Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
CULT CLASSIC: DAWAN MUHAMMAD-DEEP STREAM.
Cult Classic: Dawan Muhammad-Deep Stream. By 1979, jazz wasn’t as popular as it was during the fifties and early sixties. That was the golden age for jazz, and saw countless classic albums released on labels like Blue Note, Verve and Impulse! These albums sold in large quantities and were profitable for the record companies that …
CULT CLASSIC: BOBBIE GENTRY-THE DELTA SWEETE.
Cult Classic: Bobbie Gentry-The Delta Sweete. Less than three weeks after Bobbie Gentry released Ode To Billie Joe as a single on the ‘10th’ of July 1967 the song topped the US Billboard 100 and US Country charts. The song was penned by Bobbie Gentry and was the twenty-five year old’s debut single as a …
SHINTARO QUINTET-EVOLUTION.
Shintaro Quintet-Evolution. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Ever since the mid-fifties, many American jazz musicians journeyed to Japan where they toured and recorded albums. They were respected and treated as series musicians, and when they recorded an album the budget was much more generous and the working conditions far better than they were used to. …
CULT CLASSIC: LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-CRY TO ME.
Cult Classic: Loleatta Holloway-Cry To Me. Before being transformed into a disco diva by arranger, guitarist and producer Norman Harris at Salsoul imprint Gold Mind Records, Loleatta Holloway released two albums of Southern Soul for Michael Thevis’ Aware Records. This includes her sophomore album Cry To Me, which was released in 1975. Loleatta Holloway was …
CULT CALSSIC: TIM MAIA-RACIONAL VOLUME 2.
Cult Classic: Tim Maia-Racional Volume 2. By 1975, Tim Maia was a changed man and had turned his back on the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle that he had embraced and enjoyed since releasing his eponymous debut album in 1970. Back then, the charismatic Brazilian singer realised that he was only here for a visit and decided to live life to the fullest. He drank, …
KEITH MANSFIELD-CONTEMPO.
Keith Mansfield-Contempo. Label: Be With Records. Format: LP. Nowadays, Keith Mansfield is regarded as one the doyens of library music, and original copies of his 1976 album Contempo are now highly collectable. That’s the case with many other KPM Records’ releases. Everyone from sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs to film producers collect library …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
CLASSIC ALBUM: THE OHIO PLAYERS-PAIN.
Classic Album: The Ohio Players-Pain. It wasn’t until The Ohio Players signed with Westbound, and released their sophomore album Pain in 1972, that commercial success came the way of a group that was founded in 1959. Originally, they were known as The Ohio Untouchables, and had a chequered history. Initially, The Ohio Untouchables lineup featured …
CULT CLASSIC: BOILLAT THERACE QUINTET-BOILLAT THERACE QUINTET.
Cult Classic: Boillat Thérace Quintet-Boillat Thérace Quintet. By 1974, the Swiss jazz scene was thriving, and the Montreux Jazz Festival which had been launched in 1967, was in its eight year. The organisers had surpassed themselves with what was an all-star lineup Between the ‘2nd’ and ‘7th’ July 1974, the great and good of jazz arrived at …
CULT CLASSIC: SUN RA-CELESTIAL LOVE.
Cult Classic: Sun Ra-Celestial Love. Nowadays, maybe music journalists are guilty of using the words innovator and musical pioneer all too freely, but that is the perfect description of the inimitable Sun Ra. He’s quite rightly regarded as one of the true pioneers of free jazz and a truly innovative and influential musician who pushed musical boundaries …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 