Somehow I hadn’t come across Chicago born and raised, Paris-based singer-songwriter Tracye Eileen until very recently. And that’s very much my loss, judging by her new album Forever Girl. This is her fifth studio album and her first fully developed project from her relatively new base in France. The release date is 13 November, and … Continue reading
I’ve mentioned before in this blog how I admire dancers, so I was interested to hear that National Dance Company Wales is about to take a powerful double bill full of raw emotion and high energy athletic performance on tour. The show, entitled Blue / Glas involves a restaging of Theo Clinkard’s Ordinary Courage from … Continue reading
Helen George grew up listening to her jazz-fan father’s records – now she’s singing some of those timeless songs on stage, as the star of a lavish new production of the classic Cole Porter musical High Society. About to start a 20-week tour after its run in London, the production lands in Cardiff soon (21-25 … Continue reading
It seems to me there’s something primal about our relationship with water – we’re instinctively drawn to it, whether rivers, lakes, or the ocean; we come from it, in evolutionary terms and through birth; and we are mostly made of it (roughly 60%, apparently). Perhaps that’s why Current, the new album from New York-based Dutch … Continue reading
If you’re looking for the perfect album to welcome spring (finally!), I recommend Realms – a beautiful collection of songs, written and performed by the very talented Rachel Sutton. I was lucky to receive a preview of this ten-track collection, which is released on 27 March (2026) by 33 Jazz Records. Continue reading
Those very good friends of this blog, The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco have released a new album. And to mark the occasion – some notes on the ten tracks, along with ten things about the band (nine of which are true). With thanks to the band’s Malcolm Moore, here are those notes about the new release, … Continue reading
Jean Marchetti was a musician who, like many musicians, fell on hard times. Suffering ill health and with arthritis in her hands, she could no longer play her guitar, and she found herself living in rented accommodation in London. By chance, that’s when David Myers (roughly 50% of our favourite [don’t tell the others] band … Continue reading
One of my favourite jazz writers and performers (in fact, one if my favourite writers and performers of any kind), Emily Saunders, has released her latest single, Sideways. After the three previous tracks, which I reviewed in a post a couple of months ago, Sideways is the next song from her upcoming album, to be … Continue reading
It’s been way too long since this blog caught up with the work of rising New Jersey R&B star Jo Rivers and her video producer, my near-namesake DJ Weltch. So, let’s put that right with a look at her two latest songs, including a collaboration with producer, songwriter, and rapper Don Michael Jr and explore … Continue reading
It’s a cliche to talk about ‘the difficult second album’. But sometimes that second album is an absolute triumph. And that’s certainly the case with Moonray, the new release from the talented British jazz vocalist, James Hudson, which is out this week (15 March). It’s an intriguing collection of songs, from the title track to … Continue reading
