Social Feed

Saxophonist Ike Quebec’s take on the bossa nova craze, 1962’s Bossa Nova Soul Samba, is one of Blue Note’s August picks to be reissued through their Tone Poet Vinyl Series. Quebec’s The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions was reissued through the same series last year.

Quebec is joined on the record by Kenny Burrell, Wendell Marshall, Willie Bobo, and Garvin Masseaux. Blending Brazilian bossa nova rhythms with his blues influences, Quebec offered a unique take on the genre.


Originally a pianist, Quebec switched to tenor in the early ’40s when he was in his early 20s. It was clear he made the right decision on his 78s recorded with Blue Note and Savoy, including his hit “Blue Harlem.” As a sideman, he worked with Benny Carter, Kenny Clarke, Roy Eldridge, and Cab Calloway.

In the late ’40s, Quebec did a bit of freelancing as a Blue Note A&R man and brought Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell to the label. Drug problems kept Quebec from recording for most of the 1950s, but he made a triumphant comeback in the early ’60s. Though he came back as strong a player as ever, he was suffering from lung cancer, which claimed his life at the age of 44 in 1963.

The Tone Poet Vinyl Edition of Bossa Nova Soul Samba was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket. Recent releases in the series include works from Jackie McLean, Michel Petrucciani, Big John Patton, and Curtis Amy.

“During the 2026 season of Tone Poet we’ll revisit rare gems, bold under-appreciated dates, and, of course, beloved titles from the Blue Note catalog that fans have been patiently waiting for,” Harley shared earlier this year.

Shop the Blue Note Tone Poet series now.

Continue reading...

Watching movies and TV shows is a hobby I love so much. Infact, there's no time I'm not watching one movie or TV show. Right now, I'm currently watching a Korean drama titled Teach You a Lesson. It's a very good show.


What are you currently watching?

like you listen to the whole thing and it’s got this vibe or story going on but then you look up the lyrics or whatever and it’s still vague as hell im not saying every album needs a manifesto but sometimes it feels like the artist is just too afraid to commit to telling us what’s going on im over here piecing together fragments of liner notes and random interviews trying to figure out if this is about climate change or their ex. and dont even get me started on ones that are like ‘oh its up to interpretation’ when its clearly not, they just didnt wanna spell it out. im not asking for a powerpoint presentation but a little clarity would be nice. also shoutout to the ones that do it well, where you can tell there’s a story or theme without needing a wiki page to decode it. those are the real ones

There are some people who upgrade or replace their phone every year once there's a new version. A friend of mine have been replacing his iPhone every year from 11 Pro Max till the latest 16 Pro Max. I will never do such thing. I replace my phone at least every 3-4 years.


How often do you replace your smartphone?

like not even good ones necessarily. im sitting here and out of nowhere im hit with the memory of that weird plasticky smell from the floam i had as a kid and now im spiraling into thinking about other dumb shit like the way old library books smell or even the gross chlorine pool smell from summer camp. its so specific and pointless but also kind of comforting? anyway if any of yall have random smell nostalgia lemme know im curious if im alone in this or just weird.

Do you have favourite smartphone accessories which are very important to be used with your phone or you wouldn't use the phone at all? Personally, my favourite is screen guard and phone pack. Without both of them, my new smartphone stays unboxed.

What are your favorite smartphone accessories?

The debate continues...

Are you Team Android or Team iPhone?

What keeps you loyal to your platform of choice?

Or do you switch back and forth depending on the device?

rainy days are cozy but what do you actually do?? i always end up trying to do too many things at once and getting distracted by random articles about dwarf planets or some obscure 2000s band no one remembers lol. vote!!

Norman Jay, Dub Pistols, Daft Funk and loads more have been announced as part of BST Hyde Park’s free open house 2026 programme – check out all the details below.

The annual summer series is best known for its musical performances, and this year will have a stacked line-up including Garth Brooks (June 27), ATEEZ (June 28), Maroon 5 (July 3), Mumford & Sons (July 4), Duran Duran (July 5) Pitbull (July 10) and Lewis Capaldi (July 11 and 12).

In addition to its music programme, organisers also present a number of other live events, including days dedicated to sports and wellness. As was announced today (Monday June 8), its much-loved free open house midweek programme will be returning this year, running from from Monday June 29 – Thursday July 2, and Monday July 6 – Thursday July 9.

Across those dates, the open house will transform London’s Hyde Park into a free, open-air
celebration of culture, combining activity and entertainment with a host of experiences, including live music, cinema and live sports screenings.

There will be performances from Daft Punk tribute band Daft Funk, as well as Trojan Sound System, Norman Jay MBE & The Good Times Band, the London African Gospel Choir and the Official Pride in London Pre-Party featuring Sink the Pink, Tete Bang, and LCV Choir & Trans Voices.

​

View this post on Instagram

Click to expand...

As well as the free wellness and sports activities on offer, there’s also dedicated events for children and families, including storytelling and theatre.

The Outdoor Cinema presented by British Airways will also be returning with a strong line-up of classics, including Wicked: For Good, Superman, Jurassic World Rebirth and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, while the Outdoor Screen will show live Wimbledon coverage across the fortnight.

To check out the full rundown of the 2026 open house programme as well scheduling updates, visit here.

Also returning for this year will be The Hyde Park Darts Championship – a PDC Pro-Am tournament featuring top stars from the sport.

“We’re delighted to see The Hyde Park Darts Championship return following the huge success of last year’s event,” said PDC Chief Executive Matthew Porter. “Having some of the sport’s biggest stars involved alongside well-known celebrity names creates a fantastic atmosphere and introduces darts to a wider audience in a unique setting.

“The Great Oak Stage provides an iconic backdrop for the event and we’re looking forward to another memorable evening as part of BST Hyde Park Open House.”

​

View this post on Instagram

Click to expand...

Other events taking place at BST Hyde Park Open House will span across two weeks, Monday June 29 to Thursday July 9, and include Move & Mind with Davina McCall on June 29 and a 3km run with Sir Mo Farah CBE on June 30. Visit here for more information.

The Darts Championship was held in BST Hyde Park last year too, and also saw Luke Humphries take part, as well as Luke Littler, Sherrock and Michael Van Gerwen. Celebrity guests included Olly Murs, Roman Kemp and Dion Dublin.

The post BST Hyde Park announce Norman Jay, Dub Pistols, Daft Funk and loads more as part of free open house 2026 programme appeared first on NME.

Continue reading...

There are many people who keep birds as pets. I am a kind of person who does not like to imprison birds, so I may never keep birds as pets. The fact remains that I really love to see birds enjoying their freedom. So, have you kept birds as pets? Don't you think that they deserve to be free?