Campaign to raise awareness of fraud among voters in the West Midlands launched.

Helen Dixon House receives grant aid from police charity.

Police watchdog to probe botched slavery investigation on Chinese restaurants.

Local schoolboy aims to join world elite.

Momentum building around one of Europe’s largest regeneration schemes in Solihull.

A Solihull woman celebrated her 50th birthday with a world record breaking marathon row in aid of national organisation The Brain Tumour Charity.

Help and advice for new businesses.

A Good Hope consultant has won international recognition for leading a new treatment study

England wicket keeper Sarah Taylor is arguably one of the best female cricketers in the history of the ladies game and she could make history this summer by becoming the first woman to play men's second XI county cricket.

A Birmingham-based donkey riding charity is calling on the fun loving public to adopt a donkey this Valentine's Day to help raise vital funds

Last week staff at The Donkey Sanctuary’s Donkey Assisted Therapy Centre in Birmingham received a cheque of £4,900 from Sainsbury's Castle Vale store.

Half a century has passed since they flicked rubbers at each other from their desks, but up to 250 of a Sutton Coldfield secondary school’s first pupils are to reunite to mark its 50th anniversary.

Czech warms up for Wimbledon with Edgbaston triumph.

Nature Valley Classic brings the best to Birmingham.

Karolina Pliskova joins star-studded Edgbaston line-up.

Rufus Wainwright, Roddy Woomble and more to play for free.

Stephen Pennell talks to two of grime's finest.

Name change reflects wide range of events for 2019.

Top attractions coming to Warwickshire.

Spoken word extravaganza to promote social enterprise once more.

Exhibition aims to show Birmingham at its best.

Monika aims to become international Face.

Richard Lutz rifles through his electronic life to find out who he is.

Media and creative professionals from across the West Midlands helped put Birmingham on the map as the new Carnival Capital last week, at a special event organised by the Birmingham Publicity Association (BPA).

The Birmingham Look Book – a go-to resource for journalists designed to raise the profile of Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull with national and international media

The sudden shutdown of all channels of Greece's national broadcasting company by the Greek government is 'unacceptable for an EU democracy', says West Mids and Warks Lib Dem MEP Phil Bennion.

A Year 13 student from Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) has secured a role with international news network, Russia Today.

On this week’s episode, there’s a live session from the king of Ameripolitan – Dale Watson, a live recording of his classic ‘I Lie When I Drink’. 

Expect new music from Sturgill Simpson, who has written the title track for the new Jim Jarmusch film – ‘The Dead Don’t Die’, a collaboration between Mavis Staples and the North Mississippi Allstars and a new track with an all-star line up from Pete Molinari.

There’s also some classics from Canned Heat, Little Mary Jane, Morris Pejoe, Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Nina Simone.

To see the Dale Watson performances in full, head over to The Blues Kitchen YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BluesKitchenLondon 

When you've caught up with the podcast, head over to The Blues Kitchen YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/BluesKitchenTV

Email the show: radio@theblueskitchen.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Mixcloud, Acast & many more…

Liam & Gaz return from their summer break with a box full of new records including tracks from Paul & The Tall Trees, Michael Kiwanuka & Jimmy Duck Holmes alongside classic cuts from T Bone Walker, Percy Mayfield, Rodney Crowell & The Black Keys.

There’s also an exclusive Blues Kitchen live session with The Blind Boys of Alabama & Amadou & Mariam. The two groups have recently collaborated on 6 tracks - A meeting of southern gospel from Alabama and desert blues from Bamako in Mali. 

** Join Liam & Gaz for a live recording of The Blues Kitchen Podcast **

- Weds 16^th October

- 7pm – 9pm

- The Blues Kitchen Shoreditch (Basement)

- Limited £5 tickets from: bit.ly/bkpodcastlive

To see the Amadou & Mariam & The Blind Boys of Alabama performances in full, head over to The Blues Kitchen YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BluesKitchenLondon

When you've caught up with the podcast, head over to The Blues Kitchen YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/BluesKitchenTV

Email the show: radio@theblueskitchen.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Mixcloud, Acast & many more…

After a somewhat over indulgent weekend of music shopping Gaz & Liam bring you music from Little Feat, Love & Arthur Lee, The Lowlands Studio Band, The High Numbers, Big Jim Cartright, Derek Martin & Eric Clapton. 

There’s also an exclusive session with comedian, presenter & musician – Rich Hall.

50^th Anniversary of Abbey Road at The Jazz Cafe

Thursday 19^th December 2019

https://thejazzcafelondon.com/event/beatles-abbey-road-50th-anniversary-celebration-3/

The Blues Chronicles at Bush Hall

Thurs 27^th 2020

Fri 28^th Feb 2020

https://theblueschronicles.com/events/

When you've caught up with the podcast, head over to The Blues Kitchen YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/BluesKitchenTV

Email the show: radio@theblueskitchen.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Mixcloud, Acast & many more…

In the final episode of 2019, Gaz & Liam celebrate 10 years of The Blues Kitchen Podcast with a look back at the finest blues, soul, folk, roots and indie music from the last decade. 

Expect music from Charles Bradley, Leon Bridges, Mavis Staples, Gary Clark Jnr, Blind Boy Paxton, JD McPherson, The Arcs, Margo Price, Alabama Shakes, Dr John, David Bowie & much much more... 

Be sure to check out:

The Blues Chronicles
Bush Hall - London
Thurs 27th 2020
Fri 28th Feb 2020
https://theblueschronicles.com/events/

When you've caught up with the podcast, head over to The Blues Kitchen YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/BluesKitchenTV

Email the show: radio@theblueskitchen.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Mixcloud, Acast & many more…

Help Acorns - by order!

Richard Lutz survives a full assault of Jools Holland.

Stephen Pennell gives the lowdown on another night in Digbeth.

Richard Lutz takes his pew for the Ben Johnson classic that caustically sends up his fellow Londoners of 1610.

Imagine a 30 foot high Ariel towering above Propero - that’s what you get in this groundbreaking performance, says Richard Lutz

Richard Lutz plunders his archive to remember what happened last week.....

Richard Lutz takes the long route through another lost week.

An in-depth interview with rap icon Talib Kweli. We talk to the veteran emcee about Black Star, similes, the Occupy movement, and lots more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/9/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we have a two-part treat! In the first half of the show, we talk to hip-hop stars old and new at the NYC premiere of Ice-T’s documentary The Art of Rap. Guests include Marley Marl, Fabolous, Raekwon, and Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg. In part two, we have an extended chat with Jay-Z biographer and Forbes hip-hop writer Zack O’Malley Greenburg about Hov’s business mind, hip-hop branding good and bad, and lots more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/11/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we talk to two new and exciting artists. In the first half of the show, we sit down with Kid Static, an exciting rapper who mixes hip-hop with electronic sounds to create a blend all his own. Then, we talk to Harlem’s Ghetto Millionaires. Ahk 2Gs, Baby Thad, and Cita Monroe came out to the RG office to discuss their extensive industry histories, their music, and that time ODB ate food right out of the garbage.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/14/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we sit down with Brother Ali. Ali, whose new album Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color comes out this week, has long been one of our favorite artists. His fantastic rhyming skills are matched by lyrics that are both intensely engaged with the larger world, as well as by a sense of humanity and empathy that is all too rare amongst artists of any kind.

Then, after our talk with Ali, we have a short but revealing chat with Miss Haze of the Bay Area group 40 Love. The innovative group meshes dreamy, electronic production with smart, positive lyrics to create an ode to dreams and their possibilities. We talk to Miss Haze about chanting for world peace, alchemy, and why she loves the Bay.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/16/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we have a two-part extravaganza. In the first half of the show, we have a conversation from this past fall with rising star Dee-1. We chat with the New Orleans native about his city, his music, and why the “Stop Snitching” movement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. After that, we talk to r&b star Bilal about his songwriting process, how to avoid being “corny” when writing love songs, and his memoires of super-producer J. Dilla.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/29/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we talk to hip-hop comedy duo Eric and Jeff Rosenthal, better known as ItsTheReal. The brothers began by making hilarious sketch comedy videos, moved on to podcasting, and now have just released an actual mixtape, Urbane Outfitters. Their on-point humor, which makes fun both of and with rappers, has remained constant throughout.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/38/ for full show notes and comments.

This all-Louisiana-everything episode has two special conversations from South by Southwest. First, we talk to Mystikal, and go through his whole trip from his early days in New Orleans to stardom to his James Brown-inspired comeback.

Then we have an incredible chat with Kevin Gates. Gates is a Baton Rouge native whose powerful, open, emotional style and lyrics have him on a rapid rise to stardom. He is also perhaps the most captivating and unique personality we’ve come across at Outside the Lines, and we’re proud to share our talk with you.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/39/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, author Adam Mansbach (Go the Fuck to Sleep, Rage Is Back) returns to the show to talk about his new book, a thriller called The Dead Run. He’s joined by Chicago poet Kevin Coval who, in addition to his awesome poetry, also runs the largest youth poetry festival in the nation, Louder Than A Bomb. Join us as we talk rap, race, Judaism, Chief Keef, which KRS album is the greatest, and what “hackles” really are.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/52/ for full show notes and comments.

Lance Scott Walker began his journey to document the Houston rap scene and surrounding culture with photographer Peter Beste in 2004, quickly discovering just how much there was to learn. But Houston rap - and the layers of community and culture that surround it - goes so much beyond the music. The book engages with the community surrounding the music just as much as the music and artists themselves, providing insight into the great changes brought upon some of the city’s most historic neighborhoods through gentrification and how those changes affect the city’s people.

In our conversation with Lance, we talked the significance of the local and national success of groups like Geto Boys, the long lasting influence of DJ Screw, the city’s obsession with syrup, gentrification overtaking old historical neighborhoods, and much more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/59/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we have a wide-ranging convo with Gene “No Malice” Thornton of Clipse. No Malice (formerly just Malice, before a religious epiphany several years back) and his brother Terrance, a.k.a. Pusha T, form one of rap’s greatest duos. Their smart, vicious raps — often about their real-life experiences dealing cocaine — first brought them to prominence with the massive hit “Grindin’” back in 2002. The group quickly became a critical and commercial favorite, thanks to the brothers’ rhymes and some production help from The Neptunes.

But after some label issues and legal problems, Clipse went on hiatus. No Malice released his solo debut and a memoir, while his brother joined forces with Kanye West. We talk to No Malice about God, going solo, the past (and future) of Clipse, which lyric he regrets most, and more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/78/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we talk to MF Grimm, along with his producer and group-mate Drasar Monumental. Grimm is a rapper, producer, and now an award-winning comic book writer, who is just now making some of the greatest music of his long and storied career.

After growing up in the New York City of the 70s and 80s - and making a short stint as a child actor on Sesame Street - Grimm began his hip-hop career on the city’s battle scene. He quickly gained attention, started ghostwriting for more successful acts, and was on the verge of solo stardom when he was shot and paralyzed in 1993, in an incident that also killed his brother.

Grimm recovered, and even executive produced his friend MF Doom’s 1999 solo debut Operation: Doomsday, which was recorded in the basement of Grimm’s Rockland County house. Starting in 2001, he began releasing a string of powerful solo albums that molded the ups and downs of his life into powerful artistic statements. He also moved into another medium, writing the autobiographical graphic novel Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm.

Since 2012, he has been working on the Good Morning Vietnam trilogy of albums with our second guest, producer Drasar Monumental.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/123/ for full show notes and comments.

Paul Wall is the Houston-based rapper - and sometimes jeweler - who rose to fame after his appearance on Mike Jones’ 2004 hit “Still Tippin’.” That tune, and Paul’s own hit songs that followed, moved his hometown from hip-hop’s periphery to its center - a shift which still reverberates today, as you can hear in the heavy H-Town influence on newer rappers like Drake and A$AP Rocky.

Paul got his start as part of a group with his childhood friend Chamillionaire. After two albums as a duo, Paul went solo in 2004. He found solo success the following year on his city’s famed Swishahouse label, with his album The Peoples Champ, which contained the hit “Sittin’ Sidewayz.”

Paul has continued to make music true to his city’s roots, while keeping a hand in any number of side hustles, from custom grills to clothing to his brand-new strain of marijuana. His brand-new album is Slab God.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/126/ for full show notes and comments.