Author Archive: dereksmusicblog

GUERRILLA GIRLS! SHE-PUNKS AND BEYOND 1975-2016.  

Guerrilla Girls! She-Punks and Beyond 1975-2016. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Eclectic describes the twenty-five tracks on Ace Records new compilation Guerrilla Girls! She-Punks and Beyond 1975-2016. This carefully curated compilation features everything from mid-seventies punk pioneers to leftfield post-punk groups, jangly female pop combos grunge bands and vigilante Riot Grrrl groups of the eighties …

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SPACE, ENERGY AND LIGHT-EXPERIMENTAL  ELECTRONIC AND ACOUSTIC SOUNDSCAPES 1961-88.

Space, Energy and Light-Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88. Label: Soul Jazz Records In 2017, Soul Jazz Records released Space, Energy and Light-Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88 to widespread critical acclaim. The album quickly sold out and has been out-of-print. Now five years later a new edition of this compilation has just been released. …

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THIS IS FLYING DUTCHMAN 1969-1975.

This Is Flying Dutchman 1969-1975. Label: BGP. Format: CD. Release Date: 24th February 2023. Flying Dutchman was the second record label Bob Thiele founded during what was by then, a long, illustrious and successful career. The first was Signature Records in 1939, when he was just seventeen.  However, Signature Records wasn’t Bob Thiele’s first job in music. …

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CULT CLASSIC: MASAO NAKAJIMA QUARTET-KEMO SABE.

Cult Classic: Masao Nakajima Quartet-Kemo Sabe. Masao Nakajima was born in Senzoku, Ohta ward, Tokyo in 1950. His father was a councilman and his mother worked in music and also sang classical music. It was no surprise that her son started playing piano aged seven. In 1959, aged nine,  Masao Nakajima discovered jazz and began …

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CULT CLASSIC: NORIKO MIYAMOTO WITH ISAO SUZUKI-PUSH.

Cult Classic: Noriko Miyamoto With Isao Suzuki-Push. During a long and illustrious career, double bassist Isao Suzuki was one of the most important and influential Japanese jazz artists of his generation. His career began in 1956, and over a career that spanned seven decades he released over fifty solo albums. That’s not all. He also …

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BOB STANLEY/PETE WIGGS PRESENT WINTER OF DISCONTENT.

Bob Stanley/Pete Wiggs Present Winter Of Discontent. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘27th’ January 2023. Karl Marx said that: “history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.” This is true. Proof of this was the Winter of Discontent which took place between November 1978 and February 1979. For four long months strikes …

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LOMA NORTHERN SOUL-CLASSICS AND REVELATIONS 1964-1968.

Loma Northern Soul-Classics and Revelations 1964-1968. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘27th’ January 2023. The Loma Records’ story began in March 1964. That was when Mike Maitland, the Warner Bros president, announced that the label was launching a new imprint. It was to be managed by former PR man and record producer Bob …

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CULT CLASSIC: MOONSHINE AKA MONICA RYPMA AND FRIENDS-CLASSIFIEDS.

Cult Classic: Moonshine aka Monica Rypma and Friends-Classifieds. When Monica Rypma’s released her album Classifieds as a private press in 1985, little did she know that one day, it would be much-prized rarity amongst collectors and fans of the folk-funk genre. That’s why nowadays, original copies of Classifieds are changing hands for ever increasing sums …

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SAMMI SMITH-A CASE OF WHAT COULD’VE BEEN.

Sammi Smith-A Case Of What Might Have Been. Without doubt, country singer singer-songwriter Sammi Smith had a voice, the talent and potential to crossover and become a huge, mainstream star. Her records were cinematic, soul-baring confessionals where her inimitable husky voice veered between melancholy and full of hurt and heartache to sensuous. It sounded as …

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SONGS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS WRITTEN BY LEONARD COHEN.

Songs Of Light and Darkness Written By Leonard Cohen. Label: Ace Records. Format CD. Release Date: ‘25th’ November 2022. Just over six years ago, on October the ’21st’ 2016, Canadian singer-songwriter, novelist and poet Leonard Cohen releasedYou Want It Darker to widespread critical acclaim. Sadly, it turned out to be that last album released during …

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WHERE SOUL BEGINS…KENT MODERN-FOR DANCERS FORTY.

Where Soul Begins…Kent Modern-For Dancers Forty. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: 25th November 2022. In 1982, a new label, Kent Records, released its first ever compilation, For Dancers Only to widespread critical acclaim. It was released to critical acclaim and was hailed a commercial success. This landmark compilation was also the start of …

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THE LIBRARY ARCHIVE VOLUME 1 AND 2-FUNK, JAZZ, BEATS AND SOUNDTRACKS FROM THE ARCHIVES OF CAVENDISH MUSIC-COMPILED BY MR THING AND CHRIS READ.

The Library Archive Volume 1 and 2-Funk, Jazz, Beats and Soundtracks From The Archives Of Cavendish Music-Compiled By Mr Thing and Chris Read. Label: BBE Music. Format: 2CD Set. The names Sonoton, De Woife, Amphonic, Conroy and Cavendish Music roll off the tongue of aficionados of library music. This ranges from a coterie of collectors …

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MASAO NAKAJIMA QUARTET-KEMO SABE.

Masao Nakajima Quartet-Kemo Sabe. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Masao Nakajima was born in Senzoku, Ohta ward, Tokyo in 1950. His father was a councilman and his mother worked in music and also sang classical music. It was no surprise that her son started playing piano aged seven. In 1959, aged nine,  Masao Nakajima discovered …

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DO IT AGAIN! THE SONGS OF BRIAN WILSON.

Do It Again! The Songs Of Brian Wilson. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD Release Date: ‘28th’ October 2022. Brian Wilson is seen by some as the closest thing music has had to a genius. Proponents of this argument cite the Beach Boys 1966 progressive, psychedelic Magnus Opus Pet Sounds. By then, he was one of …

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NORIKO MIYAMOTO WITH ISAO SUZUKI-PUSH.

Noriko Miyamoto With Isao Suzuki-Push. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. During a long and illustrious career, double bassist Isao Suzuki was one of the most important and influential Japanese jazz artists of his generation. His career began in 1956, and over a career that spanned seven decades he released over fifty solo albums. That’s not …

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PER HUSBY SEPTETT-PEACEMAKER.

Per Husby Septett-Peacemaker. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Release Date: 21st October 2022. Growing up, Per Husby never dreamt of becoming a musician. That was despite music playing an important part in his life.  Initially he took piano lessons and later, enrolled in a correspondence course from Berklee that covered elementary jazz theory and the principles …

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THE MICK COX BAND-THE MICK COX BAND.

The Mick Cox Band-The Mick Cox Band. Label: Another Planet Music. Format: CD. Mick Cox was born in Gillingham, Kent, in 1943. His father was a bandsman in the Royal Marines, and he encouraged his son to play classical piano as a child. However, by the time he was eleven, and attending Grammar Schoo,l he …

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A SNAPSHOT IN TIME.

A Snapshot In Time. Ace Records. Format: CD. Ever since the birth of rock ’n’ roll,  youth cults have come and gone. Some have proven to be nothing more than passing fads that nowadays, and nowadays, are mere footnotes in cultural history. Some youth cults have endured and played an important part in British culture. However, …

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WRAP IT UP-THE ISAAC HAYES AND DAVID PORTER SONGBOOK.

Wrap It Up-The Isaac Hayes and David Porter Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. One of the most important songwriting partnerships in the history of Stax Records was Isaac Hayes and David Porter. They started writing together towards the end of 1964, and success came quickly for the pair when …

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TRIP ON ME-SOFT PSYCH AND SUNSHINE (1966-1969).

Trip On Me-Soft Psych and Sunshine (1966-1969). Label: Big Beat Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. The perfect soundtrack to a long hot summer is Trip On Me-Soft Psych and Sunshine (1966-1969). It’s a lovingly curated collection of late-sixtes California sunshine pop and psych nuggets from the vaults of various independent labels and …

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