Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
HAPPY IN HOLLYWOOD-THE PRODUCTIONS OF GARY USHER.
Happy In Hollywood-The Productions Of Gary Usher. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2022. Although Gary Usher was born in Los Angeles, California, on December ‘14th’ 1938, he spent his childhood and teenage years living in New England. That was where his lifelong love affair with music began. Growing up, music was …
MASTERPIECES OF MODERN SOUL VOLUME 6.
Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 6. Label: Kent Dance. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2022. Almost nineteen years ago, in October 2003, Kent Soul released the first instalment in the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul series. Since then, another six volumes have been released. The first came in January 2009, when Masterpieces Of Modern Soul …
ATLANTA SOUL ARTISTRY 1965-1975.
Atlanta Soul Artistry 1965-1975. Label: Kent Soul. Format: LP. Atlanta’s black music scene started to thrive during the fifties and sixties. However, one of the most important figures during the sixtes was Bill Haney. He was a producer, songwriter and owner of Down South Productions who was responsible for some of the finest Southern Soul …
FUNKADELIC’S GREATEST HITS.
Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits. Label: Westbound. Format: CD. Nowadays, most albums released in 1975 have been reissued at least once. An exception is Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits compilation which was originally released in 1975. That’s about to change when Westbound, an imprint of Ace Records reissues this ten track CD. It’s been newly remastered and is a …
BOB STANLEY AND PETE WIGGS PRESENT FELL FROM THE SKY: DOWNTEMPO AND AFTER HOURS 1990-91.
Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Present Fell From The Sky: Downtempo and After Hours 1990-91. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘1st’ July 2022. House music arrived in Britain in 1987 and instantly transformed the musical landscape. Just like disco a decade earlier, it went on to provided the soundtrack for a generation in clubs …
NIMBUS SEXTET-FORWARD THINKER.
Nimbus Sextet-Forward Thinker. Label: Acid Jazz Records. Format: CD. It was just over three years ago when Nimbus Sextet signed to Acid Jazz Records in the spring of 2019. A lot has happened since then. The group recently released their sophomore album Forward Thinker, and are now regarded as one of the leading lights of the …
MOONSHINE AKA MONICA RYPMA AND FRIENDS-CLASSIFIEDS.
Moonshine aka Monica Rypma and Friends-Classifieds. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Release Date: 17th June 2022. When BBE Music recently released the compilation We Are The Children Of The Sun, one of the highlights was Monica Rypma’s Let Love Flow, a hook-laden Balearic groove hidden gem. The track was a tantalising taste of the album …
THE COUNT BISHOPS-THE COUNT BISHOPS.
The Count Bishops-The Count Bishops. Label: Chiswick. Format: LP. During 1977, a genre that has continued to divide opinion was at the peak of its popularity, punk. This anti music was championed by critics and cultural commentators who were willing to overlook that many of the musical charlatans within punk bands could barely play their …
THE PRISONERS-THE LAST FOURFATHERS.
The Prisoners-The Last Fourfathers. Label: Big Beat Records. Format: LP. Musical history is littered with the story of groups who could’ve gone on to enjoy a long and successful career. This includes The Prisoners, who were one of the leading lights of the Medway Scene. They were formed in Rochester, Kent in 1980, and released four albums. This included The Last …
WILLIAM BELL-NEVER LIKE THIS BEFORE.
William Bell-Never Like This Before. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Veteran Southern Soul man William Bell was born William Yarbrough on July the ’16th’ 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, he sang in church and was inspired by the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, who at the time, were led by Sam Cooke. By the …
WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN.
We Are The Children Of The Sun. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Recently, BBE released the compilation We Are The Children Of The Sun, which was compiled by DJ and renowned crate digger Paul Hillery, who is one of leading lights of folk-funk scene. This new compilation offers a tantalising taste of a genre that …
LADIES SING THE BOSS.
Ladies Sing The Boss. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. On the ‘5th’ January 1973, Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Forty years later the album was ranked at No. 379 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. By then, the man known simply as The Boss was well …
LUKE UNA PRESENTS E SOUL CULTURA.
Luke Una Presents E Soul Cultura. Label: Mr. Bongo. Format: CD. Each week, countless new compilations are released into what’s become an increasingly competitive marketplace. These compilations are released by indies and major labels in the hope that this is the start of a lucrative and long-running series. However, the reality is that most will …
NEW YORK CITY BLUES.
New York City Blues. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. The golden age of blues in New York was between the forties and sixties. By then, many people had moved from the southeastern states and brought with them southern rural music. Soon, blues music was being heard in ballrooms, clubs, theatres and on the streets of …
SOUL DROPS.
Soul Drops. Label: Acid Jazz Records and Miles Away Records. Format: CD. In April 2019, Acid Jazz Records and Miles Away Records decided to reissue some of their favourite 45s. This included many soul sides released from 1969 onwards. Many of them were long out of print and nowadays, are real rarities coveted by crate …
DUSTY SINGS SOUL.
Dusty Sings Soul. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Dusty Springfield’s love of soul and R&B was apparent from the very start of a solo career that spanned three decades. Between 1964 and 1995 she released fifteen studio albums. However, she was at the peak of her powers when signed to Philips Records. Especially on the …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 