Monday, 29 July 2013

2013's Summer Stunners

As Blam Jam takes a short rest from the radio, I've lined up a
barrage of tunes, that could be considered those that will define
the amazing weather and high temperatures of 2013.

It's a struggle to decide the ultimate stunner, but this varied
selection will give a flavour of what's provided inspiration and
lit up the dancefloors.

Lone - "Airglow Fires"



An instant winner from Manchester producer Matt Cutler,
that's crossed over like crazy over the last couple of months,
and what could be 2013's "Sueno Latino".

It may sound retro, yet it's firmly facing forward.

Kings Of Tomorrow - "Fall For You"


One that's done the rounds for a few months, but is
still pleasing the punters at the many soul gatherings.

Sandy Rivera and vocalist April provide what may be the summer's
soulful house standout.

 Bahama Soul Club - "Ay Jona"



I may be cheating with this one as the album itself isn't
released until October.

Why?

This has got all the flavours of a soundtrack to a boozy
holiday, with some crazy latin rhythms and amazing arrangements.

Make sure you have this stored on your smartphone if you're
going anywhere nice this summer.

Regrooved Featuring Damon Reel - "My Sunshine"



Following on from last year's "What I'm Gonna Do For You Love"
Southport producer Neil Thompson returns with what could be
the defining tune of this year's Margate Soul Weekender.


Todd Terje - "Strandbar"



An incredibly infectious house floorfiller from the top
Norway producer. And it's pronounced "Terry-ay".


Muzart - "Muzart" (Full LP)



This could quite possibly be 2013's answer to last year's
Sunburst Band album, from a fresh new South African act
who have caused quite an impact.

Their self titled album is full of uptempo jazzy movers and
has recently been released on the Expansion label in the UK,
and has influences from Earth Wind and Fire, Incognito, and
even Matt Bianco.

Grab hold of a copy if you can, every one on there is a winner.


Blam Jam returns to the radio on the 11th of August at CSR FM
still on the search for more summer stunners!
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Sunday, 21 July 2013

Show 156: "Clear 'Grey' Skies" - 21.07.13

Summer Special Hour 1

Banda Brasileira
"Hot Stuff"
Lounge Cover Collection 5
Irma

Police
"Every Breath You Take" (Scott Wozniak NYC Deep Mix)
Soundcloud

Bah Samba
"I Want You To Go"
Here For Now
BKO

808 State Featuring Bjork
"Ooops"
Ex:Cel
ZTT

Hackney Colliery Band
"Africa"
Hackney Colliery Band
Wah Wah

Toto
"Bodhisattva"
Through The Looking Glass
EMI

Duron Tarik Featuring Children Speak
"Not Over"
12"
Space Kat

Juicy Jam
Gary Barlow
"Stronger"
12 Months, Eleven Days
BMG

Marcos Valle
"Poweride"
Escape
Far Out

Amazonics
"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
Bossa 'N Essentials
Music Brokers

Loose Ends
"Magic Touch"
So Where Are You
Virgin

Doggett Brothers
"Round and Round"
DayLight
Doggett Brothers

Owiny Sigoma Band
"Magret Aloor"
Power Punch
Brownswood

Atar & The Funkadrome
"Clear Blue Skies"
Funkadrome
D

Cliff Carpenter
"Daddy Cool"
Cliff Carpenter Plays Boney M Hits
Hansa

Hour 2

Brand New Heavies
"Do Your Remember"
Forward
HeavyTone

Tito Puente
"Wave"
Jazzin'
Tropi Jazz

Siesta
Tony Momrelle
"What You Waitin' For" (Reel People Mix)
12"
Reel People Music

Matt Bianco
"Falling"
Hideaway
Edel

GRG and Spectrum Blue Skies 707
"Earth Wind And Fire"
Unreleased

Steve "Silk" Hurley
"The Word Is Love" (Frankie Feliciano's Recanstruction Vocal Mix)
12"
S&S


Summer Dub Dub
Ed Sheeran
"The A Team" (Shy FX's Ackee and Saltfish Mix)
Single Release
Warner Music

Aswad
"Searching"
Cool Summer Reggae
Universal

Soul II Soul
"I Care (Soul II Soul)"
Volume V - Believe
Virgin
Ipanema Intermission
Sachal Studios Orchestra
"Garota De Ipanema"
Jazz Interpretations of Jazz Standards & Bossa Nova
Sachal Music

Boney M
"Sunny"
Take The Heat Off Me
BMG

Casiopea
"Paradox March"
Halle
Alfa

Devoted Few featuring Alexadria Osborne
"Make You Mine"
12"
SHE


Blam Jam takes a short break for the next two Sundays, but returns
on the 11th of August. Enjoy the high temperatures!
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Sunday, 14 July 2013

Show 155: "The Factor 5 Funk Club" - 14.07.13

Summer Special Hour 1

Al Green
"Feels Like Summer"
The Belle Album
Demon

Ed Solo And The Skool Of Thought
"We Play The Music"
Random Acts Of Kindness
Supercharged


Papik Featuring Wendy D. Lewis
"Family Affair"
Music Inside
Irma

Jamie Cullum
"Singing In The Rain"
Twentysomething
Universal


Bluey
"Sky"
Leap Of Faith
Dome

Roy Ayers
"Searching"
Vibrations
Verve

Nova Fronteira
"Keep It Like This"
Full Fronteira
Z

Juicy Jam
Echobeatz
"Mas Que Nada"
CD Single
Eternal

Fatboy Slim
"Love Island"
You've Come A Long Way Baby
Skint

Awa Band
"Timba" (Full Intention Mix)
12"
Defected

George Benson and Wynton Marsalis
"Unforgettable"
Inspiration (A Tribute To Nat King Cole)
Concord

Don E
"Spiritual"
Little Star
Dome

Hiatus Kaiyote
"Lace Skull"
Tawk Tomahawk
Hiatus Kaiyote

Franco Godi
"La Felicita"
Signor Rossi
Hot Wax

Hour 2

Tracy Hamlin
"Never Too Much"
This Is My Life
DMH

Mirage
"Summer Grooves"
Backstreet Brit Funk
Z

Siesta
Rurals
"Lush" (95 North Remix, Kwame's Piano Dub)
Reinterpretations
Peng

Bahama Soul Club
"Ay Jona"
The Cuban Tapes
Buyu

Maysa
"You Won't Find Your Way"
Motions Of Love
Shanachie


Cecile McLorin Salvant
"John Henry"
WomanChild
Mack Avenue

Summer Dub Dub
Prince Fatty Featuring Horseman
"Insane In The Brain"
Supersize
Mr Bongo

Los Colorados
"U Can't Touch This"
Move It
Motor Entertainment

Mundo Azul
"Sereia"
12"
Muschi Industries

Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66
"Batacuda (The Beat)"
Look Around
A&M

Muzart
"Move (Yeah Yeah)"
Muzart
Soul Kandi

Ipanema Intermission
Crystal Waters
"The Boy From Ipanema"
Red Hot + Rio
The Red Hot Organisation

Blam Jam Belter!
Crystal Waters
"Gypsy Woman" (Radio Mix)
The Best Of Crystal Waters
Universal

Ferry Ultra And Gwen McCrae
"Happy"
Ferry Ultra And The Homeless Funkers
Peppermint Jam
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Friday, 12 July 2013

Live Gig Review: Hiatus Kaiyote at XOYO, London 11.07.13

This promised to be exciting, finally seeing the Australian "future soul"
band perform live, having seen the charismatic lead singer Nai Palm
wow the crowds at Koko back in January.

















Warming up for them was Andrew Ashong, a fella
who's hardly performed live at all but yet managed to
win the Track Of The Year at this year's Worldwide Awards.

Here's the man that's to blame...

















And yet it was a warm-up act that kept the huge crowds of XOYO going,
even helping him to sail through the technical faults on stage.

Especially when ad-libbing through the stand out song itself "Flowers".
































Then came the headline act themselves, Hiatus Kaiyote and I must say,
they're even better live than on record.

If I had to describe their sound, imagine what Amy Winehouse
would sound like if she had stuck to her sound from the "Frank"
album and took it further.

















Lead singer Nai Palm did an amazing job not just on vocals
but on guitar, and keys as well.


















And the band's main keyboard player Simon Mavin was also amazing,
full of classy sounding chords.


















The crowd were loving it, even singing along to favourites such as
"Nakamarra" and "Softly Lulls".
We also got a few new songs including one inspired by Stevie Wonder,
"Breathing Underwater".

The song itself was amazing, but the title brought back memories of the theme
tune to the rather apalling Hanna Barbera underwater Smurfs knock-off
"The Snorks".

Moving right along....

















These guys are ones to watch. 

 Definitely worth popping along to see, and they're
back in London in November at the Village Underground.
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Sunday, 7 July 2013

Show 154: "Sun Is Shining, Weather Is Sweet, Yeah" - 07.07.13

Summer Special: Hour 1

Gerardo Frisina
"Cubana"

Pat Metheny Group
"Slip Away"
Letter From Home
Geffen

Brand New Heavies
"Stay This Way" (Morales Mix)
Elephantitis: The Funk And House Remixes
Delicious Vinyl

Todd Terje
"Strandbar" (Samba Mix)
12"
Olsen

Juicy Jam
Black Legend
Wap Bam Boogie
Victor

Siesta
Solu Music featuring Kimblee
"Fade"
Beach House 03.02
Hed Kandi

Boris Dlugosh and Roisin Murphy
"Never Enough"
CD Single
Peppermint Jam

Tito Puente and India
"To Be In Love"
Jazzin'
Tropi Jazz

Hackney Colliery Band
"Inner City Life"

Mario Biondi
"What Have You Done To Me?"
Sun
Sony

General Lee
"We Did It Baby"
Jazz Bizniz Volume 3
Counterpoint

Ipanema Intermission
Amy Winehouse
"The Girl From Ipanema"
Lioness: Hidden Treasures
Universal

Ivan Lins
"Love Dance"
Love Dance
Reprise

Shakatak
"Night Time"
Under Your Spell
Instinct
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Saturday, 6 July 2013

Live Gig Review - The Brand New Heavies and the King's Hall, Herne Bay

It's always amazing when a band you've grown up with
make an appearance in a place you've grown up in.

And the Brand New Heavies definitely made the most 
of their stop-off at Herne Bay even taking time to "Spend Some Time"
by the seafront, devouring fish and chips.

It must have been the ideal fuel for an amazing live set which commenced with a couple of old favourites including "Back To Love" and "Sometimes".



All the members were on great form including Jan Kincaid, 
a rare-breed of drummer/vocalist.


Simon Bartholemew on guitar, who resulted in me screaming 
"Turn it up to 11!" (Sorry Simon)


And performing lead vocals, Dawn Joseph,
with not just an amazing voice, but a great set of outfits.






Where on earth did the time go?

As well as old favourites such as "Stay This Way", and "Midnight At The Oasis", we were also treated to live renditions from the new album
"Forward" including the singles "Sunlight" and "Addicted".

 Like the Omar gig I was at last week, they've proven that it's
been worth the 7 year wait, and have come back with a belter.

The encore was my personal highlight, made up of two BNH
belters, "You Are The Universe" and the amazing "Dream Come True".
Overall the night provided a great crowd, fantastic musicianship,
and no sign of a drop in energy. 
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