Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
THE LONDON AMERICAN LABEL YEAR BY YEAR 1967.
The London American Label Year By Year 1967. Label: Ace Records. For a generation of British teenagers who embarked upon a lifelong love affair with music during the fifties and sixties, the London American Recordings will forever have a place in their heart. London American Recordings was the label that introduced a British music lovers …
THE BLUE NILE-PEACE AT LAST.
The Blue Nile-Peace At Last. Label: Confetti Records. The Blue Nile were no ordinary band and did things their way. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe the Blue Nile, whose third album Peace At Last has just been reissued by Confetti Records on vinyl. It’s a welcome reissue of The Blue Nile’s third album. Originally, Peace At …
CULT CLASSIC: MILLIE JACKSON-STILL CAUGHT UP.
Cult Classic: Millie Jackson-Still Caught Up. There’s nothing worse than not hearing how a story ends, and that was how many record buyers felt after hearing Millie Jackson’s critically acclaimed fourth album Caught Up, which was released in 1974. Caught Up was essentially a concept album, but in truth was like a musical soap opera about …
CULT CLASSIC: JOHN MARTYN-LIVE AT LEEDS.
Cult Classic: John Martyn-Live At Leeds. In January 1975, John Martyn released his eighth studio album, Sunday’s Child. John had been away from the studio for fifteen months. His previous album, Inside Out, was released in October 1973. Since then, John had been concentrating on touring. However, in August 1974, John headed to Island Studios, …
CULT CLASSIC: NAZ NOMAD AND THE NIGHTMARES-GIVE DADDY THE KNIFE CINDY.
Cult Classic: Naz Nomad and The Nightmares-Give Daddy The Knife Cindy. In 1984, London based Big Beat Records released Naz Nomad and The Nightmares’ album Give Daddy The Knife Cindy. At first glance, it looked like the reissue of a soundtrack to a low budget American horror film. Especially, when the album cover stated copyright …
LUMAN DRONES-UMBRA.
Lumen Drones-Umbra. Label: Hubro Music. Four years after Lumen Drones released their critically acclaimed eponymous debut album on ECM Records in late-2015, Nils Økland, Per Steinar Lie and Ørjan Haaland recently return with their much-anticipated followup Umbra, which was released on Hubro Music. Umbra is an epic album that doesn’t disappoint and marks the welcome …
CULT CLASSIC: JAMES LUTHER DICKINSON-DIXIE FRIED.
Cult Classic: Luther Dickinson-Dixie Fried. All too often, artists spend days, weeks and sometimes even months recording their debut album. Eventually, the album is complete, and it’s delivered to the record company. Nervously and expectantly the artist awaits as the record company plan a marketing campaign. If the artist is signed to a major label, it …
CULT CLASSIC: SAM DEES-THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
Cult Classic: Sam Dees-The Show Must Go On. Sam Dees is, without doubt, one of music’s best kept secrets and has been described as one of the best singers you’ve never heard. His career began back in the late-sixties but sadly, commercial success and critical acclaim never came Sam Dees’ way. As a result, nowadays he’s better known …
CULT CLASSIC: BETTYE CRUTCHER-LONG AS YOU LOVE ME.
Cult Classic: Bettye Crutcher-As Long As You Love Me. For Bettye Crutcher, getting a foothold in the male-dominated world of Memphis songwriting wasn’t easy. Her songs already been rejected by Willie Mitchell at Hi Records. Willie told her he’d already got Don Bryant signed to Hi Records. Don had already established himself as a successful and …
CULT CLASSIC: SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA-THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
Cult Classic: Sun Ra and His Arkestra-The Other Side Of The Street. Nowadays, music journalists are guilty of using the words innovator and pioneer for too freely, but that is the perfect description of the inimitable Sun Ra. He’s now regarded as one of the true pioneers of free jazz and a truly innovative …
CULT CLASSIC: SARAH VAUGHAN-A TIME IN MY LIFE.
Cult Classic: Sarah Vaughan-A Time In My Life. By 1971, when Sarah Vaughan released A Time In My Life on Mainstream Records, she had established a reputation as one of jazz’s premier vocalists. She had come a long way since winning the Amateur Night at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre, in 1942. Back then, Sarah was just …
CULT CLASSIC: HAROLD LAND-CHOMA (BURN).
Cult Classic: Harold Land-Choma (Burn). Musically, Harold Land was a late developer. Growing up in Houston he never showed any interest in learning to play an instrument. Then in 1944, when he was sixteen, Harold heard Coleman Hawkins recording of Body and Soul. This was a life-changing experience. After this, Harold decided to learn how to …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 