Show 135 - 27.01.13

Hour 1
Sean McCabe And Stephanie Cooke
"Just A Little Bit"
Beautiful
King Street Sounds

Boogie Rapture
"Rant 'n' Rave"
Root Behaviour EP
Luvbug

Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Vanessa Freeman
"In The Garden Of Your Life"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

Shakatak
"Mr Manic And Sister Cool" (Acoustic)
Once Upon A Time (The Acoustic Sessions)
Secret Records

Anita Baker
"Angel"
The Songstress
Atlantic

Sticky Jam
Jade
"Don't Walk Away"
Jade To The Max
Giant

Sounds Of Blackness
"Optimistic"
The Very Best Of
A&M

Haitus Kaiyote
"Nakamarra"
Tawk Tomahawk
Haitus Kaiyote

George Ezra
"It's Just My Skin"
Online Download

E-C-L-E-C-T-I-C
"Trading Places"
Soundcloud

Genius Collective
"Stronger Than Me" (Yam Who? Remix)
Future And Stronger Than Me Remixes
ISM

Johnny Dankworth
"Beefeaters"
Let's Slip Away - Film and TV 1960-1973
Universal

Hour 2

Dolls Combers
"Salento"
Italians Do It Jazzy EP
Dolls Combers

Regrooved
"What I'm Gonna Do For Your Love" (Dave Doyle Remix)
Single Download
Regrooved

Retro Reworking
DNA Featuring Sharron Redd
"Can You Handle It"
CD Single
EMI

Pacific Mambo Orchestra Featuring Kenny Washington And Karl Perazzo
"Overjoyed"
Pacific Mambo Orchestra
Stefrecrods

Allen Stone
"Unaware"
Allen Stone
StickyStones

Laid Back Labels - Dome
Lulu
"Independence"
I'm Back For More
Dome

Incognito
"Ain't It Time"
Surreal
Dome

The Doors
"Riders On The Rainbow" (Major Scaled)
Online Download

Quantic Soul Orchestra
"Hold It Down"
Stampede
Tru Thoughts

Positive Flow
"Capoeira"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

Johnny Dankworth Orchestra
"Tomorrow's World"
Let's Slip Away - Film and TV 1960-1973
Universal

Juan Laya and Jorge Montiel
"You Can't Beat It"
Boogie Magic EP
Imagenes

Show 134 - 20.01.13

Hour 1

Los Charly's Orchestra
"Grazing In The Grass (Una Miradita)"
Single Release
Imagenes

Hello Skinny
"Crush"
Hello Skinny
Slowfoot

Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Stacy Epps
"Push"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

Bondax
"It's You"
Baby I Got That-Single
Sony

Monday Michiru
"Thinking Of You"
Optimista
Mercury

Key-Tronics Ensemble
"Anamaria"
55 Acid Jazz Classics
Irma

Sticky Jam
Emma
"Crickets Sing For Anamaria"
Free Me
19 Recordings

Incognito
"L'Arc En Ciel De Miles"
Tribes, Vibes And Scribes
Talkin' Loud
Falty DL

"Straight And Arrow"
Hardcourage
Ninja Tune
Toro Y Moi
"Harm In Charge"
Anything In Return
Carpark

Haitus Kaiyote
"Lace Skull"
Tawk Tomahawk
Haitus Kaiyote

Andrew Ashong And Theo Parrish
"Flowers"
12"
Sound Signature

Martha High and Speedometer
"Save Me"
Soul Overdue
Freestyle

James Taylor Quartet
"Jesus Christ Superstar"
The Oscillator
Real Self

Hour 2

Elements Of Life Featuring Josh Milan
"Children Of The World" (Roots Mix)
12"
Vega Records

Marcos Valle
"Estrelar"
Marcos Valle
Som Livre

Retro Reworking
Men From Mars
"Get Down Tonight"
12"
Koch

Teena Marie
"Love Starved"
Beautiful
Commercial Marketing

Valentine Brothers
"A Taste Of Your Love"
Single Release
Boogie Back Records

Laid Back Labels: Verve
Jimmy Smith
"Organ Grinder's Swing"
Organ Grinder Swing
Verve

Melody Gardot
"Goodbye"
The Absence
Universal

Pinkx Vs Skeewiff
"Pink To Punk" (The Back To Pink Mix)
Soundcloud

Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Tesia Rolle
"The Quest"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

BJ Smith
"Umi Says"
Dedication To The Greats EP
NuNorthernSoul

Quincy Jones
"Tell Me A Bedtime Story" (Opolopo Cut 'N' Paste Edit)
Soundcloud

Show 133 - 13.01.13

Hour 1
Minako Yoshida
"Town"
Monsters In Town
Alfa

Ziggy Funk Featuring Taliwa
"What You Afraid Of" (DJ Spen & Thommy Davis Disco Phobia Mix)
12"
Quantize


Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Colonel Red
"Hold On"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

David Bowie
"Fame" (Mr Leigh's Chilly Dub Re-Boot)
Soundcloud

Steely Dan
"Peg"
Aja
MCA

R. Kelly
"Lady Sunday"
Write Me Back
RCA

Sticky Jam
Rapination Featuring Kym Mazelle
"Love Me The Right Way"
CD Single
Logic

Jerimih With Benji B's Strings
"All The Time" (Ahmed's 3am Mix)
Soundcloud

Kaidi Kat
"Harmonious"
White Label

Alt J
"Breezeblocks" (Romare Remix)
Soundcloud

Blam Jam Belter!
Toro Y Moi
"Say That"
Anything In Return
Carpark

James Fox Higgins
"Somebody That I Used To Know"
Unreleased

Marlena Shaw
"This Song Is You"
Live At Montreux
Blue Note

Hour 2

Peven Everett
"Black Boy" (Souldynamic Remix)
12"
UDM Show

Shuya Okino Featuring Navasha Daya
"Thank You" (Replayed By Sleep Walker)
Gilles Peterson In The House
Defected

Retro Reworking
Cajmere And Gene Farris
"Mars Bar"
12"
Cajual

Marcos Valle
"The Magic Of Marcos" (Blam Jam Edit)
Soundcloud

6th Borough Project And Marvin Gaye
"Just A Memory Through The Grapevine" (Leewise Remix)
Soundcloud

Laid Back Labels: Arista
Aretha Franklin
"Jump To It"
Jump To It
Arista

Pink
"There You Go"
Can't Take Me Home
Arista

Jamie Cullum
"Don't Stop The Music"
The Pursuit
Decca

MJ Cole
"Sincere"
Sincere
Mercury

Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Heidi Vogel
"Stronger Than A Mountain"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

DJ Roland Clark
"Three Hours From Brazil"
Deeportation
Delete

James Fox Higgins"
Someone Like You"
Soundcloud

Show 132 - 06.01.13

Hour 1
Skeewiff
"I Got Soul"
Man Turns Animal
Pedigree Cuts

Sadam Ant
"Daft Funk" (Joey Negro's Computer Funk)
12"
Z

Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Heidi Vogel
"Children Of The Sun"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn

Bilal
"Back To Love"
A Love For Real
eOne Music

 
Jozza & The Joyous Juice
"She Song"
If I Ruled The World-Single
Favourite

Daft Beatles/Adele Vs Jamiroquai
"When Your Gonna Learn To Roll"
Soundcloud

Sticky Jam
Blue
"Too Close"
CD Single
Virgin

Mario Biondi
"Shine On"
Sun
Columbia

Shea
"Where Did You Go"
Single Release
ThisIsArea7

Typesun
"The PL"
Single Release
Root Elevation

Dave Brubeck
"Someday My Prince Will Come"
Dave Digs Disney
Sony

Fontella Bass
"You'll Never Know"
Rescue Me: The Best Of Fontella Bass
Master Classics

Earth Wind and Fire
"Brazilian Rhyme" (Studio Version)
Unreleased

Hour 2

A.M. Dusk & Allister Whitehead
"Free You Mind" (Richard Earnshaw Classic Mix)
12"
Check It Out

Bobby D'Ambrosio Featuring Anthony Dixon
"Just Call" (Osio Club Remix)
12"
Osio

Retro Reworking
Skeewiff Vs Shawn Lee Vs Nancy Sinatra
"I Got Soul Boots Made For Walkin"
Soundcloud

Soulpersona
"Cocaine"
The Lapdancer
Digisoul


Mika Pohjola & Mirja Makela
"Pikku Myyn Laulu"
Moomin Voices - Muumilauluja
Bluemusicgroup.com

Laid Back Labels: Blue Note
Herbie Hancock
"Watermelon Man"
Watermelon Man
APM

Jose James
"Trouble"
No Beginning No End
Blue Note

re.jazz
"Don't Push Your Luck" (Waggon Cookin' Vocal Remix)
Don't Push Your Luck Remixes
INFRACom!

Album Profile: January '13
Positive Flow Featuring Omar
"My Prediction"
Flow Lines
Tokyo Dawn


Dolls Combers
"My Brotha Makes It Funky"
Italian Do It Jazzy EP
Dolls Combers

DJ Kawasaki Featuring HanaH
"Town"
Black And Gold
EMI Japan

The Net Slippers Of 2012

Still in a reflective mood at this time of the year, it's worth
having a look back at some of the long players that slipped through
the net and didn't quite make it into the 2012 review show.

Though they're still worthy of a mention.

Bobby Womack - "The Bravest Man In The Universe"



You have to hand it to this fella who hasn't had the best
of health in recent years, yet has made a great return
to form with an LP that couldn't be more forward thinking.

The blend of Womack's unique voice, and the sublime
beats of producers Damon Albarn and Richard Russell
work brilliantly together providing an album which,
may take a few listens to at first but ultimately it's
brilliantly crafted.

Dr. John - "Locked Down"



Another veteran performer getting together with top
producers and musicians, notably Dan Auerbach
from The Black Keys.

The rawness makes the album a compelling listen, with slightly
distorted Rhodes piano and guitars achieving said effect,
and above all, proving that they do make them like they used to.

Papik - "Music Inside"



It's been another good year for Italian jazz, and one of the
high points was the much anticipated second album from
Papik, following in pretty much the same way as their debut
"Notes Of The Past".

Returning on vocals are Alan Scaffardi and Ely Bruna alongside
amazing musicians for a blend of original material and covers.

Flying Lotus - "Until Quiet Comes"



This was a difficult one to stop listening to throughout October,
an album with plenty of suprises and unique sounding tracks.

Though quiet a poignant release too as it features one of
the final appearances from Brainfeeder labelmate Austin Peralta
who sadly passed away in November aged just 22.

Not just a good album, but superb videos to match with
"Putty Boy Strut" being one such stand out.


So those are the ones that got away or something along those lines,
Blam Jam's back on Sunday at 6 on CSR for a special hour long
festive special!

Show 131: Your Festive Delve Into 2012 - 09.12.12

Hour 1

Soulful Standouts
Soul Trend
"Show Me Where The Moon Is"
Groovy Nights
Machiavelli

Quantic, Alice Russell And The Combo Barbaro
"Magdalena"
Look Around The Corner
Tru Thoughts

Khari Cabral Simmons Featuring Chantae Kaan
"Get Back"
Clementine Sun
Dome


Best Of The Rest - Soulful Standouts

Earth Wind And Fire
"Guiding Lights"
Now, Then, And Forever
Legacy

Warriors
"Je Ne Sais Quois"
Behind The Mask
Expansion

Incognito
"Rivers On The Sun"
Surreal
Dome

Experimental And Electronic Beats
Andrew Ashong And Theo Parrish
"Flowers"
12"
Sound Signature

Frank Ocean
"Thinkin' 'Bout You"
Channel Orange
Island/Def Jam

The Hics
"Lines"
Brownswood Bubblers Volume 9
Brownswood

Best Of The Rest - Experimental Beats
Ashley Beedle
"Run The Track"
Yardism EP
Girls Music

White Lamp
"Make It Good" (Galactic Disco Mix)
Make It Good EP
White Lamp

Jessie Ware
"Night Light" (Joe Goddard Remix)
Single Release
Universal/Island

2012 Roll Of Honour



Ahmed Sirour
"I Believe In You And Me"
(Tribute To Whitney Houston)
Soundcloud

Hour 2

Blam Jam's Rotten Raspberry Of 2012

 
Adele Vs Benedetti
"Rolling In The Deep" (Blammy's Deep House Rolling)
Soundcloud

Olympic Cyclone Band Featuring Stephanie Davies
"When A Child Is Born"
Season's Greetings
Jalapeno

Credible Covers
The Brian Ferry Jazz Orchestra
"Virginia Plain"
The Jazz Age
BMG

The Robert Glasper Experiment Feat. Erykah Badu
"Afro Blue" 
Black Radio
Blue Note

Rainer Truby and Marlow
"Horse With No Name"
White Label

Best Of The Rest: Covers Compilation
Third Degree
"Can't Get You Out Of My Head" (Smoove Remix)
First Class
Jalapeno

Los Fulanos
"Blue Monday"
Y Si Esto Se Acaba Que Siga El Boogaloo
Lovemonk

2012's Best Of The Best
Gregory Porter
"Be Good" (Live At Jazz At The Pizza Express, London)
Online Download

The Sunburst Band
"In The Thick Of It"/"The Secret Life Of Us"
The Secret Life Of Us
Z

Chinah Blac
"Until You Go Home"
Honeycomb Music Volume 1
Honeycomb Music

Sandra St Victor
"The Christmas Song"
Honeycomb Christmas
Honeycomb Music

Skeewiff, Leader and Budtree
"Moomba Mambo"
Man Turns Animal
Pedigree Cuts

Thanks so much to you for listening throughout the year,
and kind words overall.

I'm back with a festive special at 6pm on the 23rd of December,
and returning with the usual proceedings on Sunday the 6th of January.

Have an amazing Christmas!

Robin xx

Dissecting The Jazz Dial

Last night as part of my 3rd birthday show, I played an hour of
some of the finest melodic jazz offerings in a special feature
called "The Jazz Dial".

The audio can be heard here, and here's a rundown of the
tunes featured and the stories behind them.

Carmen Lundy - "Time Is Love"

A jazz vocalist I have adored for as long as I can remember
since hearing her on the radio when living in London at a very
early age.

I don't know what makes it superb, is it her vocals, or the
superb piano chords? Maybe it's both, and the amazing
musicians including brother Curtis Lundy on bass.

The opener from her 1985 debut album showcases her ability of
allowing her smile to shine through in audio form,
and over 25 years it continues to shine through song.

Still yet to receive the mass recognition she deserves.

The Frank Ricotti All-Stars - "Live At The Limping Whippet"

This lively instrumental offering made an appearance in the late 80s
Yorkshire Television drama "The Beiderbecke Connection", based on
a woodwork teacher who in his spare time is obsessed by jazz performers
such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Bix Beiderbecke.

The soundtrack was nominated for a BAFTA in 1989, and was released
on CD which became part of my mum and dad's record collection,
and was a fine introduction to jazz as a four year old.

The tune itself caught the attention of the late 
Humphrey Lyttleton who championed it on his BBC Radio 2 show.

Gregory Porter - "Black Nile"

What can be said about this guy, that hasn't been said before?

The most exciting jazz vocalist, no, most exciting vocalist full stop
has two albums to his belt and a run of sell-out tours that manage to run
out of tickets quicker than Chelsea FC hire and fire their next manager.

From his debut album "Water" this is his re-interpretation of a
composition by jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

Jules Garner - "Misty"

I'll be honest, I find this version of the delightful standard
a tad sweeter than the Erroll Garner original which itself
is legendary.

Maybe because this rendition by Jules Garner is played in a lower key?

Made famous by Clint Eastwood and the film "Play Misty For Me"
this continues to be recognised as one of the best known jazz
piano pieces, and has been performed artists ranging from Sinatra,
Johnny Mathis, and Ella Fitzgerald.

An ideal listen in the not so warm temperatures.

Sachal Studios Orchestra - "Take Five"

The Dave Brubeck original never seemed to be off my Dad's
record turntable back in the day, and to be honest who could
blame him?

The well know compostion gets the sub-continental treatment
from an album which also features Indian interpretations of
"The Girl From Ipanema" Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance",
and even "Misty".

The Bryan Ferry Orchestra -  "Do The Strand"

The Roxy Music front man has recently turned his abilities
to "Dixie Music", re-arranging his well-known tunes in a
1920s jazz style on his "Jazz Age" album.

Really well produced and modified to make it sound like
it was recorded 90 years ago, convincing enough to fool
the listener into thinking they are the original versions
of the glam-rock anthems.

What has to be the funniest, and most innovative album of 2012.

The Paris 1940s - "Mama Do"

And in a similar vein this Midlands outfit, give the jazz treatment
to Pixie Lott's number one hit.

Also worth checking out their cover of "The Ace Of Spades".

Monday Michiru - "Inspiration"

There's nothing more exciting than discovering something
new and enjoyable in a record shop, and it was in one such
emporium in 2002 that I was introduced of the delights of
Japanese jazz.

American/Japanese vocalist Monday Michiru has the
advantage of being born into a jazzy family, with her dad
being the late jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano, and her
mother, jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi.

This is one of many fine offerings from Monday's "Four Seasons"
album which is up there as one of the best of the jazz albums
of recent.

Quantic Soul Orchestra and Alice Russell - "Feeling Good"

Another superb outfit who always deliver, with their finest
singer Alice Russell on their cover of the standard made famous
by Nina Simone, and Muse amongst a long list of others.
 
Quantic's cover of "Feeling Good" gives the song a breezy
uptempo interpretation and the Brighton vocalist adds
to what could be one of the finest jazz cover versions.

Chilly Gonazales - "Rideaux Lunaires"

There aren't many present day performers who can be labeled
as "a master of all trades", but one such exception is Chilly Gonzales.

Not content with just being an actor, director, hip-hop performer,
the Canadian artist has recently released a second solo piano 
album and with gems such as the above track, he could
easily make a living as a jazz pianist alone.

An amazing use of a superb instrument and with every track
on the "Solo Piano II" album lasting under three minutes,
it's the perfect introduction for anyone wanting to discover
jazz who may not have done so before.

Peggy Lee - "Bewitched"

It wouldn't be Blam Jam if I didn't include at least one theme tune,
and this interpretation of the 1960s sitcom by Peggy Lee could
be even better than the one used in the show itself.

Jazztronik - "Nana"

More jazz from Japan and one of the standouts from Ryota Nozaki's
2005 album "Samurai".

A predominantly instrumental offering that gives way into a
hypnotic finale, blending in real instruments with spiritual sounding
electronic effects.

I've yet to hear a bad album from this outfit.

Jamie Cullum - "Pointless Nostalgic"

The man who has brought jazz to a new generation, not just
through his music, but through his Radio 2 show as well.

The title track of his 2002 debut album, was the first I heard
of him via a jazz compilation CD, and the blend of amazing piano
arrangements and witty vocals has broken the boundaries of jazz
and blended it with just about every other music imaginable.

Lisa Stansfield - "Down In The Depths"

Last up, a woman I have loved since seeing her perform her 1989
number 1 "All Around The World" on Going Live! many moons ago.

The Rochdale vocalist's cover of the Cole Porter standard
"Down In The Depths" was recorded as part of a special compilation
album in 1990 to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, and I love the
musical arrangement throughout, with the best bit being the piano
chords near the end.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope it's given a fair explanation of
the audio itself, and possibly the most inspiring musical genre I know of.