Sound Bites with DJ KAYA

5:44pm Monday 28th April 2008

Adi Leff, also known as DJ KAYA, reveals everything you need to know about the London music scene this week.

Adi Leff, also known as DJ KAYA, reveals everything you need to know about the London music scene this week.

Tonight (Thursday) Irish singer songwriter Gemma Hayes plays at the Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen ahead of the release of her third album 'Hollow of Morning' tomorrow.

Brazen Bunch is a non-profit organization working with artists, musicians and film makers to benefit schools, causes and charities worldwide. They team up with Lifeforce Muzic for their monthly showcase on Friday at the Vortex Jazz Club featuring Root Jackson of FBI, musician and producer Don-e and Incognito vocalists Imaani and Joy Rose.

Also on Friday the newly relocated Proud hosts Winconsin born Stephanie Dosen who has a taste for poetic lyrics, haunting melodies and an abstract imagination (her biography claims she grew up on a peacock farm with a swan and a fox as pets - her current pet is a rusty tape recorder named Jean-Pierre).

Not surprising then that she is on Bella Union Records - home of my favourite band The Cocteau Twins, or that she collaborates with one of their founding members, Simon Raymonde.

A band who have been compared to Cocteau Twins, Leeds-based Glissando, bring their piano and guitar soundscapes complimented by the vocals of Elly May Irving to Barden's Boudoir on Tuesday, while the same night popular American indie pop rock band Death Cab For Cutie appear at the Electric Ballroom.

It's hard to believe that it's been 45 years since Jamaican legends The Skatalites started playing together. Best known for recording with Prince Buster as well as for their own hits such as 'Guns of Navarone', the surviving members and some new faces replacing those no longer with us (such as much-missed horn player Don Drummond) perform at the Jazz Cafe on Friday.

At the Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday and Sunday is an even older brand that is still going strong - the Buena Vista Social Club (which saw it's heyday in the 1940's spawning success for many Latin stars including Company Segundo and Ibrahim Ferrer) can always be relied on to put on a great show.

Fairly new to the electronic scene are Swedish/English duo tKatKa (pronounced Te Kat Ker). They perform at 93 Feet East on Sunday, while at the Brixton Academy the same night are another international electronic duo - Israeli psych-trancers Infected Mushroom.

On Monday freak folk San Diego native Raymond Raposa brings the ever-changing line-up of his project Castanets to the Windmill, while at 93 Feet East shoegaze influenced Nottingham five-piece Model Morning play their brand of unpretentious stadium rock.

In March the prolific Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds released their 14th studio album, the Biblically inspired 'Dig, Lazarus, Dig'. They perform at the Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday. Looking ahead, next Thursday at Gramophone diverse high-energy indie pop quintet The Gresham Flyers whose members hail from all over England perform ahead of the release of their debut album 'Sex With Strangers' on May 12th.

Fronted by both a male and female singer and utilising three band members as songwriters The Greshams have a varied sound which they compare to Pulp, Belle & Sebastian, Roxy Music and 10cc.

Also next Thursday Drum and Bass pioneer and Mercury Award Winner Roni Size plays at the Jazz Cafe.

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