An extraordinary thing happened yesterday. I met a couple from South Africa and we talked about music. Complete strangers. But the thing that connected us was that I love Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and the late great singers Miriam Makeba and Lionel Petersen. We talked about their impact and for just a brief moment we sang …
Blog interview: Flo Perlin
Hello Flo how are you? That’s a BIG question. I’m feeling excited. Congratulations on the release of “Clay”, how does it feel? Thank you very much! It feels surreal. It’s called a ‘release’ for a reason as that’s literally what it feels like. It’s a ten track project, what was the inspiration behind it? This …
Single Review: “Star In A Reasonable Priced Car” – Rubberband Girl
This is the new single from Rubberband Girl and… it’s a cracker. It’s like a cleaned up “Hand In My Pocket” with a banjo in there, and the drums are “properly” recorded, not as gritty. The title reminds me of a segment of Top Gear which *shock horror* I’ve never seen but was having a …
In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks To Jo Harrop
Jo Harrop is a vocalist whose personality flows into her sound. I have seen her perform in the intimate space that is Hampstead Jazz Club and more recently in the Piano bar in Soho, where my companion, Georgia Mancio, herself a wonderful singer, was greeted by Jo and invited to join her for a song. …
Single Review: “Angel” – Sinead Campbell
Wow. This is the 70s throwback I didn’t know I needed today. This has everything – a glockenspiel, electric piano, flute, guitar run through a wah and drums and bass with a pocket deeper than Elon Musk. But let’s salute Sinead’s vocals here – she goes from playful to straight down the line jazz and …
Single Review: “So We Find Ourselves” – Fink
Well this is a beauty of a track to start the month off with! This starts off so simply, just a piano and what sounds like a muted floor tom playing triplets. But it’s the vocals that come in low that sets it off because when the harmonies come in it’s spine tingling. They come …
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 …
Single Review: “All Black Everything” – Amy Gadiaga
Amy Gadiaga brought beauty and grace to this track… it starts off with a piano part that’s like a call to action for a jam session, and boy does the whole thing bring its a game from Amy’s bass line and the drums staying in pocket… Her vocals here are the star, with layered harmonies …
Single Review: “Heed The Call” – Sir Archer
This tune is stunning! This could easily be one of my top tunes of the year! 16th notes on the hi hat with with percussion, lovely bit of electric piano but then the chorus hits with that distorted bass…. The vocals are so soulful it hurts… oh lord the guitar solo! Wowwwwwwwww! I’m in heaven …
Single Review: “Retrospective” – Charlotte Adelle
The thing that struck me about this song was the atmospheric production of it. It’s epic, the single note on the piano keeping time, along with the swirling synths. This is beautiful. The chorus is where it got me though both lyrically and musically. The song starts off with the acceptance that no amount of …