Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
KING CRIMSON-LARK’S TONGUES IN ASPIC.
King Crimson-Lark’s Tongues In Aspic. Lable: Panegyric. Release Date: ‘12th’ June 2020. In October 1969, King Crimson announced their arrival when they released their critically acclaimed debut album, In The Court Of The Crimson King. This future progressive rock classic reached number five in the UK, and was certified gold in America, when it reached number twenty-eight. Following the success of In The …
HANK MOBLEY-POPPIN’.
Hank Mobley-Poppin’. Label: Blue Note Records. Musically, Hank Mobley was a late starter, and first picked up a saxophone was when he was sixteen, and suffering from an illness that meant he had to stay at home for several months. By then, he was living in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and was finding that the days …
LEE MORGAN-THE RUMPROLLER.
Lee Morgan-The Rumproller. Label: Blue Note Records. In 1964, twenty-six year old hard bop trumpeter Lee Morgan’s career was transformed when he enjoyed a crossover hit with The Sidewinder. Instantly recognisable and incredibly catchy, it became a jazz standard and nowadays, is regarded as Lee Morgan’s best known composition. Buoyed by the success of the …
AKSAK MABOUL-FIGURES.
Aksak Maboul-Figures. Label: Crammed Discs. Nowadays, there aren’t many bands that are still together and releasing new albums after five decades. The same can be said of record labels founded in the seventies. Sadly, bands and record labels aren’t enjoying the same longevity in the modern music business. All too often, bands release a couple …
CULT CLASSIC: THE MONKEES-HEAD.
Cult Classic: The Monkees-Head. On September the ‘8th’ 1965, the Daily Variety contained an advert that said: “Folk & Roll Musicians-Singers for acting roles in new TV series.” This was a new sitcom that had been written by Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider about a struggling rock band from Los Angeles. The new sitcom would …
CULT CLASSIC: NICOLETTE LARSON-ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO.
Cult Classic: Nicolette Larson-All Dressed Up and No Place To Go. Nowadays, far too many people are scared to follow their dream and instead, settle for second best and the drudgery of working 9-5. Sadly, it’s only much later, when it’s too late, that they realise what they gave up and what might have been. …
HILLBILLIES IN HELL-COUNTRY MUSIC’S TORMENTED TESTAMENT (1952-1974) VOLUME X.
Hillbillies In Hell-Country Music’s Tormented Testament (1952-1974) Volume X. Label: Iron Mountain Analogue Research. Release Date: “8th’ June 2020. One genre that divides the opinion of critics and music lovers is country music. It’s been referred to as Marmite music, you either like it or loathe it. There’s plenty of people love country music and …
EDDIE HARRIS-THE IN SOUND.
Eddie Harris-The In Sound. Label: Pure Pleasure Records. When Eddie Harris released The In Sound on Atlantic Records in late 1965, the Chicago born jazz saxophonist was thirty-four, and had already established a reputation as a versatile, inventive and innovative musician. That was despite only releasing his debut album Exodus To Jazz on Vee-Jay Records …
THE BLUE NILE-HIGH
The Blue Nile-High. Label: Confetti Records. Format: Vinyl. Release Date: ‘5th’ June 2020. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe The Blue Nile. They’re the complete opposite of most bands. The Blue Nile have been described as publicity shy. That’ is an understatement. Ever since Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and Paul Joseph …
CULT CLASSIC: TEENAGE FANCLUB- TALES FROM NORTHERN BRITAIN.
Cult Classic: Teenage Fanclub-Tales From Northern Britain. There aren’t many Scottish bands have enjoyed the longevity and commercial success that Teenage Fanclub have enjoyed over the past four decades. Scotland’s Kings of jangle pop have been together for thirty-one years, released ten albums and toured the world several times and are still going strong. However, like many bands before them, it took a couple of albums …
CULT CLASSIC: MACARTHUR-MACARTHUR.
Cult Classic: MacArthur-MacArthur. Having completed a tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps, Ben MacArthur returned home to Sagina, Michigan in 1977. By then, jobs were few and far between, and it looked as if a recession was about to hit the rustbelt. It was hardly the welcome home he had envisaged. The …
DR JOHN-DR JOHN’S GUMBO.
Dr John-Dr John’s Gumbo. Label: Music On Vinyl. Release Date: ‘29th’ May 2020. Success didn’t come overnight for the late, great Dr John. His first three albums failed to chart and his fourth album The Sun, Moon and Herbs stalled at 184 in the US Billboard 200 in August 1971. This was progress for one of music’s great survivors. He was on his way and returned in …
PETE LA ROCA-BASRA.
Pete La Roca-Basra. Label: Blue Note Records. Sadly, Pete La Roca’s career is another case of what might have been. The New York born jazz drummer only released a triumvirate of solo albums during an eventful career that promised much. During the early years of his career he worked with Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Tony …
SEAHAWKS-ISLAND VISIONS.
Seahawks-Island Visions. Label: Be With Records. Ten years ago in 2010, Jon Tye and Pete Fowler embarked upon a new chapter in their career when they released Ocean Trippin’, which was their debut album as Seahawks. Since then, the intrepid musical explorers have released at least one, sometimes two or even three albums a year. …
CULT CLASSIC: LARAAJI: VISION SONGS VOLUME 1.
Cult Classic: Laraaji: Vision Songs Volume 1. During a career that has spanned five decades, American multi-instrumentalist Laraaji has released around thirty albums and countless collaborations. Many of these albums were self released by Laraaji on cassettes, and feature his unique and inimitable genre-melting sound. This best described as a fusion of ambient, avant-garde, experimental …
LOST ALBUM FOUND: TAPIMAN-HARD DRIVE.
Lost Album Found: Tapiman-Hard Drive. During the seventies, the hard rocking Spanish power trio Tapiman, released a trio of albums between 1972 and 1979. This includes Tapiman, which is a cult classic, that nowadays, changes hands for over £800. It was, without doubt Tapiman’s finest hour. Sadly, these three albums amount to everything that Tapiman …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 