Editorial STUFF

"Ahoy there mateys!!!" As the new issue of Blues & Soul online sets sail we welcome some titanic proportioned interviews from some outstanding artists... Amongst our treasure trove of delights we have multi Grammy award winner Toni Braxton who returns with the truly sumptuous album 'Pulse' after 6 years away (where have you been Ms Braxton?). Taio Cruz drops in to show us his dirty pictures (ok, he doesn't - we're far too shy!?) but he gives Pete Lewis the latest news on reaching the dizzy heights on the American charts. We have Raheem DeVaughn oozing soul quality as his new album 'Love War & Masterpiece' proves a mouth watering dish on our interview menu. Keeping with the nautical flavour on this edition of B&S, we are Ocean's apart as we bring you an interview with Billy Ocean ahead of both album & tour. As promised we bring you Pt2 of SHARON DAVIS' enthralling interview with MOTOWN/THE VELVELETTE'S singer CAL STREET. We top this months interviews by giving you the funk, the whole funk and nothing but the funk by way of not one, but two great funk filled gems. The first out of our groovy bag is the Goliath of funk, the funk-myster, the funk mercenary - the inimitable and highly infectious Mr Craig Charles... Which leads me nicely onto our other close encounter of the funky kind as we bring you 'our funkateers for the future' and picking up all kinds of kudos from the right places on the way - The Impellers. We have competitions to win tickets to Cypress Hill @Brixton Academy + various CD giveaways, for your winning pleasure.... And last but by no means least, (and we wouldn't be the same without them) - our esteemed columnists... Please feel free to contact them all with any relevant info that would benefit others... Phil Driver and his Unsigned Soul column phil@bluesandsoul.com if you are both exceptionally talented and unsigned (both must go hand in hand) - you could be featured! THE No1 MOTOWN authority SHARON DAVIS' email address has changed to misssharondavis3@aol.com if you wish to contact her with regard to her essential (read by half of MOTOWN - I kid you not!) MOTOWN TRACKING COLUMN. Jazz fans are thoroughly satisfied as the guv'nor SNOWBOY casts his critical eye on all things jazz snowboy@bluesandsoul.com All the club news and dance tunes to look out for in BEN LOVETT'S monthly THE GROOVEYARD column ben@bluesandsoul.com If you're into dance music then this column is an absolute must! More exciting news this month... We will be welcoming yet another new voice to our online pages with the addition of AFROBEAT/WORLD columnist MICHAEL DE KONINGH - Welcome Michael!... Just time to re-remind you to follow the music news as it happens at twitter/bluesandsoul - please tweet us and tell us what you're up to, we're nosey like that! ....STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS... MORE VINTAGE AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL NEWS COMING SOON...STOP PRESS...B&S