CLASSICAL UPROAR is the name being given to a very special music event that's planned for Friday 25th August at Manchester's famous The Church and Friary of St Francis ... known by most people as the Gorton Monastery. The huge monastery is a wonderful listed building – now deconsecrated and used for all kinds of exciting arts and cultural events.... and there can be few more exciting than Classical Uproar.

The gig is the brainchild of founder member of 90's dance act Together, Suddi Raval and to help him deliver he's enlisted a 25 piece orchestra led by BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conductor, Simon Robertshaw with live vocals from the legendary Alison Limerick.

There'll also be DJ sets from Phil Rose (Jaegerossa/Northern Edits), Richard Moonboots & Jason Boardman (Aficionado Records) and Mark XTC (former DMC Mixing Champion who promise to try to recreate the spirit of the Hacienda!

Find out more @ www.classicaluproar.com

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 August 2017 15:56

Fans and followers of HAMISH STUART (Average White Band, the 360 Band and much, much more... see our interviews archive) might be interested to learn that the great man will be making a very special appearance in Glasgow on Saturday 9th September.

The event is a very special gig in aid of Prostate Cancer UK/Men United and the focus is to celebrate the life of musician Matt Irving who was in the Dream Police – with Hamish Stuart. Matt sadly died in 2015 shortly after working on the charity's album 'Gift from Men Utd' album with Hamish.

The evening is a celebration of funk, soul and rhythm and blues, with Scottish funk and soul bands Lights Out By Nine and James Brown is Annie both featuring Hamish as a guest performer and we're promised that he'll perform some of his classic AWB tunes.

It happens at the famous King Tuts in Glasgow on Saturday 9th September.

Philly veteran BUNNY SIGLER is currently putting the finishing touches to a brand new album, 'Young At Heart'. In the meantime he's just released a single from the set... his version of the great standard 'Angel Eyes' and listening, it's true to how he's described the ethos behind the new long player – an honest attempt to bridge the gap between Bunny's classic soul sound and the world of jazz.

The song exists in numerous versions – anyone and everyone has recorded it – people like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson and Willie Nelson – and Bunny's new, relaxed reading stands up with any of 'em.

Bunny Sigler's 'Angel Eyes' is available to download right now and the album will be released very shortly.

Last Updated on Friday, 18 August 2017 19:47

The flute was never really accepted in jazz circles until the great Herbie Mann came along; and even then the sound of jazz flutes remained something of an acquired taste. Now Swedish top jazzer, MAGNUS LINDGREN does his best to reinstate the flute as lead instrument on his latest long player, 'Stockholm Underground'. The 12 tracker is an unashamed homage to the music of Mann, though eagle eyed jazz buffs would have guessed that. The title of Lindgren's album plays on the title of Herbie's seminal 1969 set 'Memphis Underground'.

Nine of the dozen tunes here are originals and they include the obvious 'Mr Mann' and a lovely ballad 'Theme For Laura'. The covers are 'Chain Of Fools' (a song that Mann featured on 'Memphis Underground' , here with Ida Sand on lead vocals), 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' and Eric Bibb's 'Good Stuff' on which Mr B himself handles the vocal. He also takes to the mic on the album opener, 'Fluting'.

MAGNUS LINDGREN'S Stockholm Underground' is released on Act 25 on August 25th

Last Updated on Friday, 18 August 2017 19:47

'Tigre' is the latest album from BANDA MAGDA, the musical brainchild of MAGDA GIANNIKOU, the Greek-born composer and multi instrumentalist who now works chiefly out of New York City.

The 12 tracker that is 'Tigre' melds Magda's signature sounds (Latin and Greek roots music) into a luxuriant, cinematic soundscape... Ms G studied Film Scoring at Berklee Music College... and it shows. Hear her sound at its best on the lovely, gentle 'Chanson Lev' – shades of classic Audrey Hepburn films!

Ms G says that, "'Tigre" is a vessel of many things... the need to share my own fears to my fans, the work that we do as a band melding global musical traditions, my passion for string writing, my duty to be involved in education and communities".

Makeup your own minds when the album is released on September 15th

Last Updated on Friday, 18 August 2017 19:48