Category: Show News

Following the sudden loss of our veteran and very valued presenter Asher (Michael) Thaxter, all of us at Ujima Radio would like to extend our deepest condolences to Asher’s friends and family.

His shows were greatly enjoyed by all the Bristol community and those that listened further afield. Asher played an important role in the radio station for the last 15 years, as well as training radio skills to new presenters. We are all still reeling from his sudden departure and continue to carry out a range of tributes on air, social media and in person. Ujima Radio broadcast a programme in tribute to Asher on 11th November.This show can be listed back from this link: Ujima Radio – Code of the Streets – DJ Style at Ujima Radio (https://shorturl.at/nzHLS)

One of the things that we would also like to support is to ensure that our beloved Brother receives the best celebration of his life in ways that would be pleasing to him and his loved ones.

Many of us know his tastes in music, his lifestyle, sense of humour, his values and the greatly humble character that he was, and we sorely miss.

With the funds raised we wish to support the family financially with the funeral and associated costs.

So, with the blessing of his family, we would like to contribute to honouring this remarkable person with a collection and we invite you to contribute to ensuring that the legacy of Asher is never ending and befitting of his beautiful spirit.

Please support by contributing whatever you’re able to give.

Thank you

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ashers-tribute

MATURE Events invite you to celebrate the festive season @ The Winter All White Party on Boxing Night Tue 26th Dec @ Rumours Lounge & Bar Kingswood.

This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate the Holiday Season, with friends, family & long lost acquaintances, dancing, drinking and listening to some of your favourite music.

Music from Ujima’s very own Deli-G, DJ Style, Bandyt and many more.

Tickets available from:

• Midtown Av – St Nicholas Market, Corn St, BS1 4XE – Tel 01172956918
• @pridehairandbeauty_  236 Stapleton Rd Easton BS2 0NT. – Tel 0117951951
• Rumors Lounge & Bar, 87 Regent Street Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8LJ – Tel 07961-010-855
• Online from EventBrite.
• Using the EventBrite form below

Admission on the door will be more, priority will be given to ticket holders on the night. Free Caribbean Buffet available on arrival between 8-9pm, on a first come serve basis, food on sale on night from Supreme Kitchen

During the night we will be hosting a raffle draw, with all the proceeds from the ticket sales going towards O.S.C.A.R (Organisation for Sickle Cell Anaemia Research) Bristol, which is a voluntary organisation and registered charity. Its primary role is to improve the quality of health and well-being for individuals and families living with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia.

#boxingnight #soul #reggae #raregrooves
#rnb #oldschool #bristol #festiveholidays

Thank you to you and your colleagues for honouring Asher’s memory by your programmes and the tributes being broadcast.

In addition to his well-known work in Bristol and with Ujima Radio, Asher was a much loved and respected soul in Weston-super-Mare, where he lived.

He became a member of Race Equality North Somerset and supported us with our promotion of Black History Month North Somerset events. He was also a founding member of Ago Ame, the local social group for the local African and Caribbean community.

Asher was always excited about being with people that acknowledged and celebrated Black culture which is why he supported Ujima Radio and loved being in Bristol and going down to London when he could. He was always helpful and introduced people he knew from groups such Ujima Radio, the Rastafarian community and others.

He was also a very keen and enthusiastic photographer and would wake up early to be able to take pictures at dawn, whether of the sky, the countryside or of the sea. He loved being near the sea. He also loved being able to cycle and his bike was his pride and joy. He enjoyed cycling on his own, but sometimes with friends, touring the local countryside around Weston-super-Mare. It was with his bike that, rain or shine, he would travel from Weston up to Bristol to do his show, returning late at night, energised from the adrenalin of his show and the people he had met.

He was so helpful and supportive to so many people, and we were looking forward to him DJ-ing for our closing Black History Month North Somerset event on 31st October. Unfortunately he was too unwell to attend. Later, two of his many friends – Yvonne and Patrick – went to his home and found that he had passed away. As one can imagine, this was a terrible shock to us all – as we knew it would be for everyone who knew him.

Our thanks to Yvonne, a close friend of Asher’s, as well as a Trustee of Race Equality North Somerset, for contacting his family, Ujima Radio and other groups, which is such a painful and difficult thing to have to do.

We would like to take this opportunity to formally express our condolences to his family and we wish to sympathise with his many close friends and colleagues as well as all who knew him or listened to his shows.

Thank you again to all at Ujima Radio for acknowledging and honouring this talented but humble gentleman who made such a positive impact in his inimitable way.

May He Rest In Power and Rest In Peace.

Audio version of Tribute from RENS:

Asher gave many years of service to the station. This sudden loss has left us devastated and in deep shock. Ras Asher was a true humble lion with a versatile music portfolio, from roots reggae to jazz and rare grooves. He was a soldier, activist, avid photographer and you can find below a series of photo’s that he took at the iconic BLM Protest on Sun 7th June 2020 when the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was torn down and thrown into the river, Asher was there to capture it all. There are some other photo’s we have found in our arhives and if you have any photo’s you would like us to add and share please feel free to email to: manager@ujimaradio.com and include a caption explaining the photo.

Our thoughts are with his children, family, and all those who share our sense of loss.

Asher was with Ujima since its conception and was the very DNA of what Ujima was about. He was doing 3 shows a week and touched so many people’s lives. He was without doubt the most gentle, kind and humblest soul we have ever had the privilege of meeting. Asher will leave a massive, gaping casym in all of our lives.

There have been several tribute shows including:

Code of The Streets Tribute to Ras Asher with by DJ Style on Sat 11th November 8-11pm with calls coming in from so many of his friends and family you can listen to the entire 3 hour show using this link:

https://podcasts.canstream.co.uk/ujimaradio/index.php?cat=Code%20of%20the%20Streets%20ft%20DJ%20Style

Another tribute show:

Conversations! with Lynn Mareno on Sunday 12th Nov – Listen Again link:

https://podcasts.canstream.co.uk/ujimaradio/index.php?cat=Conversations%21%20with%20Lynn%20Mareno

DJ Propa Soul Tribute Show Sun 12th November 10pm to Midnight.

Further details on how we as a station will honour him will be announced in due course.

May he be received well on his journey to the next Realm. Asé. 🙏

Photos & a video by Asher from the iconic Black Lives Matter Protest that took place on Sunday 20th June 2020 when the statue of slave trader, Edward Colston was torn down and thrown into the river:

Photo’s of Asher from Ujima archives: