Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
28 LITTLE BANGERS FROM RICHARD HAWLEY’S JUKEBOX.
28 Little Bangers From Richard Hawley’s Jukebox. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘26th’ May 2023. 28 Little Bangers From Richard Hawley’s Jukebox is the first volume of the Sheffield-born singer-songwriter’s favourite singles. These are singles he’s collected during crate-digging expeditions as he’s travelled the globe. This includes singles he’s discovered in thrift shops …
FOLK, FUNK AND BEYOND-THE ARRANGEMENTS OF JOHN CAMERON.
Folk, Funk and Beyond-The Arrangements Of John Cameron. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘26th’ May 2023. John Cameron came to prominence in 1966 after he arranged Donovan’s Sunshine Superman. The arrangement was a fusion of jazz, folk and proto-psychedelia, and when the single was released, it topped the US Billboard 100 and launched …
SHE’S GOT THE POWER! FEMALE POWER POP, PUNK AND GARAGE.
She’s Got The Power! Female Power Pop, Punk and Garage. Label: Big Beat Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘28th’ April 2023. Back in August 2020, Big Beat, an imprint of Ace Records, released the compilation Girls Go Power Pop to widespread critical acclaim. Now, just under three years later, comes the much-anticipated followup, Girls Go …
CULT CLASSIC-PER HUSBY SEPTETT-PEACEMAKER.
Cult Classic-Per Husby Septett-Peacemaker. Growing up, Per Husby never dreamt of becoming a musician. That was despite music playing an important part in his life. Initially he took piano lessons and later, enrolled in a correspondence course from Berklee that covered elementary jazz theory and the principles of arrangement. He also spent many hours listening to …
DOLLAR BILL Y’ALL-SPRING RECORDS AND THE FIRST DECADE OF HIP HOP.
Dollar Bill Ya’ll-Spring Records and The First Decade Of Hip Hop. Label: BGP. Format: CD. Release Date 28th April 2023. Disco was one of the musical success stories of the late-seventies, and provided the soundtrack to dancefloors across the world. That changed in 1979, and disco’s demise was rapid. Its critics stated that some disco …
ONCE MORE WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN.
Once More We Are The Children Of The Sun. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Release Date: 31st March 2023. Last year, BBE released the critically acclaimed compilation We Are The Children Of The Sun. It was one of the best compilations of 2022 and was compiled by DJ and renowned crate digger Paul Hillery. He’s …
JON SAVAGE’S 1980-1982-THE ART OF THINGS TO COME.
Jon Savage’s 1980-1982-The Art Of Things To Come. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. In November 2015, Jon Savage’s critically acclaimed book 1966: The Year the Decade Exploded was released. The book told the story of what was one of the most important and influential years in the history of popular music. However, this was just …
A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING-THE DOLLY PARTON SONGBOOK.
A Way To Make A Living-The Dolly Parton Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: “31st” March 2023. On September the ‘18th’ 1967, Monument Records released Hello, I’m Dolly, the debut album twenty-one year old country singer Dolly Parton. The album reached number eleven in the US Country charts, and featured two hit singles, …
WILLIAM BELL-THE MAN IN THE STREET.
William Bell-The Man In The Street. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Southern Soul man William Bell was born William Yarbrough on July the ’16th’ 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, he sang in church and was inspired by the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, who at the time, were led by Sam Cooke. By the …
GUERRILLA GIRLS! SHE-PUNKS AND BEYOND 1975-2016.
Guerrilla Girls! She-Punks and Beyond 1975-2016. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Eclectic describes the twenty-five tracks on Ace Records new compilation Guerrilla Girls! She-Punks and Beyond 1975-2016. This carefully curated compilation features everything from mid-seventies punk pioneers to leftfield post-punk groups, jangly female pop combos grunge bands and vigilante Riot Grrrl groups of the eighties …
SPACE, ENERGY AND LIGHT-EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRONIC AND ACOUSTIC SOUNDSCAPES 1961-88.
Space, Energy and Light-Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88. Label: Soul Jazz Records In 2017, Soul Jazz Records released Space, Energy and Light-Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88 to widespread critical acclaim. The album quickly sold out and has been out-of-print. Now five years later a new edition of this compilation has just been released. …
CULT CLASSIC: MASAO NAKAJIMA QUARTET-KEMO SABE.
Cult Classic: Masao Nakajima Quartet-Kemo Sabe. Masao Nakajima was born in Senzoku, Ohta ward, Tokyo in 1950. His father was a councilman and his mother worked in music and also sang classical music. It was no surprise that her son started playing piano aged seven. In 1959, aged nine, Masao Nakajima discovered jazz and began …
CULT CLASSIC: NORIKO MIYAMOTO WITH ISAO SUZUKI-PUSH.
Cult Classic: Noriko Miyamoto With Isao Suzuki-Push. During a long and illustrious career, double bassist Isao Suzuki was one of the most important and influential Japanese jazz artists of his generation. His career began in 1956, and over a career that spanned seven decades he released over fifty solo albums. That’s not all. He also …
BOB STANLEY/PETE WIGGS PRESENT WINTER OF DISCONTENT.
Bob Stanley/Pete Wiggs Present Winter Of Discontent. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘27th’ January 2023. Karl Marx said that: “history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.” This is true. Proof of this was the Winter of Discontent which took place between November 1978 and February 1979. For four long months strikes …
LOMA NORTHERN SOUL-CLASSICS AND REVELATIONS 1964-1968.
Loma Northern Soul-Classics and Revelations 1964-1968. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘27th’ January 2023. The Loma Records’ story began in March 1964. That was when Mike Maitland, the Warner Bros president, announced that the label was launching a new imprint. It was to be managed by former PR man and record producer Bob …
CULT CLASSIC: MOONSHINE AKA MONICA RYPMA AND FRIENDS-CLASSIFIEDS.
Cult Classic: Moonshine aka Monica Rypma and Friends-Classifieds. When Monica Rypma’s released her album Classifieds as a private press in 1985, little did she know that one day, it would be much-prized rarity amongst collectors and fans of the folk-funk genre. That’s why nowadays, original copies of Classifieds are changing hands for ever increasing sums …
SAMMI SMITH-A CASE OF WHAT COULD’VE BEEN.
Sammi Smith-A Case Of What Might Have Been. Without doubt, country singer singer-songwriter Sammi Smith had a voice, the talent and potential to crossover and become a huge, mainstream star. Her records were cinematic, soul-baring confessionals where her inimitable husky voice veered between melancholy and full of hurt and heartache to sensuous. It sounded as …
SONGS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS WRITTEN BY LEONARD COHEN.
Songs Of Light and Darkness Written By Leonard Cohen. Label: Ace Records. Format CD. Release Date: ‘25th’ November 2022. Just over six years ago, on October the ’21st’ 2016, Canadian singer-songwriter, novelist and poet Leonard Cohen releasedYou Want It Darker to widespread critical acclaim. Sadly, it turned out to be that last album released during …
WHERE SOUL BEGINS…KENT MODERN-FOR DANCERS FORTY.
Where Soul Begins…Kent Modern-For Dancers Forty. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: 25th November 2022. In 1982, a new label, Kent Records, released its first ever compilation, For Dancers Only to widespread critical acclaim. It was released to critical acclaim and was hailed a commercial success. This landmark compilation was also the start of …