Guardian Music — You called out your favourite tracks for this week's topic. Now it's our turn to respondWhat is call-and-response? What's that? I can't hear you! Yes, that's right, it's a technique commonly used by live bands to connect with their audience. For this... more info

Guardian Music — James Brown was nearing the end of his creative life when he threw down the gauntlet to the young pretendersRapp Payback is less a song than a full frontal assault on the senses. Recorded in 1980, when James Brown's best work was behind him, it has a... more info

Guardian Music — These Norwegians are that rare thing: a twisted pop sensation that lives up to the hypeHometown: Oslo, Norway.The lineup: Turid Solberg, Bjarne Gustaven and Andreas Knudsrød.The background: Our interest in Philco Fiction was piqued by the advance pr... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — Charles Bradley in Fort Greene Park in 2011 (more by BBG) Before Charles Bradley released his excellent debut LP on Daptone Records last year, he performed under the name Black Velvet as a James Brown impersonator. On January 28 at... more info

Guardian Music — From James Brown to Martin Carthy, the best festive tunes don't always have to spread Christmas cheerFor the past five years, rather than cards, I've given family, friends and colleagues an annual CD of Christmas music. I sometimes wish I'd never sta... more info

KEXP Seattle — Popular R&B artist James Brown invented funk music by changing the accents and voicings in soul music. He released the first known funk single, “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” in 1965. This new kind of music drew from gospel, jazz and R&B and wou... more info

The Hip Hop Chronicle — Faith SFX rocked the crowd at Club Talk down in Southend.   more info

Guardian Music — A Radio 1Xtra series is documenting the history of classic club nights. Its maker, Emma Warren, lists the 10 most important institutions of the last 25 yearsThroughout history there have always been examples of the creative genius that can develop wh... more info

Guardian Music — Singer with the American vocal group the Soul ChildrenThe soul singer J Blackfoot, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 65, was a member of the Soul Children, a vocal quartet whose searing ballads of heartache and infidelity were among the last maj... more info

Guardian Music — (Motema)With his long-running and uncomplicatedly funky BadBone & Co, British trombonist Dennis Rollins has been easy to typecast as a skilful pop/jazz brassman devoted to a hard-pumping horn sound that goes back to James Brown's bands. But this fin... more info