Guardian Music — Barbican, London"If you're experiencing jazz for the first time," said Victoria Wood, "don't panic. I was at the rehearsal, and they never went far from a tune." The comedian and jazz enthusiast, hosting the London jazz festival's opening show, got a... more info

Guardian Music — This hi-NRG heavyweight's bombastic rock-disco packs a punch. But will it prove a knockout?Hometown: London.The lineup: Tyson "Tendai" Speede (vocals, music).The background: Tyson is currently being hyped as hot! and new! in some parts of the undergr... more info

Chorus.fm — Jack Steadman (*Bombay Bicycle Club* (http://www.absolutepunk.net/bombaybicycleclub)) recently created a mixtape for Artrocker (http://www.artrocker.tv) which can be streamed here (http://www.facebook.com/BoxfreshUK?sk=app_208195102528120). The mix i... more info

Guardian Music — Menace and mystery surround this female Jesus and Mary Chain, whose vocals cut like honey-coated razor bladesHometown: Los Angeles.The lineup: Tashaki (vocals) and Miyaki (guitars).The background: Today's column is brought to you from a poolside in T... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Sunny War, a Venice-based musician, does a version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." more info

Popdose — America's first soul singer was lost in 1964 before his abilities as a writer, arranger and defacto producer could become more widely appreciated more info

Guardian Music — Prince Fatty and Mutant Hi-Fi team up with Jamaican reggae crooner Little Roy on cover album Battle For SeattleReleased to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind, Battle For Seattle is a reggae take on 10 of the band's classic trac... more info

The Music Fix — Three discs worth of classic soul. more info

Guardian Music — Amy Winehouse had talent to burn and she sang because she had to. Alexis Petridis remembers an artist whose enormous impact rested on a handful of unforgettable songsPerhaps the most startling thing about Amy Winehouse's death was how startled people... more info

Guardian Music — In Otis Redding's hands, Try a Little Tenderness fires a secular devotion that is every bit as intense as its spiritual cousinOf all the great soul singers, perhaps Solomon Burke is most famed for bringing the fervour of the church to his recordings... more info