Show 216 - "A Barrell In The Market Place" 25.01.15

Listen Again below!



Hour 1

Earth Wind and Fire
"Got To Get You Into My Life"
Ultimate Collection
Sony

Eddie Murphy
"Oh Jah Jah"
Online Download
Panda Bear

Album Profile: January 2015
Jose Prates, Mecio Askanasy and Ivan De Paula
"Onika"
Tam...Tam...Tam...!
Trunk

Mark Ronson featuring Stevie Wonder and Andrew Wyatt
"Uptown's First Finale"
Uptown Special
Sony

Hubert Laws featuring Gregory Porter
"Smile"
Hubert Laws Remembers The Unforgettable Nat King Cole
RKO

Jose James
"A Change Is Gonna Come"
Peace Power Change

Afro Elements
"Eleanor Rigby"
Out Of The Centre
Splash

Diane Shaw
"Good Lovin' Man"
Online Download
Mecca

Rainbow Of Rhythm: Red

Esther Phillips
"Cherry Red"
Alone Again, Naturally
Sony

Tom Waits
"Red Shoes By The Drugstore"
Blue Valentine
Elektra

D'Angelo
"Another Life"
Black Messiah
RCA

Alice Russell
"Citizens"
To Dust
Tru Thoughts

Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers
"Le Bess"
Cranes And Carpets
Agogo

Album Profile: January 2015
Jose Prates, Mecio Askanasy and Ivan De Paula
"Nana Imboro"
Tam...Tam...Tam...!
Trunk

Mr Scruff
"Shanty Town"
Keep It Unreal
Ninja Tune

Hour 2: Blam Jam Does The Beatles

Resistiencia
"Revolution"
Hemp!
A Reggae Tribute To The Beatles
Afro

Ella Fitzgerald
"Can't Buy Me Love"
Hello, Dolly!
Verve

Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66
"With A Little Help From My Friends"
Look Around
Universal

London Jazz Four
"Things We Said Today"
Take Another Look At The Beatles
Harkit

Rockabye Baby
"Octopus's Garden"More Lullaby Renditions Of The Beatles
Rockabye Baby!
 
Dave Valentin
"Blackbird"
The Hawk
GRP

Otis Redding
"Day Tripper"
The King Of Soul
Rhino


Wilson Pickett and Duane Allman
"Hey Jude"
Hey Jude
Atlantic


Roots Manuva
"Yellow Submarine"
CD Single
Ultimate Dilemma

Paul McCartney and Jimmy Fallon
"Scrambled Eggs"
Blow Your Pants Off
Warner Bros

Steve Gray Orchestra
"And I Love Her"
Beatle Melodies
Mood Media

Bobby McFerrin
"Drive My Car"
Essential
Blue Note


Nina Simone
"Here Comes The Sun"
Here Comes The Sun
Sony

Upsetters featuring The Soulettes
"Let It Be"
Trojan Box Set - Beatles
Trojan

Peggy Lee
"A Hard Day's Night"
Ultra Lounge - On The Rocks Part 1
Capitol

Cecilia Stalin and Khari Cabral Simmons
"Norwegian Wood"
The Story Of Love
Bandcamp

Shirley Bassey
"Something"
Something
Parlophone

Show 215 - "A Change Is Gonna Come" 18.01.15

Listen Again below!



Hour 1

Diplomats of Soul featuring Noel McKoy
"Just Can't Give You Up"
Luxury Soul 2015
Expansion

Johnny Pate
"Shaft In Africa"
Shaft In Africa
Probe

Album Profile: January 2015
Jose Prates, Mecio Askanasy and Ivan De Paula
"Imbae Sofa"Tam...Tam...Tam...!
Trunk

Sonzeira
"Xi-Ba-Ba" (Kyodai Remix)
Brasil Bam Bam Bass
Talkin' Loud 

Kool And The Gang
"Steppin' Out"
Somethin' Special
Mercury 

Taylor McFerrin featuring Robert Glasper and Thundercat
"Already There"
Early Riser
Brainfeeder 

Loretta
"Find A Way"
Find A Way
Vaziva

Sticky Jam
The Real McCoy
"Come And Get Your Love"
Another Night
Arista

Dayton
"Movin' Up"
Hot Fun
Capitol

Cecilia Stalin and Khari Simmons
"He Loves You"
The Story Of Love EP
Bandcamp

Electric Empire
"Always"
Electric Empire
Red Disc

Tristan
"Running Out Of Time"
2nd Phase
Isolde

Gregory Porter
"A Change Is Gonna Come" (Live At The Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2014)

Hour 2
Braille
"En Route"
Ouroboros
Innovative Leisure

Tom Glide featuring Shylah Vaughan
"Soul Life" (Bangsy Soul Anthem)
Soul Life - The Remixes
TGEE

Retro Reworking
George Benson
"Give Me The Night" (Funkhameleon Discotastic Remix)
Soundcloud

Eddie Murphy
"Oh Jah Jah"
Online Download
Panda Bear

Portico Quartet
"Line" (SBTRKT "Less Hang" Mix)
Online Download
Real World

Rodriguez
"Inner City Blues"
Searching For Sugarman OST
Light In The Attic

Rainbow Of Rhythm: Yellow

Joni Mitchell
"Big Yellow Taxi"
Ladies Of The Canyon
Warner Brothers


Teena Marie featuring  Alia Rose
"High Yellow Girl"
La Dona
UMG

Stevie Wonder
"We Can Work It Out"
Essential Stevie Wonder
Motown

Zbonics featuring Melvin Sparks and Karl Denson
"Soul Good"
Time To Do Your Thing
Membran

Album Profile: January 2015
Jose Prates, Mecio Askanasy and Ivan De Paula
"Maracatu da D Santa"
Tam...Tam...Tam...!
Trunk

Crystalites
"Lady Madonna"
Trojan Beatles
Trojan

Fatima
"Biggest Joke Of All"
Yellow Memories
Eglo

Show 214 - "Blam, Blam, Blam!"

Listen Again below!



Hour 1

D'Angelo
"Sugah Daddy"
Black Messiah
RCA

Myles Sanko
"Forever Dreaming" (Jimi Needles Remix)
Online Download
213 Music

Steely Dan
"Aja"
Aja
MCA

Album Profile: January 2015
Jose Prates and Ivan De Paula
"Imbarabaô"
Tam... Tam... Tam...!
Trunk

Joyce Moreno
"Tamba"
Raiz
Far Out

Nicola Conte and Jose James
"Goddess Of The Sea"
Free Souls
Schema

Blam Jam Belter!
Diplomats of Soul featuring Noel McKoy
"Just Can't Give You Up"
Luxury Soul 2015
Expansion

Sticky Jam
Color Me Badd
"I Wanna Sex You Up"
The Best Of Color Me Badd
Giant

Doggett Brothers
"Lover"
CD Single
Ashwood

Jacob Collier
"Close To You"
Online Download

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings
"Little Boys With Shiny Toys"
Soundcloud

Joe Culpepper
"Some Nights"
Pilot Light EP
Joe Culpepper

Ely Bruna
"Take On Me"
Remember The Time
Irma

Christian McBride
"Aja"
Smooth Jazz
U-5

Hour 2
Miguel Migs featuring Martin Luther
"Let It Play" (Migs' Salted Vocal)
12"
Defected

Soulperfreesia
"Keep It Working" (Joey Negro Re Blend)
12"
Z

Retro Reworking
Alexander O'Neal
"Fake '88"
The Very Best Of Alexander O'Neal
Demon

Dasha Logan
"Cleverly" (Soul Talk Remix)
Online Download
Area Boy

Vivienne McKone
"Beware"
Vivienne McKone
FFrr

The Rainbow Of Rhythm: Green

Booker T And The MG's
"Green Onions" (Live)
Time Is Tight
Stax

High Contrast
"Racing Green"
High Society
Hospital

Al Wilson
"The Snake"
The Snake
K-Tel

Album Profile: January 2015
Jose Prates and Ivan de Paula
"Fá-êu-á"
Tam...Tam...Tam...!
Trunk

Cecilia Stalin and Khari Cabral Simmons
"Sunny Day"
The Story Of Love
Bandcamp

Jarrod Lawson
"Connected" (Live At Ronnie Scotts)

Show 213: "Live, and very much Plugged In!" - 04.01.15

Listen agin below!




Hour 1: "Instrumentally Challenging"

Afro Elements
"Four Letter Word"
Remains To Be Seen
Splash

Frootful
"Colours"
Colours
Freestyle

Lack Of Afro
"One For The Trouble"
Music For Adverts
Freestyle

Bonobo
"Emkay"
The North Borders
Ninja Tune  
 
Sons Of Kemet
"Inner Babylon"
Burn
Naim Audio

James Taylor Quartet
"Tick Tock"
Closer To The Moon
Real Self

Flying Lotus
"Putty Boy Strut"
Until The Quiet Comes
Warp

Thundercat
"Fleer Ultra"
The Golden Age Of Apocalypse
Brainfeeder

Darryl Reeves
"Donut Man"
The Dillaquarium Mixtape
Online Download


Down To The Bone
"We've Always Got The Music"
Future Boogie
Freestyle

Jeff Golub
"Walkin' On The Sun"
Dangerous Curves
Verve

Snarky Puppy
"What About Me"
We Like It Here
Ropeadope

Hour 2: "The Continuous Concert"

Stevie Wonder
"Fingertips Parts 1 And 2, Live"
The Definitive Collection
Motown

Alice Russell
"Heartbreaker Part 2" (Live At Maida Vale)

Kool And The Gang
"Hollywood Swingin" (Live in Colarado)

Dionne Warwick and Isaac Hayes
"Can't Hide Love"
A Man And A Woman
ABC

Dianne Reeves
"The Best Times (Grandma's Song)"
In The Moment (Live In Concert)
Blue Note

Bill Withers
"Grandma's Hands"
Live At Carnegie Hall
Sony

Level 42
"The Chinese Way" (Live In London)

Swing Out Sister
"Surrender/Coney Island Man" (Live In Fukuoka)

Joe Cocker
"With A Little Help From My Friends" (Live At Filmore East)
Mad Dogs And Englishmen
A&M

Show 212: "Two Whole Hours Of Ten Whole Years" - 14.12.14

Listen again below!



Hour 1: 80s Soul

Janet Jackson
"You Can Be Mine"
Control
A&M

Savanna
"I Can't Turn Away"
Hits From The Classic Era Vol. 4
Excalibur

Your 80s Jam: Graham Hukins
Madness
"Wings Of A Dove"
Total Madness
Union Square

Pasadenas
"Riding On A Train"
To Whom It May Concern
Sony

Rosana
"Tempo De Sorrir" (Time To Smile)
Rosana
RCA

Newcleus
"Jam On Revenge (The Wikki Wikki Song)"
Jam On Revenge
Jam-On

Your 80s Jam: Jarrod Lawson
Michael Jackson
"P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)"
Thriller
Epic

Rick James
"Glow"
Glow
Motown

Tony Sherman
"ELLOVEE-EE"
12"
Polydor

Phyllis Hyman
"Screaming At The Moon"
Living All Alone
Philadelphia International

Your 80s Jam: Rose Kallenberg-Pierce
Prince
"Little Red Corvette"
1999
NPG

Mr. Fingers
"What About This Love"
12"
Alleviated

Chaka Khan
"Be Bop Medley"
Chaka Khan
Warner Brothers

Grace Jones
"Private Life"
Island Life
Island

Hour 2: 80s Jazz
The Rippingtons
"Tourist In Paradise"
Tourist In Paradise
GRP

Matt Bianco
"Big Rosie"
Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed 12"
WEA

Francis Bebey
"Super Jingle"
African Electronic Music 1975-1982
Born Bad

James Taylor Quartet
"Blow Up"
Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club Volume 2
Freestyle

Carmen Lundy
"The Lamp Is Low"
Good Morning Kiss
Justin Time

Warriors
"Je Ne Sais Quois"Behind The Mask
Expansion 

Frank Ricotti All Stars
"Jennie's Tune"
The Beiderbecke Collection
Dormouse

Nina Simone
"My Baby Just Cares For Me"
Little Girl Blue
Bethlehem

Casiopea
"Paradox March"
Halle
Alfa

Spyro Gyra
"Lovin' You"
Catching The Sun
Amherst

Your 80s Jam: Bluey
Mezzoforte
"Funkin' Marvellous"
The Very Best Of Mezzorforte
Imagine

Orbital
"Christmas Chime"
Online Download
ACP

Best Of 2014: Getting Deeper!

An in-depth insight into how the winners of Blam Jam's award winners
of 2014 came to be on this Sunday's show.

Not listened yet? Then do so.

Also includes Audiobooms of each artist's first appearance on Blam Jam!
Click on the headers to hear them!

Best New Act: Tristan















A debut album full of instant winners, and these don't come often.

This Dutch outfit arrived in the Spring of '14 gaining fans
outside their homeland with their blend of amazing beats
and melodic brilliance with a nod to 90s jazzy sounding soul,
imagine Incognito forming a supergroup with Raw Stylus
and Corduroy.

Accompanying the top notch players is lead vocalist Evelyn Kallansee
who lends her voice to upbeat gems such as "Moon Tune" and "Full Power"
as well as the more mellow offerings such as the amazing "New Beginning".

With a follow-up album already in the making, let's hope this lot choose to board a train across the channel and maybe perform a few live shows
on British shores.

Go on, pretty please?

Best Jazz Album: Melanie De Biasio - "No Deal"

















Jazz is a misunderstood, but ever evolving style of music
and this Belgian performer continues the evolution with her
debut album first brought to my attention at the tail end
of 2013.

I love the dark feel that flows throughout the record itself,
and the poetic words from De Biasio that helps to ensure a
nice flow.

It's also one worth recommending to those who have never previously
got into jazz, especially as it has a length of just 35 minutes.

Enough to have to you wanting more.

Best Duo: Soulperfreesia




















A fantastic collaboration between producer Soulpersona
and singer Princess Freesia who in the Spring of '14 released
a debut album full of winners.

Standouts include "Keep It Working" based on a sample of
one of my favourite Brenda Russell songs "Hello People",
and "Underwater Love" which became a radio favourite on
the many online soul stations throughout the summer.

The album's just been released physically with a remix from
to producer and "quality controller" Joey Negro, with new
material set to emerge in '15.

Best Male Solo: Jarrod Lawson



















Really, there was no contest this year.

It's the quiet ones you've gotta look out for and this fella
from Oregon, suddenly emerged with a debut solo album
filled with nods to classic 70s soul performers, refined for
the present day, leading to sell-out performances in
the UK.

There's so many different styles covered from the Latin
inspired "Sleepwalkers", to the Donald Fagen-esque
"Together We'll Stand", and if you get the chance to see
him live, the melodic quality from the LP is ever-present,
which is something that can rarely be said for many performers.

In short, just go and see him when he's next on our shores.

Best Female Solo: Fatima




















Like Jarrod Lawson, a talent that's been a long time coming.

Fresh from Stockholm the debut is an eclectic but exciting
set of future beats overseen by producers such as
Floating Points, Shafiq Husayn and Oh No, and full on arrangements.

My only bugbear with the album itself is that the opening track
"Do Better" isn't representative of the broken beats making up
the rest of the album, as it's such a great opener.

Maybe it should have been pushed later on in the LP,
but that's not to say the album itself is sub-standard.

Again like the Melanie Di Biasio album, give this one a listen
if you don't think you're a jazz fan.

Album Of The Year: Sonzeira - "Brazil Bam Bam Bam"



















Brazil and Gilles Peterson.

A combination that even before listening to the album,
I knew it would create something amazing.

And it turned out to surpass intitial expectations, as this
album released in time for the 2014 World Cup explored
the rich musical heritage of Rio and the surrounding areas
whilst sounding fresh and forward looking.

Along with top Brazilian musicians such as Seu Jorge,
Elza Soarez and Marcos Valle to name just a few, "Brasil Bam Bam"
is filled with experimental arrangements of not just Brazilian
tunes but one or two homegrown tunes, namely an amazing
re-arrangement of Brit-funk favourite "Southern Freeez".

But it's not just the album itself that earns it's place as Blam Jam's
favourite of '14 as accompanying it was a superb feature-length
documentary showing the making of the album, and Gilles'
witty and informative insight into Brazil, with a help from
a few friends such as Brazilian music aficianado Ed Motta.

One of very few people who owns the album that inspired this,
the elusive "Tam Tam Tam" by Jose Prates, containing
the tune that inspired the samba standard, "Mas Que Nada".

Best Song: Incognito - "Stop Running Away"



















On hearing snippets from Bluey and co's latest album
"Amplified Soul" I'll admit I was non-plussed as most of the
tracks were mid to down-tempo, and I much prefer the upbeat
Cog sound.

But as a crazed fan of the Cog I bought it anyway and as I
was going through a rather rough time at that point, it really helped
with the album closer sung by Bluey himself in falsetto being
the most meaningful.

In the audio below Bluey himself tells the story behind the song...

Biggest Belter Of 2014: Afro Elements - "Lift Your Life" (Both versions!)


















After what I personally thought was a rather mediocre couple of
months for jazzy soul tunes at the beginning of the year, UK/Taiwanese funkers the Afro Elements emerged all of a sudden with an album filled with
the essence of what Blam Jam is about, titled "Out Of The Centre".

Funky grooves with amazing jazzy melodic harmony.

The standout track was the "original version" of the tune
"Lift Your Life" that had previously been released as a more
upbeat jazzy house version on their 2007 LP "It Remains To Be Seen"
re-released again in 2014, which I loved even more so both versions
earn the title of Blam Jam's Biggest Belter!

More please soon guys!

Show 211 - The Finest From '14 07.12.14

Listen Again below!



Hour 1

Brother Johnson
"Blam!"
The Very Best Of Brothers Johnson
Spectrum

2014 Best New Act

Tristan
"Full Power"
Full Power
Isolde

Ibibio Sound Machine
"The Talking Fish"
Ibibio Sound Machine
Soundway

Lack Of Afro
"Making It Right" (Featuring Juliette Ashby)
Music For Adverts
Freestyle

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings
"Stranger To My Happiness"
Giving The People What They Want
Daptone

Best Jazz Album
Melanie De Biasio
"With Love"
No Deal
Play It Again Sam

Oliver $ and Jimi Jules
"Pushing On"
12"
Defected

Best Duo
Soulperfreesia
"Keep It Working"
Amalgamation
EmuBands

Soulperfreesia
"Underwater Love"
Amalgamation
EmuBands

The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra
"Don't You Know He's Alright"
The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra
Far Out

Francesca Sortino
"Inside Art" (Gerardo Frisina Mix)
Online PromoArtful and Ridney featuring Terri Walker
"Missing You" (Eric Krupper's 'Director's Cut Tribute To FK' Mix)
12"
Extra Dry

Andreya Triana
"Everything You Never Had" (Part II)
Soundcloud 

Hour 2


Blam Jam's Rotten Raspberry Of 2014


Soulutions
"Philly Line" (CW Philly Remix)
Online Download
Disco Soul Gold

Koka Mass Jazz
"Smile"
Bust Free 16
Cold Busted

Myles Sanko
"To My Surprise"
Forever Dreaming
Legere


2014 Best Male Solo
Jarrod Lawson
"Everything I Need"
Jarrod Lawson
Dome

2014 Best Female Solo
Fatima
"Do Better"
Yellow Memories
Eglo

Robin McKelle and the Flytones
"Control Yourself" (Opolopo Remix)
Online Download
Doxie
 
2014 Album Of The Year
Sonzeira
"Southern Freeez"
Brazil Bam Bam Bam
Brownswood


Sonzeira featuring Elza Soarez
"Aquarela Do Brazil"
Brazil Bam Ba Bam
Brownswood


2014 Best Song
Incognito
"Stop Running Away"
Amplified Soul
earMUSIC

2014 Biggest Belter! 
Afro Elements
"Lift Your Life" (Original Version)
Out Of The Centre
Splash

Afro Elements featuring Tyaire
"Lift Your Life"
Remains To Be Seen
SplashMr. President
"I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)"
Hip Shaking
Favourite Recordings