This thirty-something Californian has ticked all the boxes to become a bad boy. His father was in and out of prison and his mother was swamped by odd jobs. Raised by his grandparents, he lost his grandmother when he was 12. So he flirted with delinquency, one of his...
Shannon & The Clams “The Moon Is In The Wrong Place”
Bassist and singer Shannon Shaw, who also plays in the band Hunx And His Punx, met guitarist Cody Blanchard while they were training at an art school in San Francisco. They were joined by Will Sprott on keyboards and Nate Mahan on drums. They have been active since...
Pokey LaFarge “Rhumba Country”
Born in Illinois, Andrew Heisser was introduced to music by one of his grandfathers, who played banjo in Saint Louis and gave him his first guitar. In his early teens he became interested in the blues. At the age of seventeen, after obtaining his diplomas, he lived...
Nubiyan Twist “Find Your Flame”
Made up of nine permanent members, this collective was formed in 2011 while they were students at Leeds College Of Music. The group is led by guitarist Tom Excell, who leaves plenty of room for individual expression. They released their first album in 2015, but their...
Nina Kinert “Chorals”
Sweden's Nina Kinert released her debut album in 2004. Her career really took off when car manufacturer SAAB used one of her tracks for an advertising campaign in 2007. Including Ep releases, her discography numbers around ten, delighting her discreet but conquered...
Mdou Moctar “Funeral For Justice”
This guitarist is a Tuareg living in Niger. As with many West African musicians, Mdou Moctar's music was first distributed via mobile phones. It reached audiences on other continents following the publication of the compilation "Music From Saharan Cellphones" by the...
Joe Cuba Sextet “Vagabundeando! Hangin’Out”
Gilberto Calderòn was born in New York in 1931 to Puerto Rican parents. He grew up in Spanish Harlem and taught himself to play the congas. At the age of 19 he met Tito Puente at a Puente concert. It was from this meeting that a friendship was born, and above all...
Corey Taylor “CMF2B… Or Not 2B”
It's tricky to occupy space for an artist whose album you presented just a few months ago. On the other hand, when you're excited about an album, you have to put it forward. That's the case with this one. For those who don't know Corey Taylor (and who haven't read the...
Broadcast “Spell Blanket-Collected Demos 2006-2009”
Broadcast are an English duo who formed in the mid-90s. Soon after meeting in a club, they released a single, an EP and recorded a Peel Session. Spotted by the demanding Warp label, in 1997 they released their first compilation based on their EP and two singles. Their...
Blick Bassy “Mádibá Ni Mbondi”
In his grandparents' village, this Cameroonian from a large family was introduced to a life in harmony with nature, as well as to the music, dance and traditional culture of his native Bassa ethnic group. As a schoolboy, he founded the group The Jazz Crew, which met...