Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
EDDIE KENDRICKS-GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE.
EDDIE KENDRICKS-GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE. For Eddie Kendricks, hooking up with Norman Harris for his seventh album He’s A Friend had rejuvenated his flagging career. Just three years before He’s A Friend, the future looked a lot brighter for Eddie Kendricks. Eddie had made his commercial breakthrough with his third album Eddie Kendricks, released in …
BODDHI SATVA FEATURING OUMOU SANGARE-NGNARI KONON.
BODDHI SATVA FEATURING OUMOU SANGARE-NGNARI KONON. It’s hard to believe, nearly a year has passed, since Boddhi Satva released his critically acclaimed debut album Invocation, on BBE Music. Not only was Invocation Boddhi Satva’s debut album, but it introduced many people to some of Africa’s finest and most talented musicians and singers. This includes Freddy …
MARVIN GAYE-TROUBLE MAN.
MARVIN GAYE-TROUBLE MAN. What’s Going On, released on 20th May 1971, marked the second chapter in Marvin Gaye’s career. For many people, What’s Going On marked the start of Marvin Gaye’s career as a serious artist. Indeed, What’s Going On, was far removed from the poppy soul Marvin Gaye had previously been a purveyor of. …
THE DETROIT SPINNERS-YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW.
THE DETROIT SPINNERS-YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW. For The Detroit Spinners, their 1977 album Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow would mark an end of an era for the group. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow was Phillip Wynn’s final album as lead singer of The Detroit Spinners. This wasn’t the only thing to change. Unlike their five previous studio …
CHANGE THE BEAT-THE CELLULOID RECORDS STORY 1979-1987.
CHANGE THE BEAT-THE CELLULOID RECORDS STORY 1979-1987. In 2012, Strut Records released Only For You: The Sound of Cajmere and Cajual Records, which paid homage to Cajmere, one of the innovators of the Chicago house scene and his label Cajual Records. This proved to be one of Strut Records’ most critically acclaimed and commercially successful …
THE STYLISTICS-ROCKIN’ ROLL BABY.
THE STYLISTICS-ROCKIN’ ROLL BABY. Often, when a group decide to change producer, this can mark a change in their fortunes. This is even more risky when the producer has co-written some of your biggest hits. Forty years ago, The Stylistics were about to release their third album Rockin’ Roll Baby. Their two previous albums, 1971s …
THE RITCHIE FAMILY-LIFE IS MUSIC.
THE RITCHIE FAMILY-LIFE IS MUSIC. Mention the words concept album, and it conjurs up a certain image. Music journalists of a certain vintage, sixth formers in the seventies and of course, bloated prog rock bands. Indeed, every home should have one of these albums. After all, it’s a great way to deal with unwanted guests. …
GILES-PETERSON-BLACK JAZZ RADIO.
GILES-PETERSON-BLACK JAZZ RADIO. While there are numerous compilations of music released on jazz labels like Blue Note, Prestige, Columbia, Impulse, Verve and Pacific, one label is often overlooked…Black Jazz Records. Indeed, compilers of compilations often overlook the riches of Black Jazz Records’ back-catalogue. Thankfully, Giles Peterson, one of the UK’s best DJs and crate digger …
GINA CAREY…THE SONGBIRD.
GINA CAREY…THE SONGBIRD. Recently, I interviewed American soul singer Gina Carey, ahead of the release of her ninth album, Gina Carey…The Songbird. During that interview, Gina spoke of how Gina Carey…The Songbird is the start of a new chapter in her seventeen year career. With a new manager guiding her career, the future looks bright …
THE TRAMMPS-THE TRAMMPS III.
THE TRAMMPS-THE TRAMMPS III. Just five days apart, in November 1977, two albums were released that would play a huge part in The Trammps’ career. On 10th November 1977, The Trammps released The Trammps III. Then five days later, on 15th November 1977, the Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Soundtrack was released. It featured …
DISCO RECHARGE: VOYAGE-ONE STEP HIGHER.
DISCO RECHARGE: VOYAGE-ONE STEP HIGHER. By 1982, Voyage had established themselves as one of Euro Disco’s most innovative groups. Since 1978, Voyage had released a trio of critically acclaimed, cutting-edge albums. Their debut was 1978s Voyage, with Fly Away following later in 1978. Two years later, in 1980, came Voyage’s third album Voyage 3. Now …
GEORGE DUKE-DON’T LET GO.
GEORGE DUKE-DON’T LET GO. There aren’t may artists who’ve worked with such an eclectic range of artists as George Duke. Among the artists George Duke has worked with are Frank Zappa, Anita Baker Flora Purim, right through to Jean Luc-Ponty, Cannonball Adderley, Billy Cobham and George Clinton. Whether it was jazz, rock, soul, disco, R&B …
PATTI AUSTIN-END OF A RAINBOW-THE CTI MASTERS.
PATTI AUSTIN-END OF A RAINBOW-THE CTI MASTERS. For Patti Austin, it was almost as if it was written in the stars that she would become a singer. It was her destiny. Quite simply, Patti Austin was born to sing. That is almost indisputable. After all, how many children aged five sign a recording contract. Patti …
AUDIO ARQUE RECORDS.
AUDIO ARQUE RECORDS. Since the birth of the digital age, one of the many benefits is that nowadays, musicians worldwide can have their music heard by a much wider audience. This came about at the perfect time. Computers and digital audio workstations were becoming much more affordable. Now all a producer needed, was a copy …
RONNIE LAWS-MR. NICE GUY AND CLASSIC MASTERS.
RONNIE LAWS-MR. NICE GUY AND CLASSIC MASTERS. Having spent two years at university in Texas, Ronnie Laws decided the world of academia wasn’t for him. He left university to join a new band who were fusing funk and soul. Ronnie played flute and saxophone on their third album Last Days and Time, released in November …
CARMEN MCCRAE-I AM MUSIC.
CARMEN MCCRAE-I AM MUSIC. There’s not many artists who, during their career, release over sixty albums and are nominated for seven Grammy Awards. Carmen McCrae did both. It’s no understatement to say that Carmen McCrae was one of the most influential jazz singers in musical history. Having referred to Carmen McCrae as a jazz singer …
YESKING-OVERPROOF.
YESKING-OVERPROOF. 2008. That’s when Yesking released their debut album Rock This World, which was produced by Yesking head honcho Rhys Adams and Mark Rae, of Rae and Christian. Now five years later, on March 18th 2013, Yesking will release their sophomore album Re-Record Not Fade Away on BBE Music. For Yesking’s legion of fans, that …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 