As the world burns in the daze of summer, an apropos soundtrack to rising mercury levels may be found within Across 135th Street host Chairman Mao’s record cache. As the latest episode’s title suggests, “Strictly Summertime Grooves” sticks closely to themes of literal or metaphorical meteorological warming trends. The sounds herein range from the blissful harmonic gusts of sweet soul steppers like the Reflections’ “She’s My Summer Breeze” and the Dramatics’ “Hot Pants In the Summertime,” to the McCrarys’ classy R&B/disco classic “Love On a Summer Night” – and, of course, Hamilton Bohannon’s forever blistering “Summertime Groove.” You’ve been warmed: don’t sleep on this heat.
