Monthly Archives: March, 2013

THE INTRUDERS-ENERGY OF LOVE.

THE INTRUDERS-ENERGY OF LOVE. Throughout The Intruders’ career, Gamble and Huff had played an important role in guiding their career. Similarly, The Intruders had proved important in the rise and rise of Gamble and Huff. Indeed, the success Gamble and Huff enjoyed with The Intruders had proved crucial in CBS backing their new label Philadelphia …

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DONNA WASHINGTON-GOING FOR THE GLOW.

DONNA WASHINGTON-GOING FOR THE GLOW. Although Donna Washington had established a reputation as a talented singer it was only when she took part in a gospel concert in her hometown of Los Angeles that she attracted the attention of record companies. At that concert, was producer and songwriter Don Daniels. Realizing that Donna had talent …

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JERRY BUTLER-LOVE’S ON THE MENU AND SUITE FOR THE SINGLE GIRL.

JERRY BUTLER-LOVE’S ON THE MENU AND SUITE FOR THE SINGLE GIRL. In 1975, Jerry Butler’s contract with Mercury Records was about to expire. He’d spent nine years at Mercury, ever since the demise of Vee-Jay Records. Since then, Jerry’s career had been in the ascendancy. Jerry had established a reputation as one of best, most …

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STEPHANIE MILLS-MERCILESS.

STEPHANIE MILLS-MERCILESS. Sometimes, when an artist enjoys commercial success and critical acclaim early in their career, they spend the rest of their career trying to match this success. In the case of Stephanie Mills, this was the case. Her third album Whatcha Gonna Do With My Loving, this proved to be the most successful album …

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NANCY WILSON-CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU AND NOW I’M A WOMAN.

NANCY WILSON-CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU AND NOW I’M A WOMAN. The two albums Nancy Wilson albums that feature on Soul Music Records’ latest release Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Now I’m A Woman, feature two different approaches to production. 1970s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, which was Nancy’s twenty-eight album …

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SONS OF ARHAT-SITUATION.

SONS OF ARHAT-SITUATION. Last year, when I was compiling my list of the best music of 2012, Offering Recordings was one of the winners. Sage Monk’s Heartache Allegory was in my list of the best albums of 2012. One of the best compilations of 2012, was Offering Recordings Ade Sampler 2012, which featured tracks from, …

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NIGHTLIFE UNLIMITED-NIGHTLIFE UNLIMITED.

NIGHTLIFE UNLIMITED-NIGHTLIFE UNLIMITED. Another of the great labels of the disco era was Casablanca Records. Along with Salsoul Records, Prelude, SAM and West End, Casablanca Records established a reputation as one of disco’s premier labels. Casablanca was founded by Neil Bogart, along with Larry Harris, Cecil Holmes and Buck Reingold after they left Buddah Records …

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DUKE ELLINGTON THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION 1951-1958.

DUKE ELLINGTON THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION 1951-1958. For Duke Ellington, one of the most fertile and critically acclaimed period of his sixty-year career was at Columbia Records, between 1951 and 1958. During this period, Duke’s music was innovative, inventive, eclectic, and would influence a new generation of musicians. Recently, nine of the albums …

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WEATHER REPORT-THE COLUMBIA ALBUMS 1971-1975.

WEATHER REPORT-THE COLUMBIA ALBUMS 1971-1975. Recently Columbia Records have been delving into their archives and releasing a series of lavish box sets. So far, there’s been box sets to suit all musical tastes. Whether it’s jazz legends like Duke Ellington or Louis Armstrong or seventies rock there’s something for everyone. Fans of jazz-fusion haven’t been …

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THE RITCHIE FAMILY-AFRICAN QUEENS.

THE RITCHIE FAMILY-AFRICAN QUEENS. Just like The Ritchie Family’s three previous albums, their fourth album, 1977s African Queens was a disco concept album. Their 1975 Latin-tinged debut album Brazil was The Ritchie Family’s most successful album. Brazil, which featured The Sweethearts of Sigma’s vocals set the bar high for The Ritchie Family’s future albums. Critically …

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DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY.

DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY. Last September, New York based record label, SpinSpinNYC, released a six track compilation entitled Nutritious Presents Duke Williams and The Extremes. SpinSpinNYC had rediscovered the music of Duke Williams and The Extremes. They wanted to share their love and belief in this …

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WILSON PICKETT IN PHILADELPHIA.

WILSON PICKETT IN PHILADELPHIA. By 1970, when Wilson Pickett released Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, his recording career was eight years old. He’d released his debut single If You Need Me in 1962, and since then, had enjoyed four number one US R&B singles. The first of these was his 1965 classic In The Midnight Hour, …

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