Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI.
CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI. Having been discovered by bandleader Xavier Cugat Maria del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, or Charo as she became, went on to become one of the highest paid performers in America during the early seventies. Reputedly, actress, singer and guitarist Charo was paid as much as Rat Pack members …
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-LOLEATTA.
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-LOLEATTA. Recently, when I reviewed Carol Williams’ ‘Lectric Lady, I referred to Carol as the First Lady of Salsoul, as she was the first female artist to sign to Salsoul Records. Now while Carol Williams was the First Lady of Salsoul, Loleatta Holloway was the undisputed Queen of Salsoul. I’d go further and say …
DIONNE WARWICK-DIONNE.
DIONNE WARWICK-DIONNE. Before Dionne Warwick signed for Clive Davis’ Arista Records in 1978, her career was at a musical crossroads. After leaving Warner Bros after the release of 1977s Love At First Sight, Dionne found herself without a record company. It seemed the seventies had been a tumultuous decade for era for her. The seventies …
BILLY PAUL-360 DEGREES OF BILLY PAUL.
BILLY PAUL-360 DEGREES OF BILLY PAUL. Sometimes, an artist releases a single that becomes a huge commercial success and regardless of whatever else they release, they’re forever be known as the artist that recorded “that single.” For Billy Paul, ever since he released Me and Mrs Jones as a single back in October 1972, he’s …
TAVARES-LOVE UPRISING.
TAVARES-LOVE UPRISING. As a new decade dawned for Tavares, they set about recording what would prove to be their ninth and penultimate album for Capitol Records Love Uprising. This was Tavares’ second album of 1980, the followup to Supercharged. Love Uprising, which will be released on 20th August 2012 by SoulMusic Records, would be produced …
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-SOLIDARITY.
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-SOLIDARITY. When The Souljazz Orchestra released their acoustic album Rising Sun in 2101, it was to widespread critical acclaim. Now two years later, The Souljazz Orchestra are celebrating their tenth anniversary with the release of their fifth album Solidarity, which will be released by Strut Records on 17th September 2012. During the last …
MYSTIC MERLIN-FULL MOON.
MYSTIC MERLIN-FULL MOON. When Mystic Merlin started their musical adventure, here was a group of talented musicians looking to fill their considerable potential. They were the latest in a line of New York funk bands looking to hit the big time. Parliament, Funkadelic, Brass Construction, B.T. Express were funk royalty, but Mystic Merlin were looking …
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-NICE ‘N’ NASTY.
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-NICE ‘N’ NASTY. When I realized that this would my 500th review, I decided that to mark the occasion, by reviewing a really special album, one of my favorite albums. Now with the best part of two-thousand albums to choose from, I’ve plenty of choice. Regular readers of this blog will have realized …
LIGHT OF THE WORLD-LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD-LIGHT OF THE WORLD. One of the bands who were at the forefront of the UK’s jazz funk movement during the late-seventies were Light of The World, whose name pays homage to Kool and The Gang’s 1974 album Light of the Worlds. They went on to release five albums between 1979 and …
GINA CAREY LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH VOLUME 1 (LIVE).
GINA CAREY LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH VOLUME 1 (LIVE). For any independent artist, trying to think of innovative ways of releasing music, isn’t easy. After all, major record companies have whole departments of strategists, whose job is to do just that. So, releasing music on a limited budget must be much harder. However, one artist …
FOUNTAIN MUSIC AND PLAZA IN CROWD.
FOUNTAIN MUSIC AND PLAZA IN CROWD. With the recent resurgence in interest in dance music, or as it’s now referred to in the US Electronic Dance Music, you’d think that record companies worldwide would be releasing innovative music to quench what seems like America’s relentless thirst for dance music. Sadly, with a few exceptions, this …
CAROL WILLIAMS-‘LECTRIC LADY.
CAROL WILLIAMS-‘LECTRIC LADY. Ask me what my favorite album on Salsoul Records is, and I’m spoiled for choice. Instead of just one album, I’d probably give you a shortlist of albums. Obviously there would be something by The Salsoul Orchestra, Loleatta Holloway, First Choice, Inner Life and Double Exposure. Another album that would be right …
GINA CAREY-LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH
GINA CAREY-LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH Over the last two years, Gina Carey has been one of the busiest singers in music. What’s been a hectic couple of years, started with the release of Melodic in August 2011, which Gina wrote, arranged and produced. Melodic went on to reach number one in the UK Soul Charts …
JOHNICK-YOU KNOW HOW WE DEW.
JOHNICK-YOU KNOW HOW WE DEW. Earlier this year, BBE Music released Johnny D Presents Disco Jamms Volume 1, compiled by legendary ‘Brooklyn’ DJ Johnny De Mairo. Johnny D Presents Disco Jamms Volume 1 featured some of the best edits I’ve heard this year. Along with Al Kent’s edits on The Best of Disco Demands, nothing …
PRIVATE WAX.
PRIVATE WAX. When the Disco Sucks movement tried to kill disco back on 12th July 1979 at Comiskey Park, Chicago, disco never died, and take it from me, never, ever will die. Instead, disco went underground. Out of disco came boogie, before disco went on to play a huge part in the development of house …
BODDHI SATVA-INVOCATION INSTRUMENTALS.
BODDHI SATVA-INVOCATION INSTRUMENTALS. Earlier this year, I came across one of the most beautiful tracks that I’d heard in a long time. This was Boddhi Satva’s From Another World, featuring a haunting, heartfelt and spiritual vocal from Vikter Duplaix. From Another World is one of these compelling tracks not only instantly grabs your attention, but …
TAVARES-MADAM BUTTERFLY.
TAVARES-MADAM BUTTERFLY. Between 1974 and 1977, Tavares enjoyed a trio of million selling US R&B number one singles with She’s Gone, It Only Takes A Minute and Whodunnit. These were just three of ten of Tavares’ ten singles that have Tavares a top ten US R&B single. That’s not forgetting the Grammy winning More Than …
BIG BOY BLOATER AND THE LIMITS-THE WORLD EXPLAINED.
BIG BOY BLOATER AND THE LIMITS-THE WORLD EXPLAINED. Some people are just born to sing the blues. It’s almost as they’re predestined to follow in the well trodden path of bluesmen like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Floyd Dixon and Jimmy Rogers. There’s something about their world weary voices, the experiences they share, and their storytelling …
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