Monthly Archives: February, 2018

EVA SALINA AND PETER STAN-SUDBINA: A PORTRAIT OF VIDA PAVLOVIC.

Eva Salina and Peter Stan-Sudbina: A Portrait Of Vida Pavlović. Label: Vogiton Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ March 2018. When Serbian Roma singer Vida Pavlović took to the stage in dark, smokey, and noisy backstreet clubs, there was a respectful silence among the patrons in respect of the woman they called their Queen. Alas, it hadn’t …

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NICOLETTE LARSON-ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO.

Nicolette Larson-All Dressed Up and No Place To Go. Label: BGO Records. Nowadays, far too many people are scared to follow their dream and instead, settle for second best and the drudgery of working 9-5. Sadly, it’s only much later, when it’s too late, that they realise what they gave up and what might have …

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SPENCER WIGGINS-THE GOLDWAX YEARS LP.

Spencer Wiggins-The Goldwax Years LP. Label: Kent Soul Although Spencer Wiggins is nowadays, widely recognised by critics as one of the finest exponents of deep soul, sadly, he’s still one of soul music’s best kept secrets. Spencer Wiggins at the peak of his powers, had the ability to breath life, meaning and emotion into the …

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J JAZZ: DEEP MODERN JAZZ FROM JAPAN 1969-1984.

J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969-1984. Label: BBE. Although the internet has made the world a much smaller place, and allowed record buyers to discover the delights of music from all over the world, still there are many music fans who refuse to try new types of music. It doesn’t matter whether they’re …

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TANI DISCO RUMBA AND FLAMENCO BOOGIE 1976-1979.

Tani Disco Rumba and Flamenco Boogie 1976-1979. Label: Pharaway Sounds. Ever since the birth of rock ’n’ roll in the fifties, American music has influenced musicians, producers and songwriters in different parts of the world. When they heard the latest new music coming out of America, they’ve often incorporated elements of it into the music …

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STYX-CAUGHT IN THE ACT LIVE.

Styx-Caught In The Act Live. Label: BGO Records. By April 1984, the members of Styx should’ve been preparing for the release of the twelfth album of the band’s career Caught In The Act Live, which was recently reissued as a two CD set by BGO Records. However, by then, Styx had split-up citing musical differences which had divided the …

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CHARLIE RICH-TOO MANY TEARDROPS: THE COMPLETE GROOVE AND RCA RECORDINGS.

Charlie Rich-Too Many Teardrops: The Complete Groove and RCA Recordings. Label: Ace Records. By 1963, thirty-one year old singer, songwriter and pianist Charlie Rich found himself looking back at his career as he was about to sign for Groove, a subsidiary of RCA. Charlie Rich’s career began five years earlier when the former college football …

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RUMBITA BUENA: RUMBA FUNK AND FLAMENCO POP FROM THE 1970s BELTER AND DISCOPHON ARCHIVES.

Rumbita Buena: Rumba Funk and Flamenco Pop From The 1970s Belter and Discophon Archives. Label: Pharaway Sounds. As the sixties gave way to the seventies, many within the Spanish music industry realised that the next few years were hugely important for the future of Spanish music. What these songwriters, producer and musicians realised that music …

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ELEPHANT9-GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH.

Elephant9-Greatest Show On Earth. Label: Rune Grammofon. After releasing two critically acclaimed albums with legendary Swedish guitarist Reine Fiske, a new chapter began for Elephant9 in October 2017 as they began work on their fifth studio album Greatest Show On Earth at Studio Paradiso. This was the first album that the core trio of Elephant9 …

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GEORGE JACKSON-LEAVIN’ THE HOMEWORK DONE: IN THE STUDIO WITH GEORGE JACKSON 1969-1971.

George Jackson-Leavin’ The Homework Done: In The Studio With George Jackson 1969-1971. Label: Kent Soul. When Dean Rudland and Tony Rouce were compiling the George Jackson compilation Old Friend The Fame Recordings Volume 3, which was released in late November 2013, they believed that there was only a handful of songs that had yet to …

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NELSON PSYCHOUT

Nelson’s Pyshcout. Label: Vampi Soul. For the vast majority of record buyers, Nelson Records won’t mean anything to them, unless they happen to be a connoisseur of library music. That, however, is unlikely, as library music is still one of music’s best kept secrets and is a musical treasure trove. However, apart form this small …

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ERNESTO CHAHOUD PRESENTS TAITU SOUL-FUELLED STOMPERS FROM 1960S-1970S ETHIOPIA.

Ernesto Chahoud Presents Taitu Soul-fuelled Stompers From 1960s-1970s Ethiopia. Label: BBE Africa. It’s often the case that the people who compile and curate compilations have a fascinating story to tell, and especially about how their love of music came about. That is the case with thirty-six year Lebanese DJ and crate digger Ernesto Chahoud who …

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THE SEEDS-A WEB OF SOUND.

The Seeds-A Web Of Sound. Label: Ace Records. When The Seeds were formed in Los Angeles in early 1965 by Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Jeremy Levine and Rick Andridge nobody had any idea just how influential the nascent garage band would be. Over the next four years, The Seeds released five albums, enjoyed …

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THE BROTHERHOOD-STAVIA.

The Brotherhood-Stavia. Label: Out-Sider Music. After Ohio-based singer, songwriter and musician John Hurd wrote a new song Tragedy in 1971, he booked some studio time so that his band The Revised Brotherhood could record their debut single. Joining John Hurt in the studio when The Revised Brotherhood recorded Tragedy and Those Things was his friend …

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CATFISH-GET DOWN AND LIVE CATFISH.

Catfish-Get Down and Live Catfish. Label: BGO Records. The story of Detroit-based blues rockers Catfish is a case of what might have been. This talented five piece band was formed in the late-sixties, and over the next few years opened for Black Sabbath, Bob Seger, Black Sabbath and Ted Nugent, and played at the prestigious …

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BEATCHILD AND THE SLAKADELIQS-HEAVY ROCKIN’ STEADY. 

Beatchild and The Slakadeliqs-Heavy Rockin’ Steady. Label: BBE. While many of Byram Joseph’s classmates at junior school  Sarnia, a small city in Southwestern Ontario, in Canada were interested in sport, the future Slakah The Beatchild was much more interested in music. He already had a small record collection which his parents had given him, and …

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THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 1

The Best Vinyl Releases Of 2017-Part 1.. Bettye Swann-The Money Masters. Label: Kent Soul. Bettye Swann had the talent and potential to become one of the greatest soul singers of her generation. A remainder why can be found on The Money Masters which covers Bettye Swann’s time at Money Records, and includes singles, B-Sides and …

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THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 2.

The Best New Vinyl Releases Of 2017 Part 2. Eric Clapton-Slowhand-Vinyl. Label: Polydor. When November 1977, Eric Clapton released his much-anticipated fifth album Slowhand, the reviews were mostly positive. Critics were won over by an album where Slowhand’s playing was much more subtle and understated on an album where he sometimes laid bare his soul. …

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THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 3.

The Best Vinyl Releases of 2017 Part 3. Motörhead -What’s Worth Words. Label: Big Beat Records. When Motörhead released What’s Worth Words on the ‘5th’ of March 1983, critics called the album one of the greatest live albums ever release. That was no exaggeration. What’s Worth Words featured a barnstorming, speed fuelled performance from Motörhead …

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THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 4.

The Best Vinyl Releases Of 2017 Part 4. The Monkees-Summer Of Love. Label: Rhino. Even today, The Monkees divides the opinion of many critics and record buyers. Partly that is because of the perception that The Monkees were a manufactured band that was the brainchild of television executives. Despite that, The Monkees went on to …

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