Jazzer who likes to mix his rhythms

Once singer with The Pop Group, Mark Stewart has now joined forces with drummer Keith Leblanc and producer Adrian Sherwood under the title of The Maffia - Nicholas Rowland listens to the sounds of hell.

The basis of this month's article on drum programming is swing - the rhythmic basis for music as diverse as jazz and hip hop. Nigel Lord swings out.

From being early Fairlight programmers, Simon Climie and Rob Fisher have pursued their songwriting career into the pop charts. Nicholas Rowland conducts the occasional interview.

As well as being famous for the size of his record collection, DJ Mark is currently one of the major forces in hip hop sampling. The 45 King tells Simon Trask about the biters and the bitten.

The drug culture of the rave scene continues to attract the attention of both the pop charts and the tabloid press. Tim Goodyer talks Ecstasy, agony and technology with one of the genre's heroes.

The beat doesn't come much harder than from this respected London funk outfit. In the wake of their debut LP Tim Goodyer gets the hard facts about rhythm from a box.

Jazz, Funk, and now Hip Hop — Herbie Hancock's done it all. We grab a few words with the great man.

As the world and his wife gets hot under the collar about affordable 16-bit sampling, we wonder if the increase in sound quality is necessary at all.

why the beatmasters make a mess with their lunch

Their '88 acid house hits took Britain's clubland by storm, but now S' Express are taking their sampling a stage further. Tim Goodyer enjoys the trip.

Felton Pilate's success spans "traditional" funk to the rap revolution - just now he's writing, producing and playing keys for Hammer. Nick Batzdorf raps tech with the Hammer man.

Recently seen effortlessly blowing Bo Diddley and Ron Wood off stage, Ellis Beggs and Howard have been compared to the Rolling Stones in musical significance. Tim Goodyer rediscovers rock 'n' roll.

Prince Paul

Already an established musical force from his work with Stetsasonic, Prince Paul has gone on to produce De La Soul's brilliant debut LP. Steven Daly talks technology and sampling ethics with a Prince.

The second part of MT's in-depth examination of the sample CD phenomenon. Simon Harris, Norman Cook, Coldcut, Ed Stratton and Pascal Gabriel confess all to Tim Goodyer.

In the early '70s reggae was the star of the pop charts; these days its profile is lower but its influence almost inescapable, Nigel Lord looks at programming Ja rhythm.

Trish McGrath gets the lowdown on a whole stack of readers' own synth sounds, while Paul Wiffen gives an appraisal of a new library of samples for the Ensoniq Mirage.

From their initial sampled success with 'E=mc2' Big Audio Dynamite have gone on to further explore the use of dialogue and sound effects in pop music. David Bradwell talks technology and photography with keyboardsman Dan Donovan.

From a clothes and record shop to an electronics company to a sound system to an excellent album and charting single, London's Funki Dreds are on the move. Tim Goodyer talks tech to Soul II Soul's Jazzie B.

The birth of HM jazz?

Mott Black and Jonathan More have enjoyed success as DJs, record producers and artists in their own right. Simon Trask takes it from scratch.