Single Review: “Find Your Tribe” – Lewis Daniel ft. J Phelps & Nathaniel Cross

Now this is an interesting one, very jazzy, and sophisticated. I love jazzy and sophisticated. In a listening post that sat comfortably among folk songs, hip hop and a full blown concerto this just testifies to the taste of the team and the diversity of what comes through. It makes it hard to choose your …

Single Review: “Back To Black” – The Zutons

This is the cover of a classic Amy Winehouse song I never knew I needed. The connection between The Zutons and Amy Winehouse is a pretty cool one given that she turned an already banging track of theirs called “Valerie” into arguably one of the best cover versions ever. Now The Zutons are back with …

In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks To Kim Cypher.

Tell us briefly about your journey in music until now. Music has been a lifelong journey. As a young child I was drawn to all things musical. There was always music playing in the house (my dad loved big band music) and when I was introduced to the recorder and the piano, I could instinctively …

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 …

Album Review: “Green Park” – Benet McClean. Words: Sammy Stein.

It’s the energy that grabs you. I reviewed Benet Mclean’s ‘The Bopped and The Bopless’ back in 2016 and have not tired of it. So, it was a little trepidation I pressed ‘play’ on Mclean’s latest release ‘Green Park’. I mean, how can you top ‘The Bopped and The Bopless’? Mclean does not even try …

Album Review: “Moonshot” – 1201_Alarm. Words – Sammy Stein

120_Alarm comprises Steve Thompson (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Nigel Kennedy, Robert Smith, Lisa Stansfield) on Electronics, Laser Harp and Keyboard, Tamar Osborn (Akram Khan, Collocutor, Kelis, Van Morrison, Billy Ocean) on saxophone and flute, Emma Bassett (Adele, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tim Minchin) on trombone, Alistair ‘Titch’ Walker (Divine Comedy, Doolally Tap) on trumpet, Ollie Weston (Amy Winehouse, …

Album Review: “Northern Flame” – Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat. Words: Sammy Stein.

Northern Flame by Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat comprises Emma Johnson on tenor saxophone, Fergus Vickers on electric guitar, Richard Jones on piano, Angus Milne on double bass, and Steve Hanley on drums. This collective is fast achieving recognition as one of the most innovative and diverse collectives around. I discovered Johnson …

Album Review: “The Ages” – Richard Davies. Words: Sammy Stein.

The Ages | Richard Davies (bandcamp.com) Richard Davies has followed up ‘A Pagan Landscape’ and ‘Travel Without Movement‘ with another interesting and thematic release with ‘The Ages.’ Exploring combinations of sounds, Davies extends his curiosity through a series of tracks, creating a mesmeric and at times, thoroughly absorbing album. The tracks are titled simple RD …

Single Review: “I Wish You Well” – Chidi Digital and ROT8TIONS

This is an instrumental of sublime levels… The drums are dusty and warm, reminding you of old jazz records, fused with a vinyl crackle, and it just whisks me back to listening to records on a really good hi fi system, it just sounds so natural. You can’t always get that with a sample of …

Single Review: “War Baby” – Tom Robinson

As it’s Tom’s birthday today I decided to review one of his biggest hits.  This song has so much soul, mixing jazzy rhythms with a beautiful Rhodes piano and a saxophone solo – oh don’t forget the crunchy guitars… I got introduced to this song quite late in life, as I was discussing Fresh On …