Monthly Archives: December, 2017

PHIL SEYMOUR-THE PRINCE OF POWER POP.

Phil Seymour-The Prince Of Power Pop. Sadly, not every artist goes on to enjoy a long and successful  musical career, and their star shines only briefly. That was the case with Nick Drake and Gram Parsons, whose tragic and untimely deaths cut short what could’ve and should’ve been a long and successful career. Neither of …

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SHA NA NA-FROM THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, HOT SOX AND SHA NA NOW.

Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York, Hot Sox and Sha Na Now. Label: BGO Records. By 1973, Sha Na Na had been together fourteen years, released four albums and played at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair on Sunday, August the ‘17th’ 1969. That night, Sha Na Na played a barnstorming thirty-minute set in front …

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MAYNARD FERGUSON-M.F HORN 4 AND 5: LIVE AT JIMMY’S.

Maynard Ferguson-M.F. Horn 4 and 5:Live At Jimmy’s. BGO Records. The first time many jazz fans heard Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, was when he joined the when the twenty-four year old joined Stan Kenton’s new Innovations Orchestra in 1949. This was home for Maynard Ferguson for the next four years and was where he …

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HAVENAIRE-RABOT.

Havenaire-Rabot. Label: Glacial Movements. For many artists, recording their debut album is a labour of love, that can take not just months, but years of their lives. This time is spent in a recording studio, and sometimes, in their home, where they continue to work on their debut album in their spare time. Initially, artists …

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CARBON BASED LIFEFORMS-DERELICTS.

Carbon Based Lifeforms-Derelicts. Label: Blood Music. During the sixties and seventies, most artists and bands released an album annually, with some even releasing two, and very occasionally three albums each year. Many artists thought nothing of this, as this was how the music industry operated. Artists and bands were contractually obliged to release one or …

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MICHAEL COSMIC-PEACE IN THE WORLD AND PHILL MUSRA GROUP-CREATOR SPACES.

Michael Cosmic-Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group-Creator Spaces. Label: Now Again Records. In the fifties, there was a growing dissatisfaction at the limitations and constraints of bebop, hard bop and modal jazz and a group of pioneering musicians decided that the time had come to alter, extend, or break down jazz conventions. This …

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JEANETTE JONES-WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?

Jeanette Jones-What Might Have Been? The history of soul music is littered with artists who could’ve and should’ve gone on to greater things, but for whatever reason, commercial success and critical acclaim passed them by. That, sadly, was the case with Jeanette Jones. She had talent in abundance, and a voice that was a mixture …

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SUSANA ESTRADA-SPAIN’S FIRST LADY OF MUSIC.

Susana Estrada-Spain’s First Lady Of Music. Ever since 1939, the brutal Francoist regime had ruled Spain with an iron fist. This came to an end with the death of dictator Francisco Franco on ’20th’ November 1975. After Franco’s death, control of Spain passed to King Juan Carlos. By then, Spain was in a state of …

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THE ORIGINAL SOUND OF BURKINA FASO.

The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso. Label: Mr. Bongo Records. After the success of Mr. Bongo’s The Original Sound Of Mali compilation, the Brighton-based label recently released a new compilation, The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso which was compiled by David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle and Florent Mazzoleni. The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso transports the …

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HABIBI FUNK: AN ECLECTIC SELECTION OF MUSIC FROM THE ARAB WORLD.

Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World. Label: Habibi Funk Germany. Nowadays, hundreds of compilations are released by record companies all around the world, and with one click of a button music fans have access to an eclectic selection of music that forty years ago, wasn’t available to record buyers. Back …

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ASARAN EARTH TRIO-WHY SHOULD YOUR HEART NOT DANCE.

Asaran Earth Trio-Why Should Your Heart Not Dance. Nowadays, 8.2 million people call New York City home, including many musicians and vocalists who have arrived in the Big Apple from the seven continents of the world. They know that New York is still one of the musical capitals of the world, and home to some …

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BOZ SCAGGS-MIDDLE MAN AND OTHER ROADS.

Boz Scaggs-Middle Man and Other Roads. Label: BGO Records. As the seventies gave to the eighties, American singer, songwriter and guitarist Boz Scaggs had released eight solo albums, and was enjoying the most successful period of his career. His last three albums had sold in excess of 6.5 million copies, transforming Boz Scaggs’ career.  Until …

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HIROSHIMA-THIRD GENERATION, ANOTHER PLACE AND GO.

Hiroshima-Third Generation, Another Place and Go. Label: BGO Records. Dan Kuramoto’s interest in music began when he became the inaugural chairman of the Asian-American studies program at California State University in Long Beach in the sixties. This was an honour for Dan Kuramoto who had just graduated from California State University with a degree in …

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MOGOLLAR-A CAREER OF TWO PARTS

 Moğollar-A Career Of Two Parts. By 1976, Anatolian rockers Moğollar had been together for the best part of a decade, and were now one of  Turkey’s most successful bands. Everything seemed to have been going well for Moğollar until they lost their latest vocalist. This was nothing new, and was a problem that had haunted the group over the years.  Vocalists had been Moğollar’s …

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TRIGAL’S FIVE YEAR MUSICAL ADVENTURE.

Trigal’s Five Year Musical Adventure. When Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, this was the start of a musical adventure that would last five years and see the band release two albums and four singles. They featured Trigal’s unique and inimitable fusion of gypsy rumba-funk and flamenco pop, which found favour with audiences the …

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LISTEN PEOPLE: THE GRAHAM GOULDMAN SONGBOOK 1964-2005.

Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005. Label: Ace Records. Graham Gouldman was only seventeen when he took to the stage with High Spots, The Crevattes and The Planets, and soon, he was a familiar face in Manchester’s thriving music scene. By late-1964, Graham Gouldman had been a member of several short-lived bands, and decided …

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THE ORIGINAL SOUNDS OF MALI.

The Original Sounds Of Mali. Label: Mr. Bongo Although Mali only gained independence from France on the ’22nd’ of September 1960, this relatively new country, already has a rich musical heritage. The golden age of Malian music began after Mali’s first president Modibo Keïta was overthrown in a bloodless coup d’état on the ’19th’ of November 1968, …

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ANE BRUN-LEAVE ME BREATHLESS.

Ane Brun-Leave Me Breathless. Label: Balloon Ranger Recordings. In her native Norway, forty-one year old Ane Brun is one of the most successful singer-songwriters of her generation. Her career began in May 2003, when Ane Brun released her debut album Spending Time With Morgan. This was the start of a glittering career for Ane Brun, …

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MELVIN SPARKS-I’M FUNKY NOW.

Melvin Sparks-I’m Funky Now. Label: Westbound Records. By the mid-seventies, jazz was no longer as possible as it had once been, and many artists were struggling to make a living.  Record buyers weren’t interested in jazz music, and sadly, disco, had overtaken jazz, soul and blues in the popularity stakes. It was a sad day …

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CYMBELINE 1965 – 1971.

Cymbeline 1965-1971. Label: Guerssen Records.  Nowadays, Norway and Sweden both have vibrant and thriving music scenes, where pioneering musicians record and release some of the most ambitious, important and innovative music that is currently being released in Europe. This is nothing new, and both countries have a long and illustrious musical history stretching back to …

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