Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
CULT CLASSIC: MOGWAI-COME ON DIE YOUNG.
Cult Classic: Mogwai-Come On Die Young. It’s hard to believe that twenty-one years have passed since Mogwai released their sophomore album, Come On Die Young, in March 1999. Back then, Glasgow-based Mogwai were one of the best up-and-coming bands not just in Scotland, but Britain. Since then, Mogwai have established a reputation as one of Britain’s top bands. …
JACKIE MCLEAN-A FICKLE SONANCE.
Jackie McLean-A Fickle Sonance. Label: Blue Note Records. On October the ’26th’ 1961, thirty year old alto-saxophonist Jackie McLean made the now familiar journey to the Van Gelder Studio, at 445 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to record a new album with his quintet. The album became A Fickle Sonance, which was released in …
CULT CLASSIC: THE SEEDS-FUTURE.
Cult Classic: The Seeds-Future. For any band with what might be described as a “generous” recording budget, the temptation to experiment and push musical boundaries must be tantalizing. Especially back in 1967, at the dawn of the psychedelic era. For The Seeds, resisting temptation was impossible. The Seeds can’t be criticised for this. They had …
PACIFIC BREEZE 2: JAPANESE CITY POP AOR AND BOOGIE 1972-1986.
Pacific Breeze 2: Japanese City Pop AOR and Boogie 1972-1986. Label: Light In The Attic Records. Release Date: ‘15th’ of May 2020. In May 2019, Seattle-based Light In The Attic Records released Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR and Boogie 1976-1986 to widespread critical acclaim. This lovingly curated compilation was what many music fans had …
DR. LONNIE SMITH-ALL IN MY MIND.
Dr. Lonnie Smith-All In My Mind. Label: Blue Note Records. Forty-six years after he left Blue Note Records, Dr. Lonnie Smith returned in 2016 and released a new studio album Evolution. It was released to critical acclaim and marked the homecoming of the last of the great soul-jazz organists. His career began in 1960, and …
NKEM NJOKU AND OZZOBIA BROTHERS-OZABIA SPECIAL.
Nkem Njoku and Ozzobia Brothers–Ozobia Special. Label: BBE Africa. Tabansi Records was founded in Nigeria in 1952, and filled a void when major labels like Decca and later, Philips closed the doors on their Nigerian operations. Chief Tabansi, who lent his name to what would become Nigeria’s most important label, recorded artists and then pressed …
ISLANDMAN-KAYBOLA.
Islandman-Kaybola. Label: Music For Dreams. Three years ago in 2017, Islandman released their debut album Rest In Space to widespread critical acclaim. Since then, the Turkish trio have been busy, and have crisscrossed the globe playing gigs in clubs and at festivals. They’ve also spent the best part of two years recording their much-anticipated sophomore …
ROY BUDD-THE INTERNECINE PROJECT.
Roy Budd-The Internecine Project. Label: Trunk Records. By 1974, London born jazz pianist, arranger, bandleader and composer Roy Budd was twenty-seven, and had been performing professionally since the age of fifteen. A year later, he formed his own quartet, and in 1967, released his debut album Roy Budd At Newport. The young pianist was a …
DUKE ELLINGTON, CHARLIE MINGUS, MAX ROACH-MONEY JUNGLE.
Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, Max Roach-Money Jungle. Label: Blue Note Records. On Monday, September the ‘17th’ 1962, bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Max Roach made their way to Sound Makers Studio, in New York. The two friends were en route to a session where they would record an album with one of the giants of …
CULT CLASSIC: ISAAC HAYES MOVEMENT-DISCO CONNECTION.
Cult Classic: Isaac Hayes Movement-Disco Connection. Disco. Never has a musical genre divided opinion like the D word. It’s been described as musical Marmite. People either love disco, or they loathe it. There’s no in-between. However, forty years ago, in 1976, disco’s star was in the ascendancy. Artists were jumping onto the disco bandwagon. …
MASAHIKO SATO-KAYOBI NO ONNA.
Masahiko Sato-Kayobi No Onna. Label: Mitsuko and Svetlana Records. By 1969, Tokyo-born composer and pianist Masahiko Sato about to turn twenty-nine, and had been a professional musician since he was seventeen. He had started out accompanying magicians, singers and strippers in a cabaret in Ginza, a district of Tokyo. Now eleven years later he had …
GRANT GREEN-NIGERIA.
Grant Green-Nigeria. Label: Blue Note Records. On January the ’13th’ 1962 Grant Green journeyed to New Jersey, and what were by now the familiar environs of the Van Gelder Studio. He was twenty-five and had already recorded eight albums for Blue Note Records since he signed for the label in 1960. Grant Green had his …
LEE MORGAN-THE COOKER.
Lee Morgan-The Cooker. Label: Blue Note Records. ’1st’ May 2020. When eighteen year old trumpeter Lee Morgan signed to Blue Note Records as a solo artist in 1956, he was already a prodigious talent and had the potential to become one of the greatest trumpeters of his generation. That talent was soon apparent. Introducing Lee …
SUN RA-CELESTIAL LOVE.
Sun Ra-Celestial Love. Label: Modern Harmonic. Nowadays, maybe music journalists are guilty of using the words innovator and musical pioneer all too freely, but that is the perfect description of the inimitable Sun Ra. He’s quite rightly regarded as one of the true pioneers of free jazz and a truly innovative and influential musician who pushed musical …
CULT CLASSIC: BOB FRANK-BOB FRANK.
Cult Classic: Bob Frank-Bob Frank. In 2007, Jim Dickinson described Bob Frank as: “the best songwriter you never heard.” By then, he had known Bob Frank for forty-five years. Jim Dickinson first met Bob Frank way back in the summer of 1963. Back then, he was part of a group of singers and songwriters hanging out …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 