Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
MY SALSOUL MARSHALL JEFFERSON PRESENTS:THE FOUNDATIONS OF HOUSE.
MY SALSOUL MARSHALL JEFFERSON PRESENTS:THE FOUNDATIONS OF HOUSE. Often when writing about Salsoul Records, I’ve mentioned how important a part Salsoul played in the development of house music. Salsoul’s music wouldn’t just influence the first generation of house DJs, but several generations of producers. Even now, that influence is apparent, with producers paying homage to …
MYSTIC MERLIN-SIXTY THRILLS A MINUTE.
MYSTIC MERLIN-SIXTY THRILLS A MINUTE. When Mystic Merlin signed Capitol Records, it looked as if the New York based soul and funk group had a great future ahead of them. They were tipped to join funk’s elite, joining Parliament, Funkadelic, Brass Construction, B.T. Express. Charles Kipp had been hired to produce their debut album Mystic …
LISA LISA AND CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE-LISA LISA AND CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE.
LISA LISA AND CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE-LISA LISA AND CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE. After signing to Columbia Records, the three members of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Lisa Velez, Alex Panador and Mike Hughes would embark upon the most successful period of their career. During the four year period between 1985 and 1989, …
HOLY SPIRIT-SPIRITUAL SOUL AND GOSPEL FUNK.
HOLY SPIRIT-SPIRITUAL SOUL AND GOSPEL FUNK. In an increasingly overcrowded compilation market, certain labels can be relied upon to release quality compilations. Three labels spring to mind, BBE Music, Strut and Harmless Records. Whilst other labels, including major labels continue to recycle the same collections of familiar and sometimes tired songs, albeit using different titles. …
THE SYLVERS-SHOWCASE AND NEW HORIZONS.
THE SYLVERS-SHOWCASE AND NEW HORIZONS. In these recessionary times, even the most dedicated music fan is feeling the pinch. With people having less disposable income than ever to spend on life’s essentials like music, it’s always a bonus when a record company releases two albums on one CD. This is what the good people at …
SATOSHI FUMI-COLOURS.
SATOSHI FUMI-COLOURS. The genesis of Satoshi Fumi’s musical career was when he discovered house music in the mid-nineties. It was the house music coming out of Detroit, Chicago and New York that first interested Satoshi. Having discovered dance music, Satoshi embarked upon a life long love of dance music, which lead to a career as …
DISCO RECHARGE: VOYAGE-VOYAGE.
DISCO RECHARGE: VOYAGE-VOYAGE. When Harmless Records launched their new label Disco Recharge back in June 2012, the new label’s first release was Voyage’s eponymous debut album Voyage. Released in 1978, this sees Voyage embark upon a worldwide whistle-top tour, where they pay homage to various styles of music. Their whistle-top tour ends in America, the …
WAH WAH WATSON-ELEMENTARY.
WAH WAH WATSON-ELEMENTARY. Whenever I listen to music, one thing I always do is look at which musicians play on an album. One man whose played on more sessions than the average musician has had gigs, is the one and only Wah Wah Watson, virtuoso guitarist and a man who weaves that unmistakable wah wah …
MY SALSOUL SELECTED AND MIXED BY DANNY KRIVIT.
MY SALSOUL SELECTED AND MIXED BY DANNY KRIVIT. Regular readers of this blog will have noticed that recently, I’ve been writing various articles on Salsoul Records. This has included Mixed With Love-The Walter Gibbons Anthology, Larry Levan-The Definitive Salsoul Mixes 1978-1983 and John Morales-The M&M Mixes which features previously unreleased Salsoul remixes. Many people will …
MYSTIC MERLIN-MYSTIC MERLIN.
MYSTIC MERLIN-MYSTIC MERLIN. Many times, I’ve mentioned how when you’re crate digging in a record shop, desperate for something new to listen to, but finding nothing inspirational, you’ve got to think laterally. One thing I, and many other people I know do, is look for an album cover that stands out. Ideally, you’re looking for …
ARETHA FRANKLIN-ARETHA.
ARETHA FRANKLIN-ARETHA. By 1978 and the end of Aretha Franklin’s time at Atlantic Records, her career had stalled, lost direction. She wasn’t enjoying the hits that were a regular feature of her early Atlantic. Granted there were occasional bright spots, with Break It To Me Gently, which although it gave Aretha a US R&B number …
CHERYL LYNN-INSTANT LOVE.
CHERYL LYNN-INSTANT LOVE. When Cheryl Lynn released her eponymous debut album Cheryl Lynn, it contained a single that since then, has become synonymous with Cheryl, Got To Be Real. It reached number one in the US R&B Charts, while her debut album was certified gold. Since then, Got To Be Real has become a disco …
JOHN MORALES-THE M & M MIXES.
JOHN MORALES-THE M&M MIXES. Over the past few months, I’ve reviewed a number of compilations of remixes from some of the best and highest profile remixers in the history of disco. Recently, I’ve reviewed Mixed With Love-The Walter Gibbons Anthology and Larry Levan-The Definitve Salsoul Remixes 1978, while previously, I reviewed Philadelphia Classics-The Tom Moulton …
MIXED WITH LOVE-THE WALTER GIBBONS ANTHOLOGY.
MIXED WITH LOVE-THE WALTER GIBBONS ANTHOLOGY. Recently, I reviewed Larry Levan-The Definitive Salsoul Mixes 1978-1983 and this provoked some controversy. The controversy was whether Larry actually remixed some of the tracks on the compilation. These rumors weren’t new to me, as they’ve been circulating for many years. I hoped my review would bring these rumors …
THE STAPLE SINGERS-THE STAPLE SINGERS.
THE STAPLE SINGERS-THE STAPLE SINGERS. By the early eighties, The Staple Singers had spent over thirty years performing and recording. Their career started in 1948, with the group singing in churches in the Chicago area. Four years later in 1952, they signed their first record contract, releasing their debut album Uncloudy Day in 1959. Since …
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND-KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND.
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND-KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND. Imagine this scenario. You’re part of a band whose just released your debut album which fails to chart. A year later, you release the followup which not only reaches number one in the US R&B Charts and is certified triple-platinum, but features two singles that reach …
JOHN AND GINA CAREY-THE FAMILY THAT LIVE, LAUGH AND LOVE TOGETHER.
JOHN AND GINA CAREY-THE FAMILY THAT LIVE, LAUGH AND LOVE TOGETHER. This year, 2012, has been a big year for John and Gina Carey, releasing three albums so far. On St. Valentines’ Day 2012, which was quite apt, considering how devoted to a couple they are, they both released their new solo albums. John released …
LARRY LEVAN-THE DEFINITIVE SALSOUL MIXES 1978-1983.
LARRY LEVAN-THE DEFINITIVE SALSOUL MIXES 1978-1983. Recently, when I reviewed Salsoul Nation-Mixed and Compiled By Luke Howard, I mentioned how although Salsoul Records was one of the most important labels of the disco era, but no record company had undertaken a comprehensive and extensive reissue of its back-catalogue. However, not long after I wrote that …
RICHARD SEN PRESENTS THIS AIN’T CHICAGO.
RICHARD SEN PRESENTS THIS AIN’T CHICAGO. When I first received Richard Sen Presents This Ain’t Chicago released on Strut Records in June 2012, I was instantly transported back to 1985, when I first heard the first wave of Chicago House music. Straight away, I realised that things were about to change. This wasn’t just a …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 