Next up in the Mr Bongo Record Club mix series we invited Norwich-based DJ collective and party purveyors Soul Stew to give us a taste of what they're all about. Firmly rooted in the city's scene for over 9 years, they've been throwing some of the finest parties Norwich has to offer. Alongside championing local talent they’ve also hosted a real range of some of the top international selectors from far and wide, including Sassy J, Volcov, Mark Grusane, Sadar Bahar, Floating Points, Ash Lauryn and Ge-ology to name only a handful.
As a DJ duo Bill and Jack are a real joy to see behind the decks. Effortless blends of unforgiving, unquantized disco, boogie, house, techno and beyond. Their style, skill and passion led to them being signed to Sounds Familiar earlier this year and has seen them play at Fabric, KOKO, Pickle Factory, We Out Here, Lost Village, Field Maneuvers and many more great dancefloors.
To accompany the mix we caught up with Bill and Jack to get an insight into Soul Stew from the duo themselves. Kick back, dive in, enjoy!
Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
We’ve been running nights in Norwich for 9 years now. The early days were very(!) DIY. We just played our favourite records loud to our mates in small rooms in town. The sound wasn't great, the needles skipped, the mixing was non-existent but, we had the best time, and the blueprint was there.
Running a night in Norwich must bring some challenges with it? What difficulties do you face as a grassroots party in a city like Norwich?
Norwich has an amazing DIY scene with some wicked parties, people and venues. We feel very privileged to be part of it. There are plenty of spaces available for new DJs and promoters to make use of in order to get their ideas rolling.
From what we hear, the industry as a whole is having challenges across most cities. The continued restrictions on venues, their sound and licensing is a massive issue. We’ve lost some great spaces over the years here too, but the Norwich heads still turn up wherever the party may be.
What was the idea behind the mix and what did you use to record it?
We wanted to keep it relatively short and sweet - an hour that you can listen to in the car or whilst working, or knocking about the house. We decided to keep it Disco and all-vinyl for Mr. Bongo listeners. We recorded the mix with two Technics 1200’s, an E&S DJR200 and a Tascam DR-40x.
Some favourite tracks from the mix and why?
Power Band - Power Funk (Bill)
I managed to get a copy of this in 2024 and it hasn’t left the bag, it’s an absolute monster which always does the damage.
Mark Grusane - Southern Lovin’ (Jack)
I’ve been loving this new edit from the Chicago legend. Mark cuts up disco records like no one else can - I doubt we’ve played a set without something from him being spun. This one’s pure POWER.
Who are your big inspirations?
Mostly, the DJs of Chicago, Detroit and New York. It’s a long list but would have to include: Mark Grusane, Ron Hardy, Floating Points, Theo Parrish, Volcov, Sadar Bahar, Ge-Ology, Red Greg, Ash Lauryn, Sassy J, Darryn Jones, Lee Collins (RIP), Ron Trent.
We also have to shout out some incredible Norwich DJs who showed us the way, throwing some top parties when we first started out: Chris Francis, Chris King, Keith Slater, Mark Calver (Anthropologist), Cameron Black and Paul Bryan.
What is it about disco that you love?
We play a lot of different genres, but we’ve always had a big love of dance music like Disco that has real instruments - there’s a raw feel that brings a different energy to the dance. Disco is also extremely varied if you dig a little deeper… There was so much amazing music being made in the 70s and 80s.
You guys clearly have a big passion for playing and collecting vinyl? What is it about records that makes them special for you?
Without getting too romantic, we love the history of DJing, record stores, and the culture that surrounds them both. Also, records are one of the few ways producers/labels can make a name for themselves, and receive a bit more than the pennies you’ll pay for a digital track.
We also simply enjoy playing records a lot more than digital files.
Top 3 records that never leave your bag?
Jolley & Swain - Dance Street
Myron - We Can Get Down (Groove Chronicles Remix)
Glenn Underground & Matt Hughes - Disconnected
Favourite gig you’ve played?
That’s a tough one… opening a stage at We Out Here was a very special moment for us. Bringing our wacky disco records to room 2 at Fabric for the Disco Disco crew was a blast. If we were to pick one though, the first time that we were invited to play Lost Village really stands out. We were blessed with a 3 hour slot on the final day of the festival. We didn’t know what to expect but we rocked up to an eager, packed dancefloor and a wicked little booth.
What do you have in store for Soul Stew?
Like every other local DJ across the country… ‘Big things coming soon… Stay tuned!’
