Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
BETTY HARRIS-NEW ORLEANS’ LOST SOUL QUEEN.
Betty Harris-New Orleans’ Lost Soul Queen. Not every artist is fortunate enough to enjoy a long and illustrious career where they enjoyed commercial success and critical acclaim. For many artists, it’s quite the opposite and their career is cut short, and is over before it has even began. That was the case with Florida born singer Betty Harris, whose career lasted …
L.A. EXPRESS: TOM SCOTT’S SHORT-LIVED JAZZ SUPERGROUP.
L.A. Express: Tom Scott’s Short-Lived Supergroup. Musical history is littered with artists and groups that never enjoyed the commercial success that their music deserved. That was the case with L.A. Express an oft-0verlooked fusion supergroup who released a quartet of albums between 1973 and 1976. Sadly, these albums never found the audience they deserved and it was only later, that L.A. Express’ music started to be appreciated by jazz …
CREAM BRITAIN’S FIRST AND BEST SUPERGROUP?
Cream-Britain’s First and Best Supergroup. It was in July 1966, when Britain’s first supergroup, Cream was born. Eric Clapton who was regarded as the greatest British blues guitarist of his generation, was looking beyond life with John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers. That was the group Eric Clapton had joined after his departure from The Yarbirds. By July …
THE RISE, DEMISE AND RETURN OF SKID ROW.
The Rise, Demise and Return Of Skid Row. By late 1967, Dublin’s vibrant rock scene was thriving with many newly founded bands playing in universities and clubs around the city. Some were already spreading their wings, and heading further afield taking their music to other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Its music scene had come a …
THE STORY OF THOS. RAPP AND PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.
The Story Of Thos. Rapp and Pearls Before Swine. When Pearls Before Swine released their fifth album City Of Gold in April 1969. it was the first album credited to Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine. This seemed only fair, as Tom Rapp was the only original member of Pearls Before Swine left. The rest of the …
PHIL SEYMOUR-THE PRINCE OF POWER POP.
Phil Seymour-The Prince Of Power Pop- Sadly, not every artist goes on to enjoy a long and successful musical career, and their star shines only briefly. That was the case with Nick Drake and Gram Parsons, whose tragic and untimely deaths cut short what could’ve and should’ve been a long and successful career. Neither of …
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JEANETTE JONES?
Whatever Happened To Jeanette Jones? The history of soul music is littered with artists who could’ve and should’ve gone on to greater things, but for whatever reason, commercial success and critical acclaim passed them by. That, sadly, was the case with Jeanette Jones. She had talent in abundance, and a voice that was a mixture …
MELVIN SPARKS-FIVE FRUITFUL YEARS 1970-1975.
Melvin Sparks-Five Fruitful Years 1970-1975. Although American jazz and blues guitarist Melvin Sparks enjoyed a career that spanned five decades, the most fruitful period of his career was the seventies, when he released five albums between 1970 and 1975. Melvin Sparks’ career began at Prestige Records, where he released a triumvirate of albums between 1970 …
CYMBELINE-SWEDEN’S LOST GROUP.
Cymbeline-Sweden’s Lost Group. Nowadays, Norway and Sweden both have vibrant and thriving music scenes, where pioneering musicians record and release some of the most ambitious, important and innovative music that is currently being released in Europe. This is nothing new, and both countries have a long and illustrious musical history stretching back to the early …
LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS-PURVEYORS OF PERFECT AND CEREBRAL POP.
Lloyd Cole and The Commotions-Purveyors Of Perfect and Cerebral Pop. With Lloyd Cole about to hit these shores on the latest leg of his 2016 tour, this seems a perfect time to look back at the band he made his name with, Lloyd Cole and The Commotions. They were one of the finest purveyors of perfect pop …
SAM DEES-“A PROLIFIC SONGWRITER AND OCCASIONAL PERFORMER.”
Sam Dees-“A Prolific Songwriter and Occasional Performer.” For many artists their career is a case of what might have been, and sadly, that has been the case with Sam Dees. He had the talent and potential to become one of the biggest names in soul music. Sadly, Sam Dees didn’t enjoy the commercial success and critical acclaim that …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PAUL BRADY.
The Life and Times Of Paul Brady. When Irish singer-songwriter Paul Brady celebrates his seventy-second birthday on the ‘19th’ of May 2019, one of the elder statesmen of Irish music will have spent fifty-four years as a professional musician, first with The Kull, then The Johnstons and Planxty. Then in 1976, Paul Brady and Andy …
THE RISE AND DEMISE OF FREE.
The Rise and Demise Of Free It’s not often that someone get the opportunity to witness history being made. Those that happened to be in the Nag’s Head pub, in Battersea, London on 19 April 1968 saw history being made. They watched as four young men took to the stage for the first time. What …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAN.
The Life and Times Of Can. Having released eleven albums in eleven years, Can called time on their career in 1979. By then, Can were rightly regarded by critics as one of the most important, influential and innovative bands of the Krautrock era. However, like many of the Krautrock bands, Can hadn’t enjoyed the commercial …
TEENAGE FANCLUB- BIG STARS AND KINGS OF JANGLE POP.
Teenage Fanclub-Big Stars and Kings Of Jangle Pop. Not many Scottish bands have enjoyed the longevity and commercial success that Teenage Fanclub have. Scotland’s Kings of jangle pop have been together four decades, have released ten albums and toured the world several times. Still though, Teenage Fanclub still going strong, and must be contenders for the 2017 Scottish Album of The Year …
THE INIMITABLE SUN RA, INNOVATOR AND MUSICAL PIONEER.
The Inimitable Sun Ra, Innovator and Musical Pioneer. Nowadays, 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 now regarded as one of the true pioneers of free jazz and a truly innovative and influential musician who pushed musical …
NAT BIRCHALL-COSMIC LANGUAGE-VINYL
Nat Birchall-Cosmic Language-Vinyl. Label: Jazzman Records. Manchester-based jazz saxophonist Nat Birchall has come a long way since releasing his debut album The Sixth Sense in January 1999, and nowadays, is regarded as one of the leading lights of the vibrant British jazz scene. Nat Birchall is also one of the most talented and inventive British …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 