Jalen Ngonda - New UK Tour Dates

As we relayed to you last week, Jalen Ngonda's current UK dates have all been postponed owing to illness.

Thankfully Jalen is on the mend and has now announced the rescheduled dates. If you have bought tickets for the postponed dates then they will be valid for the rescheduled dates and your ticket provider will be in contact with more details.

May

22 -  London, Koko

30 -  Brighton, Concorde 2

June

07 -  Newcastle, University

08 -  Manchester, Band On The Wall

09 -  Manchester, Band on the wall

13 -  Leeds, Stylus

21 -  Birmingham, The Crossing

23 -  Bristol, Trinity Centre

July

10 -  Edinburgh, Summerhall

11 -  Glasgow, Oran Mor

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Jalen Ngonda [2024] - Here To Stay [Colemine Records] PLUS Full Performance (Live on KEXP)

Rising UK based retro soul singer, Jalen Ngonda, is currently on a European tour and was due to start the UK leg this week commencing in Brighton on Monday. However, he has had to postpone all UK shows owing to illness. Tickets will be valid for rescheduled dates.

On 5 Apr an unreleased song, "Here To Stay", from the "Come Around And Love Me" sessions was released digitally and is available on vinyl with "If You Don't Want My Love".

Included below is a live recording of Ngonda at KEXP studio from 6 Oct 2023 consisting of four songs from his debut album: "Just Like You Used To", "It Takes A Fool", "So Glad I Found You" and "Come Around And Love Me"

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Daptone Records
Cat No:	DAP-154
Date:	05/04/2024
Key/BPM:	3A/91
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Jalen Ngonda [2024] - Illusions [Daptone Records] PROMO

Last Tuesday (13 Feb) Jalen Ngonda performed three songs live at Maida Vale studios which were broadcast on BBC Radio 2 Piano Sessions. We posted a BBC iPlayer link to the show and a video of the forthcoming single "Illusions".

The single is due for release on Friday (23 Feb) which we can share with you prior to release.

UPDATE: It has been released a day early and is on digital platforms today (22 Feb).

Jalen has spent the last few months non-stop touring in support of his critically acclaimed debut album "Come Around and Love Me" which continues in March and April throughout Europe culminating in Birmingham on 27 Apr. (click on tour dates image below for full itinerary).

The song was written by Jalen with Mike Buckley and Vincent Chiarito and is not included on his debut album.

We are told that "Illusions follows the story of a man who is madly in love with someone and often thinks of the life they have together. As he awakes up one morning, he realises his infatuations have led him to become delusional from reality, given the fact the the love interest knows nothing of his existence". 

We're also told that it's inspired lyrically by works of Rod Sterling and the many themes of Twilight Zone and musically by the Motown sound, notably Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and Martha & The Vandellas.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Daptone Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	23/02/2024
Key/BPM	N/A
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Jalen Ngonda [2024] - Illusions [BBC]

Jalen Ngonda has recorded a 3 song live set for BBC Radio 2's Piano Room at Maida Vale Studios, on Tue (13 Feb) with the BBC Concert Orchestra. All three can be viewed by UK TV licence payers HERE.

He starts with "If You Don't Want My Love" followed by a short interview and then his new single "Illusions" which he's been singing in his live shows. After another chat interlude he concludes with a Beach Boys cover, "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)" from Pet Sounds 1966.

If you didn't catch his show first time around, or want to see him again, he has announced additional dates to his European tour, see image below. Tickets available via his website.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

Click to enlarge

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Live Performance
Media:	Video
Label:	BBC
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/02/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£N/A

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Jalen Ngonda [2023] - Come Around and Love Me [Daptone Records #DAP-076] (Full Album)

The highly anticipated debut album, "Come Around and Love Me", from Jalen Ngonda was finally released last Friday (8 Sep '23) exactly a year after the first single "Just Like You Used To" from it was presented. In total six tracks have been released as singles with a few of them featuring on 7" vinyl.

The album is/was available on vinyl but all Daptone's copies have sold out so you will have to hunt a copy down from a dealer. There appear to be some still available via Bandcamp.

Most definitely another to be filed as a contender for album of the year in the company of other retro style albums from October London, Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints and possibly The Sextones whose album is due in a couple of weeks.

Jalen Ngonda grew up on the outskirts of Washington D.C. (Wheaton, MD) and began musical studies in grade school, where he dabbled in violin, ultimately moving on to the guitar and piano. He is from a musical family and gained inspiration from listening to his father’s collection of Motown albums.

He, like so many before him, cut his teeth in the church where he played organ which helped him raise funds to send him to the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts in 2014, He currently resides in London.

He was spotted by Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman whilst performing a chance, last minute, slot for Jools Holland and he was duly signed and an album was planned but unfortunately it occurred the month before Covid-19 lock down.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / Vinyl
Label:	Daptone Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	08/09/2023
Price:	£7.99 / $24.99

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved