And the Hello and welcome to episode 173 of soda jaker and songwriting. This is Brian here as always

with Simon and joining us for this edition of the show is an Ivan Novello and

Grammy-winning Trinadyan, British singer and songwriter who enjoyed a string of international hits in the 70s and 80s,

including three US number ones and to date has sold in the region of 30 million records.

He recently released his 11th studio album, One World, his first of original material in over a decade,

and joined us over Zoom a few weeks ago to discuss the new record and some of the musical highlights of his amazing career.

We are very excited to welcome the wonderful Billy Ocean to the show.

What a treat and yet another guest whose music was a radio staple when we were growing up in the

80s? Yeah I mean he's responsible for

some of the most uplifting joyous pop of that era isn't he? Oh without a doubt and

as well as being a fine singer and terrific songwriter, but he's also an ambassador for this year's National Album

Day campaign which takes place on the 10th of October and is the culmination of a week of activities

celebrating the album format. The event is now into its third year and the theme this time round is the

1980s appropriately enough. So go to National Album Day.com for more info and join in

with the fun at at Album there UK on Twitter.

Our guest was born Leslie Charles in Trinidad in 1950.

He moved with his family to England when he was 10 and settled in London's East End.

But prior to that, the young Les had shown an aptitude for music very early on, picking up the

ukulele age six and singing in the school choir.

His father also played guitar and schooled him in Calypso music and he later tours himself bass, drums and piano.

As an avid listener to the radio he was turned on to great vocalists like Nackin Cole,

Sam Cook and Otis Redding, as well as the likes of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Motow.

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