JFlames is back with a smooth retro soul track! And he’s brought with him a singer that delivers the goods! Amethyst is the star here, bringing a vocal that’s so warm to the ear, and boy can she harmonise. JFlames has given her a lush blanket of a beat to wrap her vocals around. The …
Single Review: “Lazy River” – Aisha Badru
Something about this song just gives me goosebumps. The acoustic guitar that starts this off has a touch of reverb on it, giving it that spatial feel… it plays a simple progression but then Aisha’s voice joins it with muted drums… and what a voice. She whispers through this and gives you such warmth in …
Single Review: “Silence Is Music” – Florie Namir & Franck Biyong
Florie Namir is back with a stunning ballad and a duet partner – Franck Niyong. Their voices are very different, Frank has a soulful touch whereas Florie’s vocals are suited to folk/jazz but they find a middle ground, and this song is a perfect vehicle for this. It’s an acoustic number, the percussion is gorgeous, …
Single Review: “Love Has Come” – SōMuch
SŌMuch are back and they’ve got an EP! This is one of the new tracks that hasn’t yet been heard. The sound is sophisticated, very polished – but what would you expect of a band mentored by Ralph Rolle of Chic? Let’s break it down. The back beat is laid back, the hats give the …
Single Review: “Living Proof” – Pearl’s Cab Ride
WELL!!! This… is…. FUNKY! The stabs in the intro promise so much and over deliver, this is professional musicianship at its best. From the horns, drums, bass, vocals, hammond organ this is a blast to listen to – it reminds me of early 90s acid jazz, and it’s so well done, I don’t want to …
Single Review: “Sugar Pie” – Dakota Jones
Drums! Bass! Guitar! Hammond! Horns!Loooooooord the Hammond!!!!! And the star of this song that voice. This is so soulful, I can just imagine Dakota Jones rocking up to Jimmy Fallon’s looking at The Roots, uses the Force to connect with Questlove and then him counting this off like his Afrocomb is on fire and then …
Single Review: “Married By Elvis” – Begonia
The title of this song is what got my attention. That and the Bossa nova groove, this is a pretty sweet track, acoustic guitar over a latin groove, the claves haven’t gone unnoticed by the way, and Begonia’s vocals are gorgeous on this, very soulful and playful at the same time. This song is about …
Album Review: “Cabin 19 Fever” – Wild Card. Words: Sammy Stein.
Wild Card is a London-based jazz combo led by French guitarist Clement Regert with British drummer Sophie Alloway and Australian organist/keyboardist Andrew Noble. Formed in 2011 and with five album releases to their name, the trio is popular on the UK jazz scene and performs regularly, with residencies at prestigious venues including The 606 Club and Ronnie …
Blog interview: Kriss Kollins
Hello Kris, how are you? I’m great. Enjoying the human experience as much as possible. Thanks for asking. Congratulations on the release of “Side FX how does it feel? Thanks! It feels good. There has been a great response for SIDE FX so far. I wanted to show another side of myself so I’m appreciative …
Blog interview: Courtney Pine. Words: Sammy Stein.
Courtney Pine has been part of the global music scene for decades. His constantly evolving approach to music, and jazz music, in particular, has made him an endearing and engaging musician. I have seen him perform with artists in different settings, from school halls to large fabled concert venues. Every time, Pine brings to the …