Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
THE MONKEES-HEAD
The Monkees-Head. Label: Rhino. 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 …
LA TORRE IBIZA: VOLUMEN TRES.
La Torre Ibiza: Volumen Tres. Label: Hostal La Torre. The nineties and early noughties were the golden age for what was referred to as Balearic, chill out or downtempo music. Many of these lovingly curated compilations were released on smaller independent labels and featured a mixture of the new and old, from familiar faces and new names. Some of these …
CATFISH HODGE-THE EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND YEARS.
Catfish Hodge-The Eastbound and Westbound Years. Great things were expected of Bob “Catfish” Hodge who was born into a musical family in Detroit, and began playing in clubs when he was still in high school. Before long, he was a regular in Detroit’s clubs despite not being able to read music. Music came naturally to …
J JAZZ VOLUME 2-DEEP MODERN JAZZ FROM JAZZ 1969-1983 -VINYL VERSION.
J Jazz Volume 2–Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969–1983-Vinyl Version. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘6th’ September 2019. Music is a universal language, and something that binds us all, regardless of what part of planet earth we’re from, music is ever present, and a part of our life. It’s hard to imagine daily life without …
BEAUTIFUL FREAKS-WAVING OUR FLAG HIGH, WAVE ON, WAVE ON: MUSIC FROM THE ORIGINAL COUNTER CULTURE
Beautiful Freaks-Waving Our Flag High, Wave On, Wave On: Music From The Original Counter Culture. Label: TAD. The TAD label recently released Beautiful Freaks-Waving Our Flag High, Wave On, Wave On: Music From The Original Counter Culture, which is another lovingly curated compilation that is a cut above the competition. This eighteen track, two CD celebration …
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE-IN STEP-VINYL.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble-In Step-Vinyl. Label: Music On Vinyl. Just like countless other musicians, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career is a story of triumph and tragedy. He spent eleven years struggling to make a breakthrough, and during that period, Stevie Ray Vaughan spent six years as a sideman, which was akin to a musical apprenticeship. Having served his …
ARTHUR-ANOTHER CASE OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Arthur-Another Case Of What Might Have Been. The story of Arthur Lee Harper is a familiar one. He was a talented singer-songwriter who looked as if he was destined for great things. Sadly, that proved not to be the case. Arthur only ever released one album, Dreams and Images which was released on Lee Hazelwood’s …
THE STORY OF DAMON AND HIS PSYCHEDELIC CULT CLASSIC, SONG OF A GYPSY.
The Story Of Damon and His Psychedelic Cult Classic, Song Of A Gypsy. For any collector of psychedelia whose fortunate enough to find a copy of Damon’s Song Of A Gypsy, it quickly becomes one of their most prized possessions. Sadly, finding an original copy of Song Of A Gypsy is another thing. It’s one of the rarest psychedelic …
THE DAISY AGE.
The Daisy Age. Label: Ace Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. When is a movement not a movement? When it’s the Daisy Age, which was never really a movement. It’s been described more like an ethos or set of principles that for a short while, pervaded into hip hop, R&B and even pop. The ironic …
TABANSI SAMPLER.
Tabansi Sampler. Label: BBE Africa. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. Over the next two years, BBE Africa, an imprint of BBE Music, will release around sixty albums from the Tabansi Records vaults. This is part of their Tabansi Gold reissue series, which got underway recently, and is a reminder of what’s the most important, influential …
LOS ANGELES SOUL VOLUME 2-KENT-MODERN’S BLACK MUSIC LEGACY 1963-197
Los Angeles Soul Volume 2-Kent-Modern’s Black Music Legacy 1963-1971. Label: Kent Soul. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. Four-and-a-half years ago, in February 2015, Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records, released Los Angeles Soul-Kent-Modern’s Black Music Legacy to plaudits and praise. Critics and music fans wondered if there would be a followup to this lovingly …
LIVE IT UP! BAYSWATER BEAT GIRLS 1964-1967.
Live It Up! Bayswater Beat Girls 1964-1967. Label: Ace Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. It’s hard to believe that it was back in the nineties, when the Brit Girls genre was born, and record companies started releasing the first ever compilations. Little did anyone realise back then, that this new genre would thrive and over …
NKONO TELES-PARTY BEATS.
Nkono Teles–Party Beats. BBE Africa. 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 …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BOB LIND.
The Life and Times Of Bob Lind. Bob Lind, it’s fair to say, is a many of many talents. He started life as a singer-songwriter in 1965, and helped define the folk rock genre. His debut single Elusive Butterfly gave Bob a hit single on both sides of the Atlantic in 1966. Five years and four albums …
DYTOMOTE STARLITE BAND OF GHANA-DYTOMOTE STARLITE BAND OF GHANA
Dytomite Starlite Band Of Ghana-Dytomite Starlite Band Of Ghana. Label: BBE Africa. During the seventies and eighties, the Tabansi label was, without doubt, the most important and influential Nigerian record label, and consistently released groundbreaking music. Tabansi also discovered and nurtured many of Nigeria’s most successful artists. However, Tabansi also released albums by artists and bands …
ZACH AND GEEBAH-FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY.
Zack and Geebah– For The Love Of Money. Label: BBE Africa. Tabansi Records was founded in Nigeria in 1950, and filled a void when major labels like Decca and then Philips closed the doors on their Nigerian operations. Chief (Dr) G.A.D. Tabansi, who lent his name to what would become Nigeria’s most important label, recorded …
REGGIE YOUNG: SESSION PLAYER TO THE STARS.
Reggie Young: Session Player To The Stars. There aren’t many musicians whose career spans seven decades and get to work with the great and good of music including Elvis Presley, JJ Cale, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Neil Diamond and Dusty Springfield. They’re just a few of the musicians that Reggie Young has worked with during his long …
BEN JAGGA-HOLD ON PRETTY WOMAN.
Ben Jagga-Hold On Pretty Woman. Label: BBE Africa. Nowadays, every third rate, regional bar band has delusions of becoming the next Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple or Black Sabbath, and spend their days dreaming of fame and fortune. Alas, these poor deluded fools shouldn’t give up their day job and should stick to pumping gas and parking cars because they usually …
ALAN PRICE AND THE ANIMALS’ GOLDEN YEARS: 1964-1969.
Alan Price and The Animals’ Golden Years: 1964-1969. So much can happen to a band in just five years, and The Animals were proof of this. They released their eponymous debut album in September 1964, and over the next few years, became one of the biggest of the British Invasion bands. However, by 1969, The Animals’ story was …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 