Author Archive: dereksmusicblog
TORTUSA AND BREISTEIN-MIND VESSEL.
Tortusa and Breistein-Mind Vessel. Label: Jazzland Recordings. In March 2016, Norwegian-American electronic musician John Derek Bishop a.k.a.Tortusa, released his critically acclaimed debut album I Know This Place-The Eivind Aarset Collages on Jazzland Recordings. It was hailed by critics as an ambitious and innovative album of groundbreaking music. The judges of the prestigious Spellemann Prize 2016 …
NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN-LOOKING AT YOU, LOOKING AT ME, THE NATURE OF THINGS AND DIVINE EMOTION.
Narada Michael Walden-Looking At You, Looking At Me, The Nature of Things and Divine Emotion. Label: BGO Records. The first many record buyers heard of Narada Michael Walden, was when he was announced as Billy Cobham’s replacement in the second lineup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1974. By then, Narada Michael Walden was just twenty-two …
THE BEGINNING OF THE END: THE EXISTENTIAL PSYCHODRAMA IN COUNTRY MUSIC (1956-1972).
The Beginning Of The End: The Existential Psychodrama In Country Music (1956-1972) Label: The Iron Mountain Analogue Research. Across the world, staff at record label had been working hard for many months on nearly 500 reissues and lovingly curated compilations, which were due to be released on the ‘21st’ of April 2018 which was For Records Store …
GORDON JACKSON-THINKING BACK.
Gordon Jackson-Thinking Back. Label: Sunbeam Records. Nowadays, Gordon Jackson’s 1969 lost classic Thinking Back, which has just been reissued by Sunbeam Records, is often referred to as a: “lost Traffic album.” However, that isn’t strictly true, despite Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and Steve Winwood all play on Thinking Back. As is often the case, there’s …
MOGWAI-TEN RAPID (COLLECTED RECORDINGS 1996-1997)-RECORD STORE DAY 2018 EDITION.
Mogwai-Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996–1997) Record Store Day 2018 Edition. Label: Rock Action Records. Nowadays, there aren’t many bands that stay together twenty-seven years, and release thirteen studio albums, five soundtracks and two live albums. There’s also the small matter of two remix albums and the four compilations that the Glasgow-based band Mogwai have released. The …
SOOTHSAYERS-TRADITION.
Soothsayers-Tradition. Label: Wah Wah 45s Release Date: ‘29th’ June 2018. New Album Of The Week. For nearly two decades, London-based Afro-dub pioneers Soothsayers, have been winning friends and influencing audiences with their unique brand of politically charged music at their now legendary concerts. Soothsayers have also released a number of singles, EPs and six albums …
DISQUES DEBS INTERNATIONAL VOLUME 1.
Disques Debs International Volume 1. Label: Strut. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2018. Compilation Of The Week. Nowadays, Disques Debs International which was founded by Henri Debs in Guadeloupe, in the late-fifties, is regarded by many connoisseurs as the one of the best, if not greatest of all French Caribbean labels. That is high praise, given …
DIALI CISSOKHO AND KAIRA BA-ROUTES.
Diali Cissokho and Kaira Ba-Routes. Label: Twelve Eight Records. Release Date: ‘29th’ June 2018. Just over six years ago, North Carolina-based Senegalese kora master Diali Cissokho and Kaira Ba released their debut album Resonance in April 2012. Resonance featured songs about mythology, migration and justice, while Diali Cissokho and Kaira Ba combined elements of African …
RAMSEY LEWIS-FUNKY SERENITY, RAMSEY LEWIS’ GOLDEN HITS, SOLAR WIND AND SUN GODDESS.
Ramey Lewis-Funky Serenity, Ramsey Lewis’ Golden Hits, Solar Wind and Sun Goddess. Label: BGO Records. Not many recording artists spend sixteen years signed to the same label, but bandleader, composer and pianist Ramsey Lewis had signed to Chess Records in 1956, and his band Ramsey Lewis and The Gentlemen Of Swing their debut album later …
VAN MORRISON-THE ALTERNATIVE MOONDANCE-RECORD STORE DAY 2018 RELEASE.
Van Morrison-The Alternative Moondance-Record Store Day 2018 Release. Label: Warner Bros Records. Many critics and record buyers believe that it’s sacrilege to change a classic album in any way, and held their hands up in horror when it was announced that Giles Martin was remixing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Steven Wilson must have …
SPIDER-JAZZ.
Spider-Jazz. Label: Trunk Records. Anyone who grew up in the late-sixties will have fond memories of the original series of Spiderman cartoon series, which was created by Grantray-Lawrence Animation, and made its television debut on ABC-TV in 1967, just five years after the crime fighting superhero made his debut in Marvel Comics. Spiderman was created …
DUENDE LIBRE-DRIFT.
Duende Libre-Drift. Label: Self-Released. In May 2017, Seattle-based Duende Libre who are led by bandleader, composer and keyboardist Alex Chadsey, self-released their genre-melting eponymous debut album. Buoyed by the response and reception to Duende Libre, the trio began work on the followup, Drift, which has just been self-released, and is the latest chapter in the …
MIMAN-ULME.
Miman-Ulme. Label: Motvind Records. Over the last few years, Norway’s eclectic music scene has been thriving, as familiar faces and new bands release albums of ambitious, exciting and innovative music. This includes the improv trio Miman, who recently released their much-anticipated debut album Ulme, on Motvind Records. Having released Ulme, Miman embarked upon a European …
SPLASHGIRL-SIXTH SENSE.
Splashgirl-Sixth Sense. Label: Hubro Music. When Splashgirl released their fifth album Hibernation, in February 2016, their star was already in the ascendancy and the Norwegian doom jazz trio had already released a quartet of ambitious and innovative albums. Four became five when Hibernation was released to critical acclaim, and was hailed as Splashgirl’s finest hour and as …
RANDY MEISNER-ONE MORE SONG AND RANDY MEISNER.
Randy Meisner-One More Song and Randy Meisner. Label: BGO Records. Musical history was made in September 1971, when Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and twenty-five year old Randy Meisner formed The Eagles and signed with David Geffen’s new label Asylum Records. Little did David Geffen realise that he had signed one of the biggest …
TOM WAITS-HEARTATTACK AND VINE.
Tom Waits-Heartattack and Vine. Label: Anti. In June 1980, thirty year old Tom Waits began work on his sixth studio album, Heartattack and Vine, which was the last album he released on David Geffen’s Asylum Records. The Asylum Records’ years had been frustrating for Tom Waits, who had released his debut album Closing Time in …
CZECH UP! VOLUME 2: WE’D BE HAPPY.
Czech Up! Volume 2: We’d Be Happy. Label: Vampi Soul. Nowadays, competition within the compilation market is fierce, and each week hundreds of compilations are released by record companies across the world and are competing for the compilation pound, dollar or Euro. However, not all compilations are equal, and some of these compilations are more …
FRODE HALTLI-AVANT FOLK.
Frode Haltli-Avant Folk. Label: Hubro Music. Release Date: ‘15th’ June 2018. Album Of The Week. Frode Haltli was born in Levanger, in the municipality of Trøndelag, on the ’15th’ of May 1975, and by the time he was seven, had already started to play the accordion. The young Frode Haltli proved to be a prodigious …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 