This song is proper pop. It caught my ear as I was going through the spotify recommendations and checked out the rest of the album and this is track 2. I thought they were making a mistake when recommendation as part of their jazz curation, but…. This actually works! It’s so catchy, with a singalong …
Single Review: “Ready” – Cory Wong and Ben Rector
This track screams summer soul! Wow! From the top, guitar virtuoso Cory Wong opens fire with muted guitar playing 16ths although I get the feeling that may be delays, and the guitar sound over that comes in over the top playing the main riff.. I can’t even get my head around it.. it’s clean, it’s …
Single Review: “Away From Here” – Speech Debelle X Baby Sol
Speech Debelle just dropped a beauty of an album, “Sunday Dinner On A Monday” and one of my favourite tracks on it is this one for many reasons. The warped record playing the chords sets the tone, especially with the crackle. The beat drops in borrowing from afrobeat with the rimshot, kick and shakers. It’s …
The Man Behind The Music: Andy Quin. Words: Sammy Stein.
Most of us enjoy watching TV or films. We might watch adverts or view trailers. Some of the music from films and adverts stays as an earworm for days. Characters have particular musical motifs (a leitmotif), just think of those two notes every time the shark appears in ‘Jaws’, and products become associated with simple, …
Album Review: “Most Definitely” – Devin Gray. Words: Sammy Stein.
At Platinum Mind we reviewed Devin Gray’s single, ’Pull to Refresh’ when the album was a future vision. Now that vision is here and out on Rataplan Records on 9th June. Firstly, let’s talk about value – twenty-three tracks, twenty-one of them short but all gloriously different. Secondly, let’s talk drums – Devin has amazing …
Copasetic Foundation Celebrates Ten Years. Words: Sammy Stein
May 2023 marked the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Copasetic Foundation. What began as an informal vehicle for jazz and related music words and music productions has grown to become an established, non-profit collective that creates and produces live music and theatre shows, to promote the understanding and appreciation of jazz and related music via …
Album Review: “It’s All We Have” – Diana Torti and Sabino de Bari. Words: Sammy Stein.
Diana Torti is a singer, improviser, and composer based in London. She has performed in jazz clubs, theatres, and international festivals. Her CD “On A Cloud” (2019, SLAM Productions) was nominated among the best jazz vocal releases of 2019 by The New York City Jazz Record. Torti is also a lecturer and researcher and has …
Album Review: “Happy Music For Orchestra” – Alex Paxton. Words: Sammy Stein
It is not often a musician or composer makes me sit up, listen and then listen again and again to the music, but Alex Paxton took me by surprise – I am almost ashamed to say I knew nothing of his music until now but I believe it should be shared. This album is like …
Album Review: “Goddess The Seahorse” The Fabulous Red Diesel. Words: Sammy Stein.
The Fabulous Red Diesel is not your average jazz ensemble. The ensemble sits somewhere between jazz, rhythm and blues, rock, and sheer mayhem and it suits them. Their unique take on life and music have inspired many, but they follow their own path. A mix of different personalities, the band creates entertaining, self-aware shows and …
Single Review: “Focus” – Nyla Sings
Nyla Sings – Focus This is a gorgeous acoustic number! WOW. Nyla’s voice comes in giving the whole song warmth, over a bed of acoustic guitar, finger snaps, 808 drums and synth bass. The beat stutters nicely skipping little bits here and there which makes it pleasing to the ear. Thing is though…. It’s short …