Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
MURO-DIGGIN’ SALSOUL BREAKS.
MURO-DIGGIN’ SALSOUL BREAKS. Despite closing its doors nearly thirty years ago, interest in Salsoul Records has never been higher. A new generation of music lovers are rediscovering what was undoubtably disco’s premier label. So too, are a new generations of DJs. Realizing that Salsoul Records’ illustrious back-catalogue is a goldmine for killer tracks and elusive …
NANCY WILSON-THE SOUND OF NANCY WILSON AND NANCY.
NANCY WILSON-THE SOUND OF NANCY WILSON AND NANCY. Eight years and over a dozen albums after Nancy Wilson released her debut album Something Wonderful in 1960, she was now one of the biggest draws in jazz music. She was hailed as the “heir apparent to Ella Fitzgerald by Time Magazine” in 1964, the year she …
THE O’JAYS IN PHILADELPHIA.
THE O’JAYS IN PHILADELPHIA. When Kenny Gamble saw first saw The O’Jays, they were on the same bill as The Intruders. This was October 1968. The Intruders just had the biggest hit of their career with Cowboys To Girls, which Kenny and Leon Huff cowrote. Despite this, it was The O’Jays that grabbed Kenny’s attention. …
THE ISLEY BROTHERS-WINNER TAKES ALL.
THE ISLEY BROTHERS-WINNER TAKES ALL. That The Isley Brothers called their 1979 album Winner Takes All, seems almost fitting. After all, The Isley Brothers were on what was the hottest streak of their long career. Since 1973, when The Isley Brothers released 3 + 3, commercial success and critical acclaim had been ever-present. They’d released …
PAUL EVANS-FOLK SONGS OF MANY LANDS & 21 YEARS IN A TENNESSEE JAIL.
PAUL EVANS-FOLK SONGS OF MANY LANDS & 21 YEARS IN A TENNESSEE JAIL. Music it seems, has dominated Paul Evans life. Some of his earliest memories revolve around. As a child, he sat around the kitchen table with his family, listening to the popular music of that time. Doris Say, Eddie Fisher, Dinah Shore and …
ENCHANTMENT-UTOPIA.
ENCHANTMENT-UTOPIA. Enchantment’s sixth album Utopia, may not have resulted in Enchantment heading off in pursuit of Sir Thomas More’s mythical and idealized island, but it did mark a change in the lives and music of the veteran band. They maybe never knew it when they began recording Utopia, but seventeen years after they were formed …
GWEN MCCRAE-MELODY OF LIFE.
GWEN MCCRAE-MELODY OF LIFE. By 1979, Gwen McCrae’s career and private life were going through tough times. Her marriage to George McCrae was over. As for her music career, well, it seemed a long time since her number one US R&B single Rockin’ Chair. It was only four years. A lot had happened since then. …
THE SEEDS-FUTURE.
THE SEEDS-FUTURE. For any band with what might be described as a “generous” recording budget, the temptation to experiment and push musical boundaries must be tantalizing. Especially back in 1967, at the dawn of the psychedelic era. For The Seeds, resisting this temptation was impossible. The Seeds can’t be criticized for this. After all, during …
THE DJOON EXPERIENCE.
THE DJOON EXPERIENCE. Ideally situated in the vibrant Eastern quarter of Paris, the Djoon Club has gained a reputation as one of Paris’ leading clubs. DJ and dancers alike, make a pilgrimage to Djoon. Indeed, some of the biggest names in music have headed to Djoon. However, it’s not just a stopover for superstar DJs. …
ROMARK RECORDS-KENT HARRIS’ SOUL SIDES.
ROMARK RECORDS-KENT HARRIS’ SOUL SIDES. From the fifties right through the sixties and seventies, all over America, small independent record labels sprung up. From Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Philly and Los Angeles, small labels were founded. They released everything from blues, doo wop, pop, garage and soul music to varying degrees of success. Sadly, much of …
THE NUTOPIANS-LENNON RE-IMAGINED.
THE NUTOPIANS-LENNON RE-IMAGINED. With so many artists and bands being inspired by John Lennon’s music, it’s no surprise his music is so widely covered. For many artists, it’s their way of paying homage to one of the most articulate, perceptive and intelligent songwriters in the history of modern music. Sadly, the results however, have varied …
PHILLY RE-GROOVED 3-TOM MOULTON REMIXES.
PHILLY RE-GROOVED 3-TOM MOULTON REMIXES. Whether it’s music or life, there aren’t many people who can be described as both an innovator and visionary. That however, is fitting description of Tom Moulton, whose one of the most important figures in the history of dance music. During his career, Tom Moulton invented remix and the twelve-inch …
DAN GREER BEALE STREET SOUL MAN.
DAN GREER BEALE STREET SOUL MAN. When someone finally writes the definitive history of Memphis Soul, Dan Greer’s name should loom large. Dan was a singer, songwriter, producer and head of A&R at the Sounds of Memphis label. It’s no exaggeration to say Dan Greer was one Memphis’ most talented songwriters and producers. He worked …
BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU.
BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU. Bluesin’ By The Bayou, which was released by Ace Records in 27th May 2013, is described as: “low down, dirty and greasy blues from Louisiana.” As if that wasn’t enough reason to discover the delights of Bluesin’ By The Bayou, compiler Ian Saddler had added some zydeco for good measure. I …
NUTRITIOUS-FLASH IT.
NUTRITIOUS-FLASH IT. Nutritious’ latest single Flash It, which will be released on 25th June 2o13, on SpinSpinNYC is undoubtably his most ambitious project. Why is this? Well DJ, remixer and producer Nutritious, decided to create a track that pays homage to his hometown, New York. That my friends, is no easy task. Anyone whose been …
THE LONDON AMERICAN LABEL YEAR BY YEAR 1964.
THE LONDON AMERICAN LABEL YEAR BY YEAR 1964. 1964 proved to be an important year in the history of music. In January 1964, America finally “got” The Beatles. Coast to coast, Beatlemania swept the states. This kick-started the British invasion. Suddenly, American artists no longer monopolized the American charts. Instead, British artists stole the limelight …
SWEET DREAMS: WHERE COUNTRY MEETS SOUL VOLUME 2.
SWEET DREAMS: WHERE COUNTRY MEETS SOUL VOLUME 2. Ever since the fifties, country music has influenced soul music. That’s no surprise. After all, many soul singers grew up in the southern states, listening to the country music coming out of Nashville, Memphis and Muscle Shoals. Back then, country music was King. There was no alternative …
JUMP THE CHANNEL-VOLUME ONE.
JUMP THE CHANNEL-VOLUME ONE. Ever since the birth of modern music, far too many record companies have been content to churn out numerous generic releases. Often, that’s been their downfall. Whether they released soul, disco, funk, house or hip hop, labels, including innovative labels, have gradually, or even quickly, become stuck in a musical rut. …
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE II.
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE II. By 1982, when Inner Life released their their second album for Salsoul Records, Inner Life 2 not only was the changing of the guard complete, but Salsoul as a record label had been transformed. Nearly all of Salsoul’s founding father’s were gone and the legendary Salsoul Orchestra was a shadow of …
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