Monthly Archives: March, 2021

JOANNA LAW-RHYTHM OF YEARS

Joanna Law-Rhythm Of Years. Label: Tangential Music. Format: Digital Album. London-based singer-songwriter Joanna Law’s career began when she and her brother Simon formed City Heat. The nascent group released its debut single The Raid in 1987, and this was followed by City Heat in 1988.  The same year, Joanna Law’s vocal featured on The Funky …

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TRANSATLANTIC-THE ABSOLUTE UNIVERSE: FOREVERMORE (EXTENDED VERSION). 

Transatlantic-The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Universe). Label: Inside Out. Format: 2CD Set. When multinational progressive rock supergroup Transatlantic was originally founded in 1999, it was a side project to their full-time bands. The four members were based in three countries and belonged to hugely successful bands. In 1999, Nashville-born Neil Morse was the vocalist in …

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DONALD BYRD-BYRD IN FLIGHT.

Donald Byrd-Byrd In Flight. Label: Blue Note Records. Format: LP. When Donald Byrd signed to Blue Note Records in 1958, he was twenty-five and had already recorded five solo albums and had collaborated on albums with Art Farmer, Phil Woods and Gigi Gryce.  The Detroit-born trumpeter was also in demand as a sideman and had …

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LEE MORGAN-THE RAJAH.

Lee Morgan-The Rajah. Label: Blue Note Records. Format LP. In 1964, twenty-six year old hard bop trumpeter Lee Morgan’s career was transformed when he enjoyed a crossover hit with The Sidewinder. Instantly recognisable and incredibly catchy, it became a jazz standard and nowadays, is regarded as Lee Morgan’s best known composition. Buoyed by the success …

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CULT CLASSIC: LUIZ CARLOS VINHAS-O SOM PSICODELICO DE L.C.V

Cult Classic: Luiz Carlos Vinhas-O Som Psicodélico De L.C.V. Within his native Brazil, Luiz Carlos Vinhas is remembered and regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the Bossa Nova movement. He was one of the genre’s founding fathers  and was a founder member of Bossa Três in 1961. They became one of the most important groups …

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CULT CLASSIC: BRAINCHILD-HEALING OF THE LUNATIC OWL.

Cult Classic: Brainchild-Healing Of The Lunatic Owl. Progressive brass rock pioneers Brainchild were formed in Somerset in the late-sixties, and by the 1970 the septet had signed to A&M. This was perfect timing as the brass rock boom began in 1969 and continued until 1972. By then,  Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears and The Electric …

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CULT CLASSIC: EL POLEN-CHOLO (MUSICA ORIGINAL DE LE BANDA DE SONIDO).

Cult Classic: El Polen-Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido). When El Polen was formed by brothers Juan Luis and Raul Pereira in 1969, little did anyone realise that their new band would become one of the most important and influential in the history of Peruvian music. That was until El Polen released their …

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GENE  RUSSELL-TALK TO MY LADY.

Gene Russell-Talk To My Lady. Label: Real Gone Music. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘5th’ March 2021. As 1973 dawned, LA-based Black Jazz Records had already released nine albums since 1971. Its first release was Gene Russell’s critically acclaimed sophomore album New Direction. However, another two years passed before the LA-born pianist returned with the followup.  …

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HENRY FRANKLIN-THE SKIPPER.

Henry Franklin-The Skipper. Label: Real Gone Music. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘5th’ March 2021. When pianist Gene Russell and percussionist Dick Schory founded Black Jazz Records in Oakland, California, in 1969, the nascent label’s raison d’être was “to promote the talents of young African American jazz musicians and singers.” This was only part of their …

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HERBIE HANCOCK-MY POINT OF VIEW.

Herbie Hancock-My Point Of View. Label: Blue Note Records. Format: LP. By the time Herbie Hancock signed to Blue Note Records, the Chicago-born pianist was just twenty-two, and had already worked with Donald Byrd and Coleman Hawkins. On May the ‘28th’ 1962, he recorded his debut solo album Takin’ Off which featured the jazz standard …

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J JAZZ: DEEP MODERN JAZZ FROM JAZZ VOLUME 3.

J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan Volume 3. Label: BBE Music. Format: 2CD. Nowadays, the most important period in the development of  J-Jazz is the between late-sixties through to the early eighties. That’s regarded as a crucial period in the development of modern jazz in Japan. During that period, many Japanese composers and musicians …

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