Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
MASAYOSHI TAKANAKA – AN INSATIABLE HIGH.
Masayoshi Takanaka – An Insatiable High. Label: Universal Music Japan. Format: Vinyl. By late 1977, Japanese guitarist and composer Masayoshi Takanaka was rapidly evolving from a respected session player into a titan of the West Coast-meets-Tokyo fusion scene. Takanaka’s third album ‘An Insatiable High’ was recorded at Larrabee Sound Studios in Los Angeles. The album …
HADLEY CALIMAN – IAPETUS.
Hadley Caliman – Iapetus. Label: Wewantsounds. Format: Vinyl. American jazz saxophonist and flutist Hadley Caliman enjoyed an expansive, decades-long career as a premier sideman, visionary bandleader, and dedicated educator. Celebrated for his robust, expressive tone and sophisticated post-bop harmonic fluency, Caliman stood as a vital force within the West Coast jazz, modal, and Latin fusion …
BATTEAUX – BATTEAUX.
Batteaux – Batteaux. Label: Be With Records. Format: Vinyl. Released in 1973 on Columbia Records, ‘Batteaux’ — the self-titled debut and sole album by brothers David and Robin Batteau—is a lost gem of early 1970s soft rock, folk-pop, and blue-eyed soul. The album was co-produced by Stuart Love and Henry Lewy who is best know …
DAE HAN – BLUE.
Dae Han – Blue. Label: Aloha Got Soul. Format: Vinyl. Dae Han is a multi-disciplinary artist, drummer, composer, producer, musical director, and bandleader based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Widely regarded as the premier rhythmic anchor of Hawaii’s progressive contemporary music scene, Han has built an international reputation defined by technical precision, fluid micro-timing, and an expansive …
AFONSO SOLIANO -TIGA TROMBONE.
Alfonso Soliano – Tiga Trombone. Label: Audible Beauty Records. Format: Vinyl and CD. Nowadays, Alfonso Soliano is regarded as one of the most transformative figures in Southeast Asian musical history. Widely celebrated as the “Father of Malaysian Jazz,” Soliano was a visionary composer, pianist, arranger, and bandleader who bridged modern Western jazz harmonisations with traditional …
DOROTHY ASHBY AND FRANK WESS – IN A MINOR GROOVE.
Dorothy Ashby and Frank Wess – In A Minor Groove. Label: Real Gone Music. Format: Vinyl. Recorded in September 1958 at Rudy Van Gelder’s legendary Hackensack studio and released on the Prestige Records sub-label New Jazz, ‘In A Minor Groove’ stands as one of the most sublime chamber-jazz recordings of the post-bop era. Prior to …
GRANT GREEN – IDLE MOMENTS (BLUE NOTE ESSENTIAL VINYL SERIES).
Grant Green – Idle Moments (Blue Note Essential Vinyl Series). Label: Blue Note Records. Format Vinyl. Recorded on November 4th and 15th, 1963, at Rudy Van Gelder’s legendary Englewood Cliffs Studio and released on Blue Note Records in 1965, Grant Green’s ‘Idle Moments’ is widely celebrated as one of the crown jewels of 1960s modern …
TERRY CALLIER – OCCASIONAL RAIN.
Terry Callier – Occasional Rain. Label: Slow Down Sounds Format: Vinyl. Talent alone is rarely a guarantee of success; had it been, the late, great Terry Callier would have enjoyed a long and lucrative commercial career from the outset. For much of his life, however, he remained one of music’s best-kept secrets – an artist …
ORGAN-IZED – SLOW DANCE AND SOUL.
ORGAN-IZED – SLOW DANCE AND SOUL. Organ-Ized – Slow Dance and Soul. Label: Timmion Records. Format: CD. Over the last few years, Helsinki-based Timmion Records has consistently released some of the best contemporary soul, funk, and jazz. Part of the secret of the label’s success is their house band Cold Diamond and Mink. Then there’s the …
GRANT GREEN – IDLE MOMENTS.
Grant Green – Idle Moments. Label: Blue Note (Essential Vinyl Series). Format: Vinyl. Grant Green’s classic album ‘Idle Moments’ was recorded during two sessions in November 1963 and released in 1965. It became one of the masterpieces of the Blue Note catalog. Where many hard bop recordings of the era relied on fiery tempos, blues-drenched …
IDRIS MUHAMMAD – POWER OF SOUL.
Idris Muhammad – Power of Soul. Label: Music On Vinyl. Format: LP. Drummer Idris Muhammad’s solo career began at Prestige, where he was also a member of the label’s house band. Truly talented and versatile, Muhammad was primarily a jazz drummer. However, he also played on everything from funk, fusion and soul to disco, jazz-funk, …
JOHARI SALLEH – JAZZ DARI ANGKASAPURI.
Johari Salleh – Jazz Dari Angkasapuri. Label: Audible Beauty. Format: LP and Digital. It’s no exaggeration to say that Johari Salleh is, without doubt, one of the founding fathers and greats of south-east Asian big band and broadcast jazz. He’s best known as the longtime conductor and arranger of Radio Television Malaysia’s Orkestra RTM. In …
J JAZZ: DEEP MODERN JAZZ FROM JAPAN VOLUME 5
J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan Volume 5. Label: BBE. Format: CD. All good things come to an end. Sadly, that was the case with BBE Music’s critically acclaimed and iconic J Jazz series. The fifth and final volume in the series was released recently. It’s a series that’s been a labour of love …
CATHY HAMER – LADY FULL OF DREAMS.
Cathy Hamer – Lady Full Of Dreams. Label: Numero Group. Format: Vinyl. Over the last few years, Numero Group have unearthed a plethora of hidden gens. They’ve done it again, and have rediscovered one of the most exciting discoveries of recent years, Cathy Hamer’s ‘Lady Full Of Dreams.’ It’s a stunning album. ‘Lady Full Of …
HILL ST. SOUL – NASALILFYA (THANK YOU).
Hill St. Soul – Nasalifya (Thank You). Label: Shanachie Records. Format: CD. In many ways, Hilary Mwelwa is an accidental singer-songwriter. At the time she recorded a demo she was attending London’s Westminster University and studying towards a degree in biological sciences. That demo was the start of a musical career that’s already spanned twenty …
ANGRY APPLE – CRISPIN.
Angry Apple – Crispin. Label: Cold Busted. Format: Vinyl. With the release of ‘Crispin’ on the legendary instrumental hip hop and downtempo label Cold Busted, the producer known as Angry Apple makes a major splash with his much-anticipated debut album. While Angry Apple has been quietly dropping atmospheric singles and EPs for years, ‘Crispin’ is …
LOS RETROS-ODISEA.
Los Retros-Odisea. Label: Stones Throw Records. Format: Double Vinyl. Mauri Tapia, operating under the moniker Los Retros, has officially broken past his bedroom-pop cocoon. Released in April 2026 on Stones Throw Records, ‘Odisea’ marked the 25-year-old Oxnard multi-instrumentalist’s highly anticipated debut full-length album. It represents a massive, intentional pivot away from his original dusty, lo-fi …
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