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James Lebens

@lbns77

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Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to send birthday messages over the last couple of days. It genuinely meant a lot and was lovely hearing from so many people. ❤️

I’ve been lucky enough to have a few days off work and, with the weather absolutely perfect, it’s been a great chance to slow down a bit. On Wednesday I finally got to the #musicisblack exhibition @vam_east , which I can highly recommend if you get the chance.

Yesterday, @gabilebens and I started the day with a swim @london_fields_lido before wandering over to @oneclubrow for one of the best birthday lunches I can remember. Huge thanks to the whole team for looking after us so brilliantly and making me feel so special.

And finally… I firmly believe the sign of a great restaurant is when the spoon stays standing upright in the crème brûlée. One Club Row passed that test with flying colours. 🍮😄 taken in London, United Kingdom by @lbns77

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3 months ago

Happy birthday to our no.1. We all love you loads. 🥳 by @lbns77

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3 months ago

🗽📦✈️🎶🏀⚽️

This Friday’s edition of ISO ROCKERS RADIO is an all-vinyl special inspired by my recent trip to New York.

The funny thing is I barely had time to visit any record shops while I was there. Instead, I spent weeks beforehand hunting down records on @discogs from stores and sellers all over the United States, having them shipped to family in New Jersey before bringing the whole lot home with me.

The result? A record bag packed with soul, funk, jazz, disco, hip-hop and more than a few records that I’ve been desperate to play ever since.

It’s also hard not to be swept up in the atmosphere of New York right now. The Knicks are chasing their first NBA Championship in more than half a century and the World Cup starts this week. The city is absolutely alive.

So for two hours I’ll be digging into the haul and sharing some favourite finds.

The kind of records that make travelling with overweight luggage worthwhile.

Friday 12th June 2026
5–7pm BST
@lwstd.fm

Listen online or through your smart speaker. taken in New York, New York by @lbns77

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4 months ago

A brilliant day @southbankcentre today @bina_4_real , an amazing free dance battle event right in the heart of the city.

A real highlight was seeing @norah_yarah_rosa , the incredible crew of four sisters from the Netherlands. If you’ve ever come across these girls on social media, you’ll already know they’re the absolute truth. Whenever you’ve had a bad day, put on a clip of them dancing and your mood will instantly improve.

What made the day even more special was how kind they were to Maisie. Thank you girls for making her feel so welcome, included and special. It meant more than you’ll ever know. Inspired by what she saw, Maisie decided to get involved and take part herself.

I’ve included a sequence from their routine, featuring @paulaperry101 ‘s “Extra Extra”, an all-time classic @djpremier production.

Fun fact: the copy of “Extra Extra” I own was handed to me (I think) by @richmedina on the one and only occasion I visited @koolboblove ’s Footwork store in Philadelphia back in 1998. I’m not sure why I was given it because I would have happily paid for it! Lord knows why such things stick in my head!!

#Dance. #Family. #Community. Days like this are what it’s all about. taken in Royal Festival Hall by @lbns77

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4 months ago

New York & Philadelphia photo dump.

Nothing quite prepares you for a trip to the Concrete Jungle. It’s one of those places that connects so many cultural dots for me… music, food, sport, history and the people who’ve inspired me over the years.

My first visit in over a decade, returning for a family occasion and with far too little time to do everything we wanted. Even so, the trip was packed with memorable moments.

The standout has to be taking my two boys to see @terracemartin and a group of incredibly talented young musicians @bluenotenyc on the eve of Miles Davis’s centenary. Watching them experience that level of musicianship in such an iconic venue was something special.

Another highlight was spending Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn with @djspinna and @keistarproductions . Thank you both for your generosity, hospitality and for making it such a memorable experience for us all.

Along the way there was family, old friends, new memories, legendary food spots, record stores, neighbourhood walks, cheesesteaks, skylines, street art and plenty of miles covered on foot.

A huge thank you to the Carter family and the Siman-Glatt family for so many special memories, warm welcomes and full-circle moments that we’ll cherish for many years to come.

New York still feels like the centre of the universe when you’re there. Loud, chaotic, inspiring, exhausting and impossible not to love. taken in New York, New York by @lbns77

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4 months ago

NEW MIX ALERT 🚨🚨🚨

Thanks so much to everyone who tuned in for #isorockersradio . The love during the show was real.

Big thanks to @benjaminhatton for manning the wheels for the first hour, and huge respect to all the special guest contributors: @djamir70 , @djspinna , @djyodauk , @dangreenpeace , @robpursey , and @kishkash1 . Proper all-star energy on this one.

Extra love to everyone in the chat room who helped set the tone.

For anyone who missed it live, the full show is now up on Mixcloud and ready to listen back. Link in bio.

👆🏼Full tracklist on slides 2 and 3 👆🏼

More soon.
See yah.

#lovewillsavetheday #lwstdfm #indyrapera #hiphop taken in London, United Kingdom by @lbns77

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8 months ago

This Saturday on Love Will Save The Day FM
@lwstd.fm 31st January | 4–6pm GMT

#IsoRockersRadio returns with an all-star special diving deep into the independent hip-hop movement from the late ’90s and early 2000s. A scene I was lucky enough to live, promote, and be part of from the inside.

Back in the late ’90s I ran a free party called “Spread Love” at @thesociallondon with @djyodauk , @go_matsuzaki and @robpursey showcasing exactly this music, week in, week out.

At the time, the legendary downstairs shop at @mrbongoworldwide on Poland Street was a real hub for the scene in London. Yoda and Rob were also contributors to Hip-Hop Connection and the infamous Fatlace fanzine, and this show pulls directly from that era, energy, and community.

Joining me for the first hour is my best mate @benjaminhatton …serious record nerd, DJ for @kidacne , part of the B-Music crew, and co-founder of Hypocritical Beatdown alongside @mrandyvotel .

Across the show we’ve got some very special guests contributing their selections. Super gassed about this one.

Find us online or on your smart speaker.
Hope you can join me x x

#LoveWillSaveTheDayFM #lwstdfm #OpenAirWeekend #IndependentHipHop taken in London, United Kingdom by @lbns77

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8 months ago

Still buzzing from seeing the legendary @bartzoyo at @unionchapeluk on Wednesday night as part of this year’s @londonjazzfest . At 85 he was radiant; a true master whose music brought a sense of peace and healing in such turbulent times.

What made the night unforgettable was seeing our dear friend @ritasatch up there with him. Her voice, her warmth, her grace… she made the whole evening soar. @gabilebens and I are so proud of everything she’s achieved since heading home to Melbourne seven years ago. Having her back in London these past weeks has felt like having family home.

And yes… getting one of my records signed by the great man himself was the real deal.

Slide 3 📸 the one and only @kishkash1

#GaryBartz #UnionChapel #JazzLegend #LiveJazz #MilestoneRecords #NTUTroop #IveKnownRivers #CelestialBlues #MusicIsMySanctuary #GentleSmiles #Saxy #HarlemBushMusic #UhuruSasa #IslingtonNights #RitaSatch #MeetMeInTheGarden #ProudFriends #MusicHeals #JazzCommunity #LondonMusicScene #ConcertMoments #JazzCollectors #HealingThroughMusic #MelbourneToLondon taken in Union Chapel by @lbns77

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10 months ago

Tomorrow night… it’s Open Air Weekend on Love Will Save The Day FM, and I’m back with more Iso Rockers Radio.

It’s show number 10 and this time it’s the JAZZ FUNK takeover: the sound of disco, soul and jazz from the golden age of UK club culture.

Join me if you can. www.lovewillsavetheday.fm
Saturday 1st November, 9–11pm GMT.

#LWSTDFM #LoveWillSaveTheDay #IsoRockersRadio #JazzFunk #Soul #Disco #Boogie #Funk #ClubCulture #RareGroove #VinylCulture #OpenAirWeekend #LondonRadio #UKJazzFunk by @lbns77

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a year ago

NEW MIX ALERT!! 🚨🚨🚨

Big thanks to everyone who tuned in! 🙏 My ninth #IsoRockersRadio show, a full 2-hour dedication to the legendary pianist @eddiepalmieri , is now up on @mixcloud . I’ve included the full tracklist, so dive in, discover, and enjoy. Please give it a like, drop a comment, and share it around like free shots at a wedding. Eddie’s piano playing is pure fuego, and I loved putting this together for you all. Link in bio.

#MadmanOfSalsa #OpenAirWeekend #IsoRockersRadio #LWSTDFM #LoveWillSaveTheDayFM #LatinMusic #DescargaVibes #JazzFusion #TimelessSounds #PureFuego taken in London, United Kingdom by @lbns77

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a year ago

This Friday (29th) it’s #OpenAirWeekend on @lwstd.fm , and for my ninth #IsoRockersRadio show I’m dedicating two hours to the legendary badman pianist @eddiepalmieri . Born in Spanish Harlem in 1936, Palmieri tore up the rulebook in the 60s, fusing Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, funk and soul. He went on to scoop the first ever Grammy for a Latin recording plus a shelf full more, and never stopped innovating – from dancefloor anthems to politically charged albums like #Justicia. Eddie passed on August 6th aged 88, but his music lives on forever. No chat, no FX – just some of the finest Afro-Cuban music ever committed to wax. 8–10pm.

#EddiePalmieri #Badman #IsoRockersRadio #LWSTDFM #LoveWillSaveTheDayFM #LatinJazz #SalsaDura #AfroCubanJazz #PianoMaestro #LegendLivesOn by @lbns77

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a year ago

In the midst of a deep, soul-shifting communion with nature, surrounded by the raw, cinematic majesty of the Scottish Highlands, sharing once-in-a-lifetime moments with my wife and children, I was struck not by the view but by the sheer emotional gravity of a long-overlooked cultural artefact: the @flowermountain_official x @kishkash1 collab.

These shoes, colour & material palette curated by the man himself 2 years ago, have now fulfilled their cosmic purpose. I am overjoyed to confirm I own (surely) the first ever pair to reach the literal highest point in the UK (Ben Nevis, FACT). The patterns align perfectly with the purples, browns & greens of Scottish heather. Not footwear, but a topographical statement.

And yet… heartbreak. Missing Kish’s ice cream collab with award-winning @caliendos_gelato in Kentish Town? A personal tragedy. Not being at last night’s shared birthday with @killakelaofficial at @the_parakeet , soundtracked by @dj_swerve and @djmrthing ? A cultural wound I may never recover from.

Still, Kish will no doubt be marking this 53rd orbit in true style. Expect soulful reflections on love, loss & legacy, and yes, the already-posted feats: interviewing @evidence on @sohoradio & linking with @chali_2na & @whoisconway . Just another week in the life for Kish, casually breaking bread with rap gods like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Because of course he did. Obviously.

Happy birthday Kish, from the Lebens family. We love you, salute you, & remain in awe of your ability to live at a pitch of intensity usually reserved for cosmic events & conversations with @ghostfacekillah . Levels? Permanently irrevocably, cosmically maxed.

#BenNevisKishFlex #PeakCulturalMoment #FirstsOnly #FactsMatter #TrainerAltitudeRecord #KishKashPhilosophy #HighlandsHype #PatternMatchingAtAltitude taken in Queens View and the Whangie by @lbns77

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a year ago