Shrik Kotecha
Shrik Kotecha/DJ 745 is a freelance journalist based in Leicester, UK hosting the Irie Jamms Show on Radio2Funky – Leicester’s Black Music and Arts station on 95FM and online at radio2funky.co.uk featuring an international selection of reggae, dancehall, roots, revival and dub along with the latest music news, artist interviews, album reviews and exclusive previews.
True to his name, DJ 745 has been a record collector/journalist of reggae music for over three decades and regularly spins music on his preferred format -7" vinyl. His vast collection of reggae spans five decades. He has travelled extensively to search for rare reggae vinyl to add to his collection. His initial love for reggae music began when he was a youth in 1990 when he heard an infectious beat blasting out of the world-famous Daddy Kool Records in Soho, London. This led to the purchase of his first reggae records by Eek-A-Mouse and Dennis Brown. The rest they say is history.
In the earlier part of his music career, DJ 745 has played on several community and internet radio stations including Fresh FM, Juice FM, Vision FM, Zion Highness Radio, Reggaespace.com as well as being a guest presenter on BBC Radio Leicester 104.9FM.
Alongside his radio shows, DJ 745 is the founder of Reggae Interviews-a non-profit organisation showcasing the best in reggae interviews from artists, producers and musicians across the world, helping to preserve reggae music. He has travelled to Jamaica, Japan, America and throughout Europe regularly tracing back the origins of reggae music and revisiting reggae landmarks including the original location of King Tubby’s Studio in Waterhouse and Treasure Isle Studios in Downtown Kingston. With a strong passion to help to preserve reggae music he has interviewed an extensive list of reggae artists including Bunny Wailer, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, Beres Hammond, Jah9, Morgan Heritage, Luciano, Tarrus Riley, Chronixx and Protoje.
He has contributed to WorldAReggae on a number of projects including the Uprising Acoustic Sessions and a series of video interviews including ‘Reggae History Reasonings’ and also contributed concert reviews to Reggaeville.
