THE FIFTY-FIVE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2015-PART 2.

dereksmusicblog ♦ January 17, 2016 ♦ Leave a comment

THE FIFTY-FIVE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2015-PART 2.

DISC0 2: A FURTHER FINE SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT DISCO, MODERN SOUL AND BOOGIE 1976-80.

Just seven months after Soul Jazz Records released Disco: A Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie in November 2014, the London based label return with the sequel, Disco 2: A Further Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1976-80 on 29th June 2015. Just like its predecessor, Disco 2: A Further Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1976-80 is a double album, featuring nineteen tracks. These tracks range from tracks from the vaults of disco’s biggest labels, including Salsoul Records and T.K Records, right throughout to private pressings. This mixture of the well known and unknown records were released during an important part in disco, and dance music’s history.

Soul Jazz Records taken time to compile Disco 2: A Further Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1976-80. It’s a lovingly combined compilation, where familiar tracks and hidden gems sit side-by-side. These tracks document a in important four year period in the history of dance music. This period is covered on what is without doubt, one of the finest disco compilations of 2015, Disco 2: A Further Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1976-80.

DJ SPINNA PRESENTS THE SOUND BEYOND STARS.

For many people, DJ Spinna is synonymous with hip hop. That’s not the case. Seamlessly, DJ Spinna adapted from the hip hop, to the house scene. However, it wasn’t just house DJ Spinna was playing. No. He incorporated disco and soul into his sets. Soon, DJ Spinna had established a reputation for the soulful house he was playing and producing. Eighteen of DJ Spinna’s remixes feature on DJ Spinna Presents The Sound Beyond The Stars, a double album, which was released on BBE Music

DJ Spinna Presents The Sound Beyond The Stars features some of the DJ Spinna’s best known remixes. There’s eighteen remixes in total. This includes DJ Spinna’s remixes of Shaun Escoffery’s Space Rider, and Shaun’s soulful house anthem Days Like This. Then there’s remixes of tracks by producers Kerri Chandler, Karizma and Louie Vega. Add to this remixes of tracks by artists like Raul Midon, Bah Samba, saxophonist Jimmy Sommers with Rahsaan Patterson, Fertile Ground and Tortured Soul. These are just a few of the remixes on DJ Spinna Presents The Sound Beyond The Stars, which shows that there’s much more to DJ Spinna, that hip hop, including house, disco and soul.

DORE  L.A. SOUL SIDES 2.

Last year, there were many soul compilations released. This included Doré L.A. Soul Sides 2. The second retrospective  of Lew Bedell’s label was much anticipated compilation. It featured twenty-four tracks. Most had been released on Doré Records. That’s apart from two unreleased tracks. Some of the trace were penned by Lew Bedell. He was a dyed in the wool music man, who was determined to turn Doré Records into one of the most successful independent labels. Playing a part in the success of Doré Records, were many of the artists on Doré L.A. Soul Sides 2.

Lew Bedell thought each of the artists on Doré L.A. Soul Sides had potential. Sometimes he was right. Some of these artists 

went on to play an important part in the Doré Records’ story. Others, played a mere walk-on part. However, whether the twenty-four tracks on Doré Records Doré L.A. Soul Sides 2 were hits or hidden gems, they each have one thing in common, their quality. That becomes apparent from the first time one discovers the delights of on Doré Records on Doré L.A. Soul Sides 2, which was released by Kent Soul, a imprint of Ace Records.

GARNET MIMMS-LOOKING FOR YOU-THE COMPLETE UNITED ARTISTS AND VEEP SINGLES.

Sometimes, an artists fails to fulfil their potential. Often, it’s not their fault. It can be down to bad luck or bad decisions. Both played their part in the Garnett Mimms story. The charismatic singer signed to United Artists as Garnett Mimms and The Enchanters. By the time Garnett Mimms left Veep, he was a solo artist. The last few years had been a roller coaster ride for Garnett Mimms. His story is told on Kent Soul’s Garnett Mimms’ compilation Looking For You-The Complete United Artists and Veep Singles, which was released by Ace Records.

Things looked promising for Garnet Mimms when his first three single charted. Suddenly, he was the rising star of soul. However, that was a false dawn, and by the time Garnet Mimms left Veep, he had enjoyed nine hit singles between 1963 and 1966. Many were only minor hits, for one of the most talented soul men of that time. Garnet Mimms could breath life, meaning and emotion into it was ballads or dancers, Garnett Mimms breathed life and meaning into the tracks on Looking For You-The Complete United Artists and Veep Singles They feature Garnett Mimms, one of the most talented soul men of sixties, at the peak of his soulful powers.

GEORGIE FAME HEARD THEM HERE FIRST.

Not many artists have enjoyed the longevity and success Georgie Fame, Britain’s “original mod hero. He was asked during 2015 to pick some of the music that had influenced him. That wasn’t going to be easy. Georgie Fame has been making music for over fifty years, and was growing up as rock ’n’ roll was born. So On Georgie Fame Heard Them Here First was going to be interesting and eclectic compilation.

So it proved to be. There were tracks from The Spinners, Major Lance, Rufus Thomas, Mose Allison Trio, Paul Anka, Fats Domino, William Bell, Lee Dorsey, The Miracles and Jimmy McGriff. It’s an eclectic selection of music. Never, does your hand stray towards the remote control. Instead, you’re captivated, as Georgie Fame takes you on a guided tour through the music that influenced and shaped him musically. His taste is not just eclectic, but impeccable. Georgie Fame digs out singles, hidden gems, B-Sides, instrumentals and album tracks for Georgie Fame Heard The Here First, which is a fitting way for Ace Records to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Heard It Hear series.

GEORGE JACKSON AND DAN GREER AT GOLDWAX.  

Back in 1966. Stax Records had just signed Sam and Dave. They were riding the crest of the wave of commercial success, having released Hold On I’m Comin’ and Double Dynamite. However,Goldwax Records had their very own in-house double act of George Jackson and Dan Greer. The two singer-songwriters, seeing the success of Sam and Dave, volunteered their services as Goldwax Records’ very own double act, whose story is told on the Kent Soul compilation, George Jackson and Dan Greer At Goldwax. It features twenty-two tracks from the multitalented duo.

Sadly, theirs is a case of what might have been? What might have happened if Goldwax Records had allowed George and Greer to release a string of singles? Would they have  come close to replicating the commercial success and critical acclaim that Sam and Dave enjoyed? Sadly, we’ll never know. What we do know, is that George and Greer certainly weren’t lacking in talent. Both were talented singer and songwriters. However, as solo artists, neither George Greer nor enjoyed the commercial success their talents deserved. History repeated itself when in 1966, George and Greer released their one and only single, You Didn’t Know It, But You Had Me. Again, commercial success and critical acclaim eluded George and Greer, whose music is celebrated on George Jackson and Dan Greer At Goldwax. It tells the story of George and Greer, who could’ve been Double Dynamite.

GIRL ZONE-VINYL EDITION.

Many record buyers want to hear music as the artist intended. Often, that’s on vinyl. That’s the case with the artists on Girl Zone, which was recently released on vinyl by Ace Records. It’s an addition to Ace Records’ Where The Girls Are series. However, it’s not the next instalment in the series. Instead, Girl Zone is a musical amuse bouche, to whet the listener’s appetite for the next instalment in the Where The Girls Are series. However, Girl Zone gives no indication of the direction that the Where The Girls Are series is heading. It’s a collection of twelve eclectic tracks.

On Girl Zone, there’s contributions from The Angels, The Darlettes, The Teardrops, The Drake Sisters, The Fashionettes, The Charmaines and The Ikettes. There’s a total of twelve tracks on this slab of delicious 180 gram, heavyweight red lava vinyl. It’s like a work of art, and seems almost too good to play. However, having lowered the stylus onto the red lava vinyl, pop, soul and garage rock come blasting out of speakers. Suddenly, it’s the sixties again. Compiler Mick Patrick has put together twelve tantalising tracks for Girl Zone, a delicious musical amuse bouche for fans hungry for the next instalment in the Where The Girls Are series.

GILES PETERSON PRESENTS-SUN RA AND HIS ORCHESTRA TO THOSE OF EARTH…AND OTHER WORLDS.

For those looking for an introduction to Sun Ra’s recording career, Giles Peterson Presents-Sun Ra and His Orchestra To Those Of Earth…and Other Worlds is the perfect starting point. It was released on Strut Records, and features a selection of Sun Ra’s best and most innovative works. They come not just from his best known albums, but some of his lesser known albums. And there were plenty of these.  

During a career that spanned six decades, Sun Ra released around 125 albums. These were no ordinary albums. They featured Sun Ra and His Orchestra combining Egyptian history and space-age cosmic philosophy with freeform jazz. It was unlike anything anyone had heard before. That wasn’t surprising. Musically, Sun Ra was a maverick. He did things his way. Soon, he was one of jazz music’s pioneer. No wonder. Sun Ra was determined to create music that was both innovative and groundbreaking. This meant that constantly, Sun Ra’s had to push musical boundaries. He was never content to stand still musically. Similarly, he was always striving to reinvent his music. 

That’s why twenty years-two years after his death, interest in Sun Ra’s music is growing. So Strut Records couldn’t have picked a better time to release Giles Peterson Present-Sun Ra and His Orchestra To Those Of Earth…and Other Worlds. It’s the perfect introduction to a musical pioneer, whose career spanned six decades band spanned six decades and 125 albums of groundbreaking and inventive music.

GOLDEN STATE PSYCHEDELIA.

Hundreds of recording took place at Golden State Records. Many of these recordings have never been released before. This includes sixteen of the tracks on Golden State Psychedelia, which was recently released by Big Beat Records, an imprint of Ace Records. This includes The Goody Box, The Immediate Family, Just Slightly Richer, Celestial Hysteria, The Bristol Boxkite, Carnival and The Giants. The tracks on Golden State Psychedelia are the perfect introduction to one of top producers of the Bay Area’s psychedelic scene, Leo De Gar Chukka.

He was a pioneer of the Bay Area psychedelic sound, and helped  many bands on their way. This includes the various bands on Golden State Psychedelia, which was recently released by Big Beat Records, an imprint of Ace Records. Sadly, many of these bands never enjoyed the commercial success their talent warranted. Indeed, listening to some of the tracks on Golden State Psychedelia, one can’t help but wonder why they weren’t released as singles? Similarly, one can’t help but wonder why some of the bands on Golden State Psychedelia never went on to enjoy commercial success and critical acclaim? That wasn’t to be.  

Many of the bands proved to be short-lived, and split-up not long after they enjoyed their moment in the sun, at Golden State Recordings. These groups had hoped they would become part of the Bay Area’s rich and lysergic musical history. Sadly, that didn’t happen, and many of these bands are long forgotten. Not anymore. They make a welcome return on Golden State Psychedelia, which is a reminder of the Bay Area’s psychedelic heyday. Back then, happenings were commonplace, and the Merry Pranksters conducted Acid Tests against a backdrop of Golden State Psychedelia.

GRITS AND GRAVY-THE BEST OF THE FAME GANG. 

By the late sixties, Rick Hall’s Fame Records was enjoying one of the most successful periods in its history. This wasn’t just because of the records Fame Records were releasing. No. Fame Studios was often where the great and good headed to record singles or albums. However, the attraction wasn’t just the Fame Studio’s facilities, or Rick Hall’s skills as producer. Instead, it was The Fame Gang, Fame Records’ house band. There were three separate lineups of The Fame Gang, a truly multitalented group of musicians played their way into musical history; and feature on Ace Records’ Grits and Gravy-The Best Of The Fame Gang

Over the years, The Fame Gang played their part in the sound and success of many Fame Records’ released; and numerous records recorded at Fame Studios. So, it made sense for The Fame Gang to release their own records. Sadly, the weren’t as successful as many of the singles the played on. However, the tracks on Grits and Gravy-The Best Of The Fame Gang ooze quality. The Fame Gang never miss a beat. Seamlessly, they take familiar tracks in a new direction. Each of the members of The Fame Gang Mk. 3 seemed to know exactly what the others were going to do next. They’re not afraid to tae a track in a new direction, and reinvent it. This only the very best musicians can do. However, as Grits and Gravy-The Best Of The Fame Gang shows, The Fame Gang were a truly inventive and versatile group of musicians, who were part of the one of the greatest house bands in musical history.