Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
GOLDEN GATE GROOVE: THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA IN SAN FRANCISCO-1973.
GOLDEN GATE GROOVE: THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA IN SAN FRANCISCO-1973. There was only one occasion that Philadelphia International Records’ biggest names shared a stage. That was in September 1973, when Gamble and Huff took Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, The O’Jays, The Three Degrees, Billy Paul and M.F.S.B. to the CBS annual convention in …
OVERDOSE OF THE HOLY GHOST-COMPILED BY DAVID HILL.
OVERDOSE OF THE HOLY GHOST-COMPILED BY DAVID HILL Sometimes, compilations can be anodyne affairs, with record labels and compilers scared to release compilations of innovative, leftfield music. This results in labels playing it safe and releasing compilations that although not innovative, will pay the bills. Thankfully, there are some labels out their willing to release …
THE BIRTH OF SOUL JAZZ.
THE BIRTH OF SOUL JAZZ. Ever since the birth of popular music, musical genres have fallen in and out of fashion. An example of this is soul jazz. Back in the nineties, soul jazz made something of a comeback. Soul jazz’s popularity was reflected by the number of compilations and reissues released during this period. …
WILD ONE-THE CAMEO-PARKWAY STORY.
WILD ONE-THE CAMEO-PARKWAY STORY. Way before Philly Soul provided the soundtrack to much of the seventies, many of the architects of Philly Soul cut their musical teeth at Cameo Parkway Records. This included songwriters and producers Gamble and Huff, vibes virtuoso, songwriter and producer Vince Montana Jr. and many members of Philadelphia International Records’ legendary …
THE THELONIOUS MONK-QUARTET-THE COMPLETE STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION.
THE THELONIOUS MONK-QUARTET-THE COMPLETE STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION. For Thelonious Monk, 1962 proved to be the year he finally signed to a major label. This was Columbia Records, where The Thelonious Monk Quartet released six albums between 1962 and 1967. By 1962, Thelonious Monk was forty-five, and had released albums for three of jazz’s most prestigious …
VINCE MONTANA JR-FAREWELL TO A TRUE MUSICAL INNOVATOR.
VINCE MONTANA JR-FAREWELL TO A TRUE MUSICAL INNOVATOR. Vince Montana Jr. who passed away on 13th April 2013, aged eighty-five, was one of the most innovative, influential and pioneering musicians in the history of popular music. However, referring to Vince as a musician is an understatement. He was also a songwriter, conductor, arranger and producer. …
PUNK-I CAN’T WAIT (FEATURING MAGIC SOUL).
PUNK-I CAN’T WAIT (FEATURING MAGIC SOUL). 2012 proved to be a good year for Offering Recordings, which was founded by Boddhi Satva. Offering Recordings established a reputation as an innovative and up-and-coming labels. Key to Offering Recordings’ success, is their never ending search for new artists. Previously, Offering Recordings have discovered Idrissa Sissoko in Mali …
SHOOTING STANSFIELD-THE STORY SO FAR.
SHOOTING STANSFIELD-THE STORY SO FAR. Over the past thirty-five years, Scotland has produced some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands in British music. From the tail-end of the seventies, Scottish bands have been trailblazers, producing music that’s innovative and ahead of the musical curve. This stared with Postcard Records, who introduced the …
SALSOUL PRESENTS: THE DEFINITIVE 12” MASTERS VOLUME 2.
SALSOUL PRESENTS: THE DEFINITIVE 12” MASTERS VOLUME 2. Recently, I was asked by a friend to recommend a Salsoul Records compilation. They’d heard a couple of songs from Salsoul’s illustrious back-catalogue, and decided they wanted to dig deeper. Realizing that I was huge fan of all things disco, and especially Salsoul, they asked if i …
MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY-CITY AWAKENINGS.
MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY-CITY AWAKENINGS. Ever since the release of their 2001 debut album Loss, each of Mull Historical Society’s three subsequent albums have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful. From the release of Loss, Colin MacIntyre, the brainchild between Mull Historical Society, has been perceived as one of the most talented songwriters of his generation. …
SALSOUL PRESENTS: THE DEFINITIVE 12” MASTERS VOLUME 1.
SALSOUL PRESENTS: THE DEFINITIVE 12” MASTERS VOLUME 1. With so many Salsoul compilations having been released over the past twenty years, any newcomer to Salsoul Records is spoiled for choice. Indeed, anyone looking to discover disco’s premier label, will be confused by the sheer variety of Salsoul compilations on offer. Sadly, Salsoul compilations fall into …
SALSOUL PRESENTS: DISCO DIVAS AND SOULFUL SISTA FLAVAS.
SALSOUL PRESENTS: DISCO DIVAS AND SOULFUL SISTA FLAVAS. when you look back at the history of Salsoul Records, you realize they weren’t short of some stunning female vocalists. Loleatta Holloway, First Choice, Charo, Carol Williams, Jocelyn Brown from Inner Life, The Sweethearts of Sigma, Brenda Gooch and Claudja Barry. Each of these divas feature on …
GARY CRISS-RIO DE JANEIRO.
GARY CRISS-RIO DE JANEIRO. Recently when I was reviewing a new Salsoul Records compilation, The Salsoul Records Story, which was recently released by Gold Legion, I was pleased to discover that the compilers had included Gary Criss’ Rio De Janeiro. This was the title-track to the only album Gary Criss released on Salsoul Records. Rio …
JOHN DAVIS AND THE MONSTER ORCHESTRA-THE MONSTER STRIKES AGAIN.
JOHN DAVIS AND THE MONSTER ORCHESTRA-THE MONSTER STRIKES AGAIN. By 1979, John Davis and The Monster Orchestra had released three albums between 1976 and 1976. Their debut albums for SAM Records was 1976s Night and Day. 1977s Up Jumped The Devil and 1978s Ain’t That Enough For You followed. These three albums cemented John Davis …
DISCO RECHARGE-THP ORCHESTRA-EARLY RISER AND TOO HOT FOR LOVE.
DISCO RECHARGE-THP ORCHESTRA-EARLY RISER AND TOO HOT FOR LOVE. One of the phenomenons of the disco era was the disco orchestra. Following the success of The Salsoul Orchestra, other record companies decided they too, wanted their own disco orchestra. Soon, disco orchestras were springing up throughout America. It seemed no American city was immune from …
DISCO RECHARGE-BORIS MIDNEY-COMPANION AND DOUBLE DISCOVERY.
DISCO RECHARGE-BORIS MIDNEY-COMPANION AND DOUBLE DISCOVERY. Looking back at the collateral damage caused by the events of Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, Chicago on 12th July 1979, it’s hard to believe the effect the Disco Sucks movement had on disco. Record labels like T.K. Records folded, artists were dropped by labels and radio stations …
PROG ROCKS!
PROG ROCKS! Although many musical genres divide opinion, some musical genres that tend to divide opinion way more than others. Everyone can think of their own example, but for me, three immediately spring to mind. These are disco, punk and prog rock. Of these three musical genres, when it comes to opinions, not many people …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 