In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks To Charlotte Keeffe

Charlotte Keeffe is one of the most intriguing and interesting improvisers on the music scene. A hugely respected musician, she has an extraordinary ability to take a lungful of air, blow it through a tiny hole in a mouthpiece and create extraordinary music. This year, alongside a kaleidoscope of colourful and talented fellow musicians, Charlotte …

Mr. Bennett's Mind - Photo by Alexa Drew.jpg

Album Review: “Mr. Bennett’s Mind” – Daniel Bennett Group. Words: Sammy Stein

‘Mr Bennett’s Mind’ (Manhattan Daylight Media, 2024) is the 10th studio release from the Daniel Bennett Group. Having reviewed several of their releases, this is a musical progression in the fullest of senses. The album was recorded at the iconic Big Orange Sheep Studio in Brooklyn, New York, and produced by Grammy-nominated producer MP Kuo. …

In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks To Andrea Wolper

Andrea Wolper is a jazz vocalist, improviser, songwriter, arranger, teacher, and composer from New York who has been on a journey In music her whole life, agreed to talk to Platinum Mind’s Sammy Stein about her life in music ahead of her upcoming album ‘Wanderlust’ released Bandcamp on April 12th and set to hit other …

In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks To Naadia Sheriff

Naadia Sherriff is a composer, musical director, educator, arranger, and pianist. She is a founding member of Hafla Band, Yazz Ahmed’s group, and has also recorded with Kate Dimbleby, ISQ, and has performed at many prestigious venues, including The Barbican. During lockdown, her ‘Beyond The Fear’ release raised an impressive £1000 for the charity Breast …

Music News: Blue Note Records Celebrates 85th Anniversary

BLUE NOTE RECORDS CELEBRATES 85th ANNIVERSARY THE FINEST IN JAZZ SINCE 1939   85 years ago in January 1939, a German-Jewish immigrant and passionate Jazz fan named Alfred Lion produced his first recording session in New York City founding what would go on to become the most iconic and longest-running Jazz label in the world. …

In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks to… Kym Vincenti

Kym Vincenti on music and life Kym Vincenti is a songwriter and vocalist who has featured in major publications and on BBC Radio. Her music draws on life experiences and the world as she sees it. Her songs are evocative and emotionally charged with lyrics that explore themes including love, loss, and self-discovery. A trail-blazing …

Single Review: “Waking Up” – Echo Northstar

This track is moody, a piano drenched in reverb, giving it a really dark element to it in the part from 1:04, there are no lyrics at this point just humming and vocalising. This is how I’d visualise waking up in the morning, especially on a cold Sunday morning like we had today.  The one …

Album Review: “384,000” – Terence Collie. Words: Sammy Stein

Terence Collie is a talented pianist, composer, and leader. At age seventeen, he joined a band in Jersey, Channel Islands which led to a weekly gig at the Blue Note Bar in St Helier, where he experienced playing supportive concert slots for visiting artists including Teddy Edwards, The Average White Band, Georgie Fame, Andy Sheppard, Jason Rebello, and Digby Fairweather. In …

Single Review: “PWMS1” – Robi Theophilus

This track is short and sweet! Clocking in at 0:56 it still has an impact. There’s a lot here. It starts off with a vocal that I suspect Robi’s sampled and is playing back on the keyboard. The voicing of the chords are so cool! Add to that 808 drums, guitar, bass and a piano …

Single Review: “Unfinished Sympathy” – Massive Attack

This track is just beautiful! Why did I pick it for the throwback track of the day? Well back in 1998 listeners for BBC Radio 1 voted this number 1 in the 100 national anthems. For me this track has got everything, lush strings, scratching, a breakbeat with hypnotic bells in there too. The vocals …