2018
Episode 61 presents some acid Rock from South Vietnam recorded in the 1960s and 1970s.
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
Tuesdays (beginning May 1) 2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach from Iceland to Western Russia, Scandinavia down to the Middle East, AND a long bounce to parts of New Zealand.

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FTIOM & UBMP, April 29-May 5


From the Isle of Music, April 29-May 5:

International Jazz Day is April 30, and this year the official concert site is St. Petersburg, Russia, but in 2017, Havana was the official concert site, and this week we listen to some of that 2017 concert.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sun, April 29 and Tues, May 1:
What better way to celebrate the addition of Channel 292 to the UBMP family than with Colombian big band dance music?
Thanks to a recent trip to Colombia, we will be featuring some of the best of it in Episode 60.
1. Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Tuesdays  2000-2030 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe.  If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach from Iceland to Western Russia, Scandinavia down to the Middle East, AND a long bounce to parts of New Zealand.

 

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FTIOM & UBMP, April 22-28

From the Isle of Music, April 22-28:
Our celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month continues with special guest Michel Herrera, an important young saxophonist/composer/bandleader/producer, who will converse with us about his newest recording and the newest generation of Jazz musicians in Cuba. We will also listen to some of his excellent music.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.  In recent weeks, the Tuesday night transmission has been heard well in the UK and in Western Russia along with a VERY long skip to parts of New Zealand….

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, April 22, 2018:
We are fond of telling people that UBMP covers Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and Episode 59 proves it – we’re off to Afghanistan!
Afghanistan is a collage of several ethnic groups, and some of the music may surprise you.
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
In recent weeks the signal has had a nice bounce to Spain, Italy and Switzerland as well as Iceland, Ireland and parts of the UK. Also audible in Brasil, Paraguay and points North.
Starting May 1, UBMP will be adding a Tuesday night transmission on Channel 292, 6070 Khz from 2000-2030 UTC.   

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FTIOM & UBMP, April 15-21

From the Isle of Music, April 15-21:
April is Jazz Appreciation Month around the world, and we are going to celebrate by taking a look at some of the roots of modern Cuban Jazz in both Cuba and the United States. This week, we are going to listen to some important and historic recordings made in the United States as what we now call Afro Cuban Jazz was being born.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.
Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, April 15, 2018
Episode 58 honors Jazz Appreciation Month by checking out some very early Jazz releases (including the “first” ones).
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
In recent weeks the signal has had a nice bounce to Spain, Italy and Switzerland as well as Iceland, Ireland and parts of the UK. Also audible in Brazil, Paraguay and points North.

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Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot To Add Broadcast For Europe


Good news for listeners in Europe:
Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, a program of world music (including Americana), novelty and comedy songs which currently airs on WBCQ 7490 on Sundays, is adding a transmission for Europe effective May 1.   This new transmission will air on Channel 292 Tuesdays from 2000-2030 UTC on 6070 Khz (right after From the Isle of Music on that frequency).

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From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Apr 8-14


From the Isle of Music, April 8-14:

April is Jazz Appreciation Month around the world, and we are going to celebrate by taking a look at some of the roots of modern Cuban Jazz in both Cuba and the United States. This week, we are going to dive into some of the epic Cuban Jam Session recordings made in the Panart (now Areito) studios in Havana in the 1950s.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.
Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, April 8
Episode 57 is a Polish Polka Party featuring the music of Frank Wojnarowski’s orchestras.
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe.
In recent weeks the signal has had a nice bounce to Spain, Italy and Switzerland as well as Iceland, Ireland and parts of the UK. Also audible in Brasil, Paraguay and points North.

 

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