Serious musicologists will know that CINDY BLACKMAN is an acclaimed, virtuoso American jazz, soul and rock drummer. She’s also married to a certain Carlos Santana – whose band she drums in… nepotism or what! Cindy also pursues her own solo career and less serious musicologists might remember her 2020 album, ‘Give The Drummer Some’  from which the energized track ‘Everybody’s Dancin” won plenty of plaudits, plays and support. If you like the track or indeed if you missed it, you’ll need to know that it’s back with us in a new “resonated and reproduced” edit which has been put together by t ..read more

KYSHONA ARMSTRONG’S CV sees  her describing herself as an “artist, songwriter, activist, music therapist and community connector”. Right now, though, Kyshona (pronounced Kuh-SHAUN-Uh, by the way)  is busy promoting her latest album ‘Legacy’ which wins release tomorrow, April 26th.   Our first taste of the LP came via the single ‘Carolina’. Though Kyshona works out of Nashville, she hails from South Carolina  and the song was conceived as, she says: “a love song – and a break-up letter – the state”, adding “my relationship with South Carolina is a complicated one. It was a h ..read more

We’ve featured enigmatic Scottish duo EDY FOREY (pictred) several times; thus you may know that they are vocalist Edy Szewy and pianist Guilhem Forey and they call their music “urban Jazz”. Their album ‘Culture Today’ was released in March and those with adventurous ears enjoyed it’s audacious, ground breaking attempt at fusing retro rhythm & blues, soul and funk and delivering it in a jazz context. For sure, not everyone’s cup of tea. One track that has won favour though is ‘Peace Of Mind’ which has now been released as a single. Yes, it’s quirky and you might want to know that it was pro ..read more

BOBBY WASHINGTON is an American indie, R&B/soul singer/producer who won plenty of fans with his singles ‘Burn It Down’, ‘Not Just A One Night Stand’,  ‘I Love You Bae’ and ‘Feanin’’. It needs to be said that those fans came from those of the soul community who like their music with a contemporary R&B flavour. His latest single delivers the same “cusp of soul/R&B flavour”. It’s a sensuous  ‘Take You Home’ which were told was inspired by Eugne Wilde’s ‘Gotta Get You Home Tonight’. Out now ..read more

ALLYSHA JOY is an Australian singer, songwriter, producer and keys player. On the Land Down Under’s soul and jazz scene she is quite a “name” both as a solo performer and with the band, 30/70. Her early work has  won support from tastemakers like Gilles Petersen and Huey Morgan  while in the States she’s worked with people like Snarky Puppy and PJ Morton. Intrigued? Find out where Allysha’s coming from via her new single – a sombre, deep ‘Stay’. She says: “Stay is about drawing a kind of love into your life that is wanting and willing for you to do right by you, to say yes and really ..read more

One of 2024’s most energized and uplifting albums has been the CHRIS BANGS-helmed, ‘Ritmo Da Vida’ from his NOVA VIDA collective. Amongst the album’s treasure are a cover of Jose Feliciano’s ‘Affirmation’ and a new spin on Milton  Nascimento’s  ‘Empty Faces’. To satisfy the interest in the tunes, the Bangs team are releasing the two tracks on 7” vinyl creating a real  double A sider! You might know the Feliciano orignal of ‘Affirmation’ but more likely you’ll know the George Benson cover (it was on his ‘Breezin’’ album). Here, though, the Nova Vida crowd spice it up with fuller ..read more

Earlier his month, LRK RECORDS introduced us to the talents of US singer, songwriter and producer JOHNNY BURGOS. The intro came via the release of two sweet and soulful grooves ‘Hit Me Like’ and ‘Get Back’. We learned that Johnny is based in Brooklyn  and he’s a songwriter, producer and engineer with a penchant for  retro-soul. As a solo artist Johnny debuted with a 2018 EP ‘Love Through It All’. In March 2021 his debut album ‘Gone Into The Grey’received critical acclaim and has since been added to playlists by Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal, resulting in an ever-growing fan bas ..read more

Further to our recent somewhat confusing post about the upcoming FOUR TOPS UK tour, we now have fuller details about that tour that (hopefully) will make things much clearer! The Duke Fakir-led Tops will be in the UK this Autumn for their annual tour. For the last few years they’ve shared headline status with The Temptations (i.e. the Otis Williams-led group) but for 2024 it will be the “Temptations Revue” – led by one time “real” Temptation, Glenn Leonard! The third group on the bill will be an iteration of Tavares! The promoters have told us just who will be lining up. The Tops will be Duke ..read more

Though they’ve been making music for something like a decade, it’s only recently that we crossed paths with Aussie band, THE SUGAR FED LEOPARDS. Our introduction came via a couple of singles – a light Chic-tinged disco romp ‘T Y O’ and a poppier disco cut, ‘Need You Know’. Those singles were released to flag up the Leopards’ latest album, ‘Love. Be In It’ which has just been released. The set, the band’s third, is an eight tracker that’s meant to be “A love story in an album, dedicated to best friends, the power of live music and fond memories of the 80’s Aussie ‘Life. Be In It’ fitness campai ..read more

AUDREY POWNE is an Australian singer/wrter and music multi tasker. Her  career began when she fronted a  band intriguingly named Leisure Centre. In 2018, she broke away and went solo  and her debut EP ‘Bed I Made’ won plenty of support with one cut –  a gorgeous ‘Flowers’ – winning huge backing from tastemakers like Jeff Young and Tony Blackburn. Earlier this year we were told that Ms P was preparing a full album. The announcement came with the release of a single ‘Feed The Fire’ which turned up with eight mixes. That was flowed by ‘From The Fire’. Both these “fire” themed ..read more