Author Archive: dereksmusicblog

CULT CLASSIC: YASUAKI SHIMIZU-MUSIC FOR COMMERCIALS: MADE TO MEASURE VOLUME 12.

Cult Classic: Yasuaki Shimizu-Music For Commercials: Made To Measure Volume 12. In 1980, musician and producer Marc Hollander founded his own record label Crammed Discs in the Belgian capital Brussels. Later that year, his avant-rock group Aksak Maboul released their groundbreaking sophomore album Un Peu de l’Âme des Bandits on Crammed Discs. Little did Marc …

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SPIRITUAL JAZZ 12: IMPULSE!

Spiritual Jazz 12: Impulse! Label: Jazzman Records. Format: 2CD. Little did anyone at Jazzman Records know when they released Spiritual Jazz (Esoteric, Modal and Deep Jazz From The Underground 1968-77) in 2008, that this was the first instalment in what would become their longest-running and most successful compilation series. Over the next twelve years, they’ve …

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DR JOHN-REMEDIES-RECORD STORE DAY 2020.

Dr John-Remedies-Record Store Day 2020. Label: Get On Down. Format: LP Although Dr John eventually won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2011, commercial success and critical acclaim didn’t come overnight for the great showman who released thirty studio albums and nine live albums during a career that spanned six  decades where his …

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RONNIE HEREL PRESENTS NEO SOUL SESSIONS VOL. 1.

Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘9th’ November 2020. DJ and producer Ronnie Herel began DJ-ing in London’s clubs in the eighties, and by the nineties he was already a familiar face as he continued to champion the best in soulful music in Britain. This was …

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AMBIANCE-INTO A NEW JOURNEY.

Ambiance-Into A New Journey. Label: BBE MUSIC. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘19th’ September 2020.  During the seven year period between 1979 and 1986, Ambiance led by Nigerian born multi-instrumentalist Daoud Abubakar Balewa released six albums on the LA-based private press label Da Mon Records. It was a self-financed business that released short runs of Ambiance’s …

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CULT CLASSIC: KEITH JARRETT, GARY PEACOCK AND JACK DEJOHNETTE-AFTER THE FALL.

Cult Classic: Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette-After The Fall. Imagine that one day, you’re struck down by a mystery illness, and go from being healthy to constantly exhausted, with your head, muscles and joints constantly aching. All you want to do is sleep, sleep and sleep some more. Even then, you don’t feel …

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CULT CLASSIC: NKONO TELES-PARTY BEATS.

Cult Classic: Nkono Teles–Party Beats. During Tabansi Records’ long and illustrious history, few people made the same impact as Nkono Teles, who was born in  Cameroun, but grew up in Nigeria. That was where in 1952, Chief Tabansi founded the label he lent his name to, Tabansi Records. Three decades later, groundbreaking composer, engineer,  multi-instrumentalist …

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CULT CLASSIC: THE NAZGÛL-THE NAZGÛL.

Cult Classic: The Nazgûl-The Nazgûl. Pyramid Records was founded by forty-year old British expat Robin Page, in 1972. By then , he  was one of the leading lights  in the Fluxus arts movement . He had moved from London, England to Cologne, in Germany, in 1969, and the city had been his home ever since. However, Robin Page …

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BRUTON, BRUTOFF: THE AMBIENT AND PASTORAL SIDE OF THE BRUTON LIBRARY CATALOGUE.

Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient  and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library. Label: Trunk. Format: LP. Compared to KPM, DeWolfe, Amphonic, Conroy and Sonoton, Bruton Music Library was a relative latecomer to the world of library music. The company was formed in 1977 by Robin Phillips who previously, had run KPM Music and transformed the company …

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SOHO SCENE ’66 ‘67-JAZZ GOES MOD.

Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod. Label: Rhythm & Blues Records. During 1966, the mods with their carefully cultivated image were still a familiar sight and sound in towns and cities the length and breadth of Britain as they rode around on their Lambretta or Vespa scooters. They still sported tailor-made suits, button-down collar shirts, thin …

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MOTORPSYCHO-THE ALL IS ONE. 

Motorpsycho-The All Is One. Label: Rune Grammofon. Format: 2CD. Motorpsycho was formed in Trondheim, in October 1989 and released their debut album Lobotomizer in 1991. Since then, they’ve been one of hardest working and prolific bands in Norway. Last year, the Norwegian rockers released two albums and toured Norway and Europe twice. That would’ve been …

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CULT CLASSIC: TERRY REID-THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.

Cult Classic: Terry Reid-The Other Side Of The River. For many people, Terry Reid is music’s nearly man. He could’ve been the lead vocalist of two of the biggest rock bands in musical history. Sadly, that wasn’t to be, and instead,Terry Reid decided to concentrate on his solo career.   He went on to release six …

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LOST CLASSIC FOUND: THELONIOUS MONK-MONK.

Lost Classic Found: Thelonious Monk-Monk. Over the last few years, the fashion has been for a minimalism within the hipper home, and it has been fashionable to declutter and adopt a less is more look. Some people have been so keen to declutter that they don’t seem to care about what they thrown away. However, …

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CULT CLASSIC: MARIANNE FAITHFUL- LOVE IN A MIST.

Cult Classic: Marianne Faithful-Love In A Mist. By March 1964, it was apparent that pop music wasn’t just a passing fad. By then, The Beatles were a global phenomenon and the British Invasion of the American charts had just begun. Britain was a now musical powerhouse that the world envied. Despite this, many labels weren’t …

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CULT CLASSIC: EJI OYEWOLE-CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.

Cult Classic: Eji Oyewole-Charity Begins At Home. During the sixties and seventies, the Nigerian music scene was thriving and new bands were  being formed on a  daily basis. Similarly, many new artists were making an impression on Nigerian music during this period. This included  flautist, saxophonist and future bandleader Eji Oyewole. He was born in Ibadan, the city …

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DIRTY WORK GOING ON-KENT AND MODERN RECORDS BLUES INTO THE 60s VOL 1.

Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1. Label: Ace. Format: CD. As the fifties gave way to the sixties, musical tastes were changing and soul music’s popularity started to grow. By then, new labels were  being launched across America and labels like Stax, Atlantic and Motown were among the …

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NEW BREED R&B-SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL.

New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special. Label: Kent Dance. Format: CD. In 2001, Ady Croasdell coined the phrase New Breed R&B when he was  compiling a new compilation for Kent Dance. This was New Breed R&B: Soulful 60’s Blues For Today’s Dancers, which featured a selection of songs from the original Kent and Modern labels.  When …

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GIRLS WITH GUITARS KNOW WHY!

Girls With Guitars Know Why! Label: Ace Records. Format: LP. There are very few compilation series that are still going strong after thirty-one years. Often, the compiler has run out of material or musical tastes have changed. However, Ace Records’ Girls With Guitars compilation series is still going strong after thirty-one years and six volumes. …

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SAINT ETIENNE PRESENT SONGS FOR THE FOUNTAIN COFFEE ROOM.

Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD.  Recently, Ace Records released the much-anticipated third instalment in the “Saint Etienne Present” series which are best described as soundtracks for places which are either real and imaginary. This time around, Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs have compiled Saint …

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CULT CLASIC: SUPER ELCADOS-TOGETHER IS ALWAYS A GOOD VENTURE-TAMBOURINE PARTY VOLUME 2.

Cult Classic: Super Elcados–Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2. During the early sixties, a  musical revolution took place in Ghana, when musicians started combining elements of West African musical genres including highlife and fuji music which they fused with American funk and jazz. Playing an important part important part in this new …

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