For almost 60 years, Elder Charles Beck enjoyed widespread recognition as a singer, pianist and trumpeter, as well as a preacher, church leader and civil rights activist. From 1930 until the late 1950s Beck recorded for Decca, Bluebird, Gotham, King and Chess labels. His lively services at his church in Buffalo, New York gave Beck renown even in folk music circles.
In May 2020, with much of the world in lockdown and reeling from the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, Robert Fripp began uploading the first of 52 individual Soundscapes on his YouTube channel, streaming platforms, and DGMLive. EntitledMusic For Quiet Moments and appearing once a week, these pieces created a space for reflection, offering a means of pausing from the day-to-day concerns and to provide a point of calm and perhaps, a sense of hope, in such troubled times.
Clark Datchler is best known as singer/songwriter in the successful 1980s band Johnny Hates Jazz. His most famous songs with the band include the international hits ’Shattered Dreams’, ‘I Don’t Want To Be A Hero’, ‘Turn Back The Clock’ and ‘Heart Of Gold’. ‘Shattered Dreams’ reached #2 in the US and Japan, and went top 5 throughout the rest of the World. It has now been played 3.7 million times on US radio alone. The album ‘Turn Back The Clock’ entered the UK charts at #1 and went triple platinum. To this day, it is regarded as one of the seminal albums of the decade.
Dig deep enough inside yourself – start treating your body as your sanctuary rather than your enemy – and eventually you'll find yourself blooming right back out into the sun. That's the transformation Guerilla Toss trace on their newest album Famously Alive, their effervescent Sub Pop debut. After a decade sprinkling glitter into grit, building a reputation as one of the most ferociously creative art-rock groups working, the upstate New York band have eased fully into their light. This is Guerilla Toss at their most luminescent – awake, alive, and extending an open invitation to anyone who wants to soak it all up beside them.