Editorial STUFF

B&S issue 1037 boasts a delicious double cover with UK R&B queen Lisa Stansfield and US authentic soul sensation Leon Bridges taking up pole position. Other tasty interviews include award-winning songwriter and jazz/R&B vocalist, Kathy Koskins. Sophisticated soul/funk specialists Mamas Gun and we are thrilled to include UK soul/contemporary R&B great, Jaki Graham - we’ve missed you Jaki! As we run down the best festivals on the planet, we compliment it interview wise with a catchup with Ralph Lawson, curator of Leeds newest festival, Inner City Electric. And if that little lot wasn’t enough, after a 2-year rundown, the B&S chart singles of all-time chart finally reaches its conclusion. To celebrate this fact, we have interviewed our all-time B&S chart #1 artist. Don’t worry, I won’t give our winner’s name or indeed, the track name away just yet…but it’s a cracker! Also in this issue: we throw a 15th-anniversary spotlight on mighty Italian funk/soul label, Record Kicks. Label boss/DJ Nicolò Pozzoli gives us the lowdown on what makes the label tick and why he has been successful in his mission to bring soul/funk to the masses. We have live reviews from retuning funky divas, En Vogue, at the Indigo, O2. And also in London, soul/contemporary R’n’B hot property, Jacob Banks, at the O2 Forum, Kentish Town. B&S’ Frank Elson also check’s out the happenings at Club Full Of Soul in Blackpool, Lancashire. Sharing their knowledge, our expert columnists/music lovers are on hand to enthuse about the genres they love: Bigger (R’n’B), Richard Searling (Northern Soul), Ben Lovett (Dance), Ralph Tee (Modern Soul) and Jon Harrington (Blues) Lastly, and by no means least in this issue, we say a fond farewell to troubled superstar DJ/producer Avicii, who was sadly taken from us way too young. Thank you for your inspiring the music, dedication and spirit. May you forever rest in peace. Till next issue... Lee Tyler @LeeTyler13 @BluesandSoul (SOME ITEMS MENTIONED ARE CONTAINED IN OUR PRINT ISSUE ONLY - LINKS TO BUY B&S MAGAZINE ARE ONSITE)B&S