Classic Album Sundays

CAS founder Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy speaks with Keith Killgo, a founding member of The Blackbyrds, about their seminal jazz-funk album Flying Start. The Blackbyrds were inspired by jazz trumpet player and educator Donald Byrd and the band featured some of Byrd's Howard University students. They signed to Fantasy Records in 1973 and in 1974, released two albums, their eponymously titled debut and then Flying Start which features their Top Ten single ‘Walking in Rhythm’, produced by Byrd.

Classic Album Sundays founder Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy chats with 808’s State’s Graham Massey to explore their breakthrough album ex:el - an electronic landmark album which reached number 4 on the UK Album Charts in 1991. It was ground-breaking with its catchy melodies sung by guests vocalists Bernard Sumner of New Order and Bjork underpinned by 808’s states heavy acid house / techno sound. Massey revealed this album was created through a deeper immersion in the new musical technology of the day and a newfound confidence drawn from the explosion of dance music culture.

CAS founder Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy and British indie-dance trio Saint Etienne explore their debut album 'Foxbase Alpha' in this podcast in an interview recorded at a Classic Album Sundays event at The British Library.Colleen is joined by Saint Etienne bandmembers Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs recorded at a Classic Album Sundays event held at the British Library in October 2024. When the album was released on heavenly recordings in 1991, it's fusion of 60 cinematic pop, chill out grooves and deep house endeared audiences and got them a Mercury Prize nomination.