'Here's A Call' by Georgia Lee Johnson

Singer and songwriter Georgia Lee Johnson issues an early Christmas present with the release of her new single 'Here's A Call' on Dala Records.  Dala Records seem to take great pride in reinventing themselves with every release and while trombonist and vocalist Raymond James Mason's singles 'Back When' and 'No Clue', released in November, presented a more rock-based aesthetic to the label, new music from Georgia Lee Johnson ushers in a more almost folky sound that is totally sublime.

With already an album released in October 2018 called 'Wanderling', singer and songwriter Johnson seems to be embracing an incredibly creative run by releasing the new 'Here's A Call' single before swiftly turning all attention to the subsequent release of the upcoming EP, 'Languages', currently scheduled for 4th January 2019.

We'll be diving head-first into the EP upon release but in the meantime here's the project's lead single for your enjoyment and it can be purchased via the Dala Records store.

Best of 2018 (pt3): sweet sweet jazz

This is the third and final part of our series celebrating the music releases of 2018, and in this episode we look at the incredible jazz music we were gifted with.  The accompanying radio show aired Thursday 20th December which you can catch at the foot of this article for more music from Meshell Ndegeocello, The Rongetz Foundation, Stefon Harris & Blackout, Miles Davis, Kadhja Bonet...

'Chris Dave & The Drumhedz' by Chris Dave & The Drumhedz [Blue Note Records]
It's with great excitement that 2018 - and Blue Note Records - delivered the debut full-length album from drummer Chris "Daddy" Dave and his expansive collective of incredible musicians known as the Drumhedz.  Dave's credentials over nearly 30 years of making music have earned him a legion of die-hard fans: a former member of the Robert Glasper Trio and the Robert Glasper Experiment, Dave's brilliance can also be heard on projects by Maxwell ('BLACKsummer'snight'), D'Angelo ('Black Messiah'), Adele ('21') and Meshell Ndegeocello ('Comfort Woman') amongst many others.  Chris Dave's collaborations have always demonstrated his versatility and his ability to flit between genres and styles but he has long confessed to holding jazz as his closest influence; it's his cosmic and otherwordly take on the genre where he is at his most engaging with song titles here like 'Universal Language' and 'Cosmic Intercourse' which again follow on from the themes laid out through his two previous mixtapes.

'LOVEPLAYDANCE' by Toshio Matsuura Group [Brownswood Recordings]
A huge coup for Brownswood - among many for them this year! - was the release of DJ and producer Toshio Matsuura's new project.  Consisting of eight reimagined dance floor tracks including pieces by Flying Lotus, Carl Craig and Rotary Connection (the latter of which features a dream guest vocal by Dayme Arocena tackling 'I Am The Black Gold of The Sun'), the album boasts an exciting array of UK jazz musicians, like Nubya Garcia, Yazz Ahmed, Mansur Brown and Yussef Dayes appearing throughout.  If this album isn't in your collection yet then it really should be.

'Let Your Light Shine On' by Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy [MPS Records]
Spiritual Galaxy is such an apt name for the Nicola Conte-helmed collective as the concept of spiritual and afro-jazz, along with the music of John Coltrane and Sun-Ra, is very much the focus of Conte's vision on 'Let Your Light Shine On'.  Although many of the elements and styles embraced throughout this project are in no way new to Conte's repertoire, you can almost envisage this being a project that he would have wanted to realise for some time - and to have the album released on the rejuvenated MPS label?  Well, the stars couldn't have been more aligned.

'Song in My Heart' by Stephanie McKay [Ropeadope Records]
A musician, producer, dancer, writer, Stephanie McKay has the skill and unique ability to have her voice sound at home over an acoustic guitar, the harmonies of a jazz trio, the fiery onslaught of a funk track or the otherworldly beats of a soulful house number.  Having amassed an incredible body of work and past collaborations with Soulive, DJ Spinna and Amp Fiddler, this EP, released through Ropeadope Records, was an excellent treat for 2018 and we couldn't scream about the project loudly enough.

'Collagically Speaking' by R+R=Now [Blue Note Records]
There are super-groups and then there are just-too-good-to-be-true-pinch-yourself-line-ups.  In the case of the debut project from R+R=Now, 'Collagically Speaking', this collection of musicians certainly places this project in the latter 'too good to be true' category.  The tirelessly prolific Robert Glasper appears alongside the equally inexhaustible producer and musician Terrace Martin, trumpeter Christian Scott, electronic producer Taylor McFerrin, bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Justin Tyson.  Some of these genuinely offer mouth-watering combinations and the results pay off in a big way.

'Starting Today' by Joe Armon-Jones [Brownswood Recordings]
The debut album from the pianist and composer, Joe Armon-Jones, stands confidently tall as one of the year's strongest releases.  With an A-class band of musicians assembled for the project, including Moses Boyd on drums and Nubya Garcia on saxophone, Jones's style of jazz draws from a pool of influences from soul, hip-hop and dub - resulting in something incredibly exciting.  When people talk about the emergence of artists and albums within the UK jazz scene, it's albums like this that they're referring to.

'Palmares Fantasy' by Sean Khan [Far Out Recordings]
'Palmares Fantasy' marks the third solo outing from UK saxophonist, Sean Khan, pairing him with the iconic Brazilian composer and improviser, Hermeto Pascoal.  Released through Far Out Recordings, the former member of the 1990's broken beat/nu-jazz collective known as the SK Radicals continues to further cement his legacy as one of the finest jazz musicians of his generation.  Sean Khan very much wears his intentions on his sleeve - a progressive, innovative and forward-thinking musician, heavily inspired by Latin jazz and an artist who continually pays tribute to a classic jazz aesthetic and its pioneers:  At the risk of sounding paternalistic, and certainly in no way to diminish the excellent work of his past offerings, but this could very well be the album Sean Khan has always wanted to make.

'Means to the Ends' by Bright Dog Red [Ropeadope Records]
Marking the debut full-length project from Bright Dog Red, now aptly aligned with Philadelphia's Ropeadope Records, the improv band from Albany, New York, present their spirited and inspired form of jazz that skilfully weaves in additional elements of electronica and hip-hop.  We were thrilled to have been able to connect with the band's leader and drummer, Joe Pignato, for an exclusive chat about the new album and to have Joe guest on an episode of Blue-in-Green Sessions playing songs from the project.

'There Is A Place' by Maisha [Brownswood Recordings]
Maisha's debut full-length project, helmed by band leader, drummer and composer, Jake Long, has been hotly anticipated since their free-to-download EP 'Welcome To A New Welcome' was released through Jazz Re:freshed in 2016.  Now aligned with Brownswood Recordings, 'There Is A Place' demands your attention as a stunning and ambitious piece of work reminiscent of spiritual jazz icons like Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane.  Elevated by sublime strings and the incredibly skilled musicians that comprise Maisha (Long, Nubya Garcia, Shirley Tetteh, Amane Suganami, Twm Dylan, Tim Doyle and Yahael Camara-Onono), this is a record to cherish.

'Life' by Vivian Sessoms [Ropeadope Records]
Harlem-born singer, writer and producer, Vivian Sessoms, delivers a standout project with 'Life'.  Produced with Chris Parks, the duo have assembled a dream team-like line-up of musicians including trumpeter Keyonn Harrold, harpist Brandee Younger and saxophonist Donny McCaslin; Amp Fiddler also appears on the cover of The Stylistics 'People Make The World Go Round' and Casey Benjamin's glorious vocoder enriches the album highlight 'No Greater Love'.  'Life' is a creative and eclectic album: rich in elegant vocals, fantastic musicians and versatile production and we love it!

'Light of Love' by Kaveh Rastegar [Ropeadope Records]
'Light of Love' marks the debut solo offering bassist, songwriter and producer, Kaveh Rastegar, released through the indelible Ropeadope Records.  Perhaps best-known for his contributions as bass player for the jazz-fusion five-piece, Kneebody, the multi-faceted artist's talents extend far beyond the band's multiple releases with Rastegar having chalked up session work, live performances and production for a diverse array of artists including Beck, Anthony Hamilton, De La Soul, Meshell Ndegeocello, Sia, John Legend and Ledisi.  It's a staggering collection of styles and influences, all of these years of dynamic collaborations culminate with 'Light of Love' - a project that thrives on that same level of partnership and teamwork throughout.

Best of 2018 (pt2): funk & soul

This is the second of a three-part series celebrating the music of 2018: in part 2 we focus on the funk and soul releases that blew our minds this year.  The accompanying radio show aired Wednesday 19th December but you can catch it again at the bottom of this article for music by The Suffers, Gillespie & Co, Jose James and much more...

'The One' by Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler featuring Dames Brown
Serving as an exquisite slice of Detroit soul, the prolific Amp Fiddler teams with fellow Detroit flag wavers and one of today's premier funk & soul bands, Will Sessions, for their collaborative project 'The One'.  With eight tracks clocking in at just under forty minutes, the collective don't waste a single second with one of the year's absolute best releases.  Joining them on their journey are the vocal trio, Dames Brown, who have been present on the last few Amp Fiddler releases ('Motor City Booty' and 'Amp Dog Knights') and genuinely shine throughout 'The One'.

'Lucinda Slim' by Lucinda Slim [Haggis Records]
Although seeking heavy inspiration from classic funk and northern soul stylings as laid down down by the genre's heroes like Lyn Collins and Brenda Holloway, Lucinda uses this eight-track, self-titled release to firmly establish her own style and cement her name as a forerunner in voices amidst an ever-flourishing UK scene.  Blue-in-Green:RADIO was thrilled to have secured time with Lucinda Slim to discuss the new project, as well as having had Lucinda guest on an episode of Blue-in-Green Sessions presenting her project as the 'album of the week'.

'Undercover Mixtape' by Orgone [Colemine Recordings]
Thirteen tracks of funk and soul greatness awaits you on the new covers album by some of LA's finest purveyors of funk and soul, now aligned with the incredible Colemine Records.  Tracks like Aretha Franklin's 'Think', Gwen McCrae's 'All This Love That I'm Giving' and Cameo's 'It's Serious' are recreated with dynamic and inspired results.  The album has been steeped in praise since its release - not only proving to be a highlight for 2018, but deservedly ranking amongst the absolute best - if not THE best - covers album ever recorded.  Whatever it is Orgone have managed to bottle, it's unbridled musical magic!

'Ruthless Day' by Gizelle Smith [Jalapeno Records]
Gizelle Smith has long been one of the leading, dynamic and most exciting names in the UK's funk & soul scene.  Her debut full-length project - the dream combination with Hamburg's The Mighty Mocambos - suitably titled 'This is Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos' was released on Legere Recordings incredibly as far back now as 2009 and proved to be a seminal project for both parties.  Musician, performer, writer, composer, radio presenter... it's difficult not to get excited by anything Gizelle Smith turns her hand to and with releases through Legere Recordings, Record Kicks, Mocambo Records and Kay Dee Records already under her belt, it's Jalapeno Records who have the fortune of housing 2018 album 'Ruthless Day'.

'The Midnight Hour' by Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge [Linear Labs]
Having extended their musical partnership beyond the soundtrack to Netflix's Luke Cage, Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge unveil a stunning release.  Brimming with great guests including Raphael Saadiq, Bilal, Marsha Ambrosius, Questlove, No ID, James Poyser and more, this is a classicly-themed soul album, rich in a crispy analog sound accentuated by lush orchestral strings, great production and stellar vocals.  Not one to miss!

'Everything Here' by The Suffers [Shanachie Entertainment]
The independent release of The Suffers’ self-titled debut album spawned a fantastic year for them: performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, as well as a performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series, which for an independent soul act was a staggering achievement.  Now, having aligned with Shanachie Entertainment for 'Everything Here', the band look set to ascend to that next plateau.  The Suffers have become quite adept at making their music an extension of themselves as individuals and as a collective - they wear their influences, passions and motivations on their sleeves and have delivered another stunning work of a pure soul record and something that would enrich anyone’s musical collection.

'Breathe' by We Are Leif
The Bristol four-piece of We Are Leif released their debut album in September having been preceded by the singles 'Imperfect' and 'I've Found You' - both excellent introductions to the band's blend of jazz-inspired neo-soul.  Lead vocalist Louise Victoria heads up drummer Mark Whitlam, Dale Hambridge on keys and bassist Chris Jones in an incredibly solid debut project boasted by the glorious tracks, 'Imperfect' and 'Love Review'.

'Slip it Back' by Cantaloop featuring The Haggis Horns
Definitely serving as one of the best singles of the year - the Cantaloop duo of Dannie Sanderson and Justin Metti secured some additional help from the awesome Haggis Horns and have set expectations high for the album we hope is due in 2019.  Remixes of the single come courtesy of Rhythmic Groove and Tek Gremlin but Sam Redmore's deserves particular attention.

Dala Records
Such an exceptional year for the Brooklyn-based record label who were able to boast numerous successes with their single releases in 2018: Camellia Hartman continued to build on her northern soul inspired take on soul music (which finds itself perfectly at home on Dala Records), aligning with The Soulful Saints and delivering the excellent 'Return The Favor'; the vocal duo Mel & Kim scored a real gem with their protest anthem 'Bad Man', and label founder Billy Aukstik unveiled his epic 'Stay Strong' EP under his own moniker, Billy The Kid.
We'd also love to make mention of Billy's contribution to our very own GetToKnow... radio show that featured a rummage through the Dala catalogue, as well as our exclusive one-to-one feature on Aukstik and his stunning hub of creativity.

'The Putbacks' by The Putbacks [HopeStreet Recordings]
It was four years ago, in 2014, that the band paired up with the incredibly gifted vocalist, Emma Donovan, for their match-made-in-heaven collaboration, 'Dawn'.  Their distinctive and unique interpretation of soul music masterfully fused elements of country, rock, blues and gospel, and still stands tall amongst any contemporary soul release you could compare it against.  Now in 2018, The Putbacks look to take that sound to the next stage of its evolution with their self-titled project that the band themselves describe on their Bandcamp page as "crunchy post-soul post-jazz mystery-cinema instrumentals".  Throw in a dose of "psychedelic funk" into the mix and it all results in a fairly apt description of this stunning new album.

'ILL DOOTS' by ILL DOOTS [Ropeadope Records]
"ILL DOOTS is a group of individuals with different perspectives, from different places who want nothing more than to make good music with no rules."  As outlined on the band's Bandcamp page, this is the bold mission statement for ILL DOOTS' approach to their multi genre-encompassing sound.  Showcasing elements of hip-hop, soul and funk, this Philadelphia-based band ingeniously fuse these joyous musical styles and repackage them as something that's quite frankly exceptional, and something that's distinctly... ILL DOOTS!

Best of 2018 (pt1): Nu-Skool Soul Selection

This is the first of a three-part series celebrating the music of 2018: in part 1 we focus on the R&B, neo-, nu- and alt-soul releases that gave us the most joy.  Be sure to check out the recording of the show that aired 18th December 2018 featuring tracks by Teyana Taylor, Tall Black Guy, Henry Wu, Sunstone, Jazzanova, Jenny Penkin and much more...

'Conversations' by AgapeSoul
'Conversations' marks the sophomore album effort from the Darryl Anders-helmed collective known as AgapeSoul.  Six years after the band's debut album, 'Believe in Love', was released in 2012, AgapeSoul have taken their time to craft a stunning follow-up album and build on the foundations laid by this project's predecessor.  The music's rich, steeped in soul and draws elegantly from funk and jazz.  Comparisons to Incognito and The Brand New Heavies are fair but AgapeSoul bask in the sunshine of their own talent and achievements.

'Vibezlab EP' vol.1 by Pvibez
After having ammassed a slew of releases since 'Urban Xpressionz' in 2011, we were thrilled to have connected with Pvibez as he enters the next phase of his musical evolution with the 'Vibezlab' series of EPs.  The multi-talented producer and musician hooked up with Laurnea, Eshe Escoffery, Lifford and Andrea Bentley for the four-track EP with volume 2 scheduled for early-2019.  We were also thrilled Pvibez agreed to add radio presenter to his aforementioned skill set with two fantastic guest shows this year.  (Fingers crossed for more of those in 2019 too :))

'Strangers Tonight' by Goldiva featuring Sulene Fleming
UK's disco trio Goldiva gifted fans with two excellent singles this year available as free downloads via the band's Bandcamp page: 'Lovejoy' featuring vocalist Josh Tenor was released in October and earlier in the year saw the band collaborate with sometime Brand New Heavies vocalist Sulene Fleming for the excellent uptempo number, 'Strangers Tonight'.

'Stay A While' by The Soul Sound Collective
We were very excited by the release of the first single by The Soul Sound Collective in November of this year.  The band's Soundcloud page has been populated with teasers of tracks and alternate mixes for some time now so the release of the Sade-inspired number 'Stay A While' was very welcome and long overdue.  With Tim Higgins on bass, Colin Watling on sax and Craig Sims on all else, we're very much looking forward to more from the Collective in 2019.

'Voodoo' [Opolopo Remix] by Kathy Kosins [Maristar Productions]
Kathy Kosins really has had an exceptional few years - her album 'Uncovered Soul' saw its release in 2018 and was preceded by the singles 'Could You Be Me' with Paul Randolph along with the accompanying remixes by Gilles Peterson & Simbad and Opolopo in 2017.  Even since the album's release though, Kathy still found time to put out the excellent bonus single with Hubert Laws and Dayme Arocena, 'Fancy Free', and still not stopping there, we received the Opolopo Remix of 'Voodoo' from the album that has found itself a place on our best of 2018 show.

'Mind Full' by Leisure Centre [HopeStreet Recordings]
Leisure Centre's brand of "Neo/Digi/Future Soul" soars high on releases wew were excited about this year.  The music follows in the vein of what fans would hope for following their 2016 debut EP 'One Plus One' - there are respectful nods to synth-based styles from the 80s but it's not a specific sound that roots them in one genre or time as they easily forge ahead with finessing their own unique sound.  The song-writing deserves particular mention as it navigates sensitive subjects like sadness and loneliness while still managing to interweave songs about being in love and offering something hopeful by the album's conclusion.

'The Pool' by Jazzanova [Sonar Kolectiv Records]
The producer, DJ and musician collective known as Jazzanova returned in 2018 with an all-star effort featuring collaborations with Jamie Cullum, Paul Randolph and Ben Westbeech.  Perhaps veering away from what long-term fans would expect from a Jazzanova record - no nu-soulesque outings reminiscent of 2002's 'In Between' and no retro soul stylings from 2008's 'Of All The Things' this time either - 'The Pool' marks a decidedly more poppier effort.  Check for the additional remixes that accompanied the project, including the Jazzanova remix of the awesome 'Rain Makes The River' (featuring Rachel Sermanni) and the Osunlade Remix of 'Everything I Wanted', the latter of which finds itself a home on this show.

'Him, on the other hand' by Jenny Penkin [Raw Tapes]
All credit for this discovery goes to Steve Williams from UK Vibe as part of his monthly Blue-in-Green:RADIO residency (last Thursday of every month).  Jenny Penkin, the Tel Aviv based singer, released her six track EP in July and is a real gem of a record with production throughout by Sol Monk who collaboratively have delivered a real genre-defying project we look forward to more from next year.

'Changing Times'/'After Light' by flyt [Space Between Records]
Released through Space Between Records, 'After Light' and 'Changing Skies' were the two EPs put out by flyt this year building on their exciting resurgence in 2017.  Flyt continue to establish the band's unique chillout, nu-soul and R&B aesthetic with highlights including 'Like Water' and the jazzy, groove-riddled 'Anything, Everything'.  Mary Mycroft's ethereal voice continues to sound tailor-made for Josh's sublime production making their ever-expanding discography an ongoing pleasure.  Watch out also for the classy Kebo Music Remix of 'Secret Place' that makes its way into the show.

'Flava in ya Ear' [Tall Black Guy Remix] by Craig Mack [Street Corner Music/Fatbeats]
Tall Black Guy revisits Craig Mack's seminal all-star remix of the 1994 classic 'Flava In Ya Ear' with the added twist of remixing Marvin Gaye's 'Soon I'll Be Loving You Again' and throwing that into the mix as well.  Genius.  It's an inspired concoction - as is almost everything from Tall Black Guy - but this remix is so all-round perfect that it genuinely does insist you pick up the instrumental of this mix as well.  Again, all credit for this one goes out Raw Select Music's Sean Sophiea (Wednesdays on Blue-in-Green:RADIO).

'Art Science Remixes' by Robert Glasper Experiment x Kaytranada [Blue Note Records]
Sometimes it feels that not much time at all goes by without a new release from Robert Glasper; this year, aside from the R+R=Now project (to be featured in part 3 of this 2018 series), there was his revisiting of the Robert Glasper Experiment's 2017 release 'Art Science' with some additional help from producer Kaytranada who helped with reimagining a select portion of the songs for this EP.  Talib Kweli and Alex Isley appear as featured guests for that added incentive with Isley's appearance on the remixed 'No One Like You' being the show-stealer here.

Hiatus Kaiyote: "Ins & Out"

Critically acclaimed, universally adored, Melbourne's future-soul band, Hiatus Kaiyote, very quickly asserted themselves as one of the most innovative and creative acts around.  With only two albums under their belt, 'Tawk Tomahawk' (2012) and 'Choose Your Weapon' (2015), the name Hiatus Kaiyote has set the benchmark for any act brave enough to follow in their footsteps.

But for a band with such boundless creativity, not even the members themselves could stand in the way when it comes to continually creating.  Comprised of Nai Palm on vocals and guitar, Paul Bender on bass, Perrin Moss on drums and Simon Mavin on keyboards, the members of Hiatus Kaiyote extend their legacy beyond their quartet with an incredibly high level of outside projects and collaborations which we'll be primarily showcasing in a Blue-in-Green:RADIO exclusive, airing Tuesday 4th December @ 8pm(UK).  But to whet your appetites a little, here's some of what you can expect to be covered on the show...

The Putbacks

Featuring HK's Simon Mavin on keyboards and signed to HopeStreet Recordings, the funk & soul powerhouse band were initially famed for their collaboration with Emma Donovan, resulting in their release 'Dawn' in 2014.  In 2018, The Putbacks released their debut self-titled album which drew further upon elements of psychedelia and hip-hop inspired beats introducing collaborations with R&B/soul singer Bilal ('The Ways') and strings by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson ('No Man No').  Mavin, who also use to be a member of fellow Australian funk & soul act, The Bamboos, isn't the only HK member present on this project as the connection is further extended by boasting production from HK's Paul Bender.



Nai Palm

As well as appearing as a featured artist for acts including Taylor McFerrin and Dirty Hercules, the inimitable voice of Hiatus Kaiyote, Naomi 'Nai Palm' Saalfield presented her debut solo album in 2017.  'Needle Paw' found Nai Palm in her element through a decidedly more stripped-down and acoustic affair which not only boasted a 9+ minute medley of David Bowie tracks, but also revised compositions of Hiatus Kaiyote favourites 'Atari', 'Mobius' and 'Molasses'.  [Ed's note: Much love and prayers to Naomi.]

Swooping Duck

Much like the band members of Sade (Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman and Andrew Hale) took time away in between Sade releases to unveil their off-shoot project Sweetback, HK band members Bender, Mavin and Moss are on the verge of officially unveiling Swooping Duck to the world.  Thus far, Wondercore Island Records can boast the collective's live improv performance housed on 'The Cave Mixtape', which also features Sampa The Great, and is a real treasure!  Looking forward to more.



Clever Austin

Clever Austin, the alter ego of HK drummer Perrin Moss, actually has quite a lot for fans to immerse themselves into.  Two free-to-download mixtapes from his 'Hide-Away Headshell' series are available through Bandcamp for your listening (and downloading) pleasure which are really inspired compositions and again show completely different aesthetics to what we're used to when considering the HK sound.