Martin Henning

Name: Martin Henning

Show: Roots and Shoots.

When are you on?
Roots and Shots is on on Mondays from 6pm to 8 pm. I share the show with two other DJs, 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 you get into this type of 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 DJing?
I began DJing on Vibraphonic in 2006.

How did you start DJing?
My daughter Zaida ‘made’ me 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!

Can we find you DJing0 anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
No, I only DJ on Phonic FM.

What has been your most embarrassing DJing 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 DJing 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 your 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!