Author Archive: dereksmusicblog

ERIC ANDERSEN-BE TRUE TO YOU AND SWEET SURPRISE.

Eric Andersen-Be True To You and Sweet Surprise. Label: BGO Records. In 1975, thirty-two year old folk singer and songwriter Eric Andersen moved to Greenwich Village, New York, where it had all started for him in the early sixties. Back then, Eric Andersen was part of the folk scene, and as a twenty-one years in …

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GABRIELE POSO-AWAKENING.

Gabriele Poso-Awakening. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘30th’ of March 2018. New Release Of The Week. Italian multi-instrumentalist and master percussion Gabriele Poso’s lifelong love affair with music began after he discovered his family’s record collection as child. This was a cultural awakening for Gabriele Poso who was soon discovering the delights of jazz, soul and …

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THE HERBALISER-BRING OUT THE SOUND.

The Herbaliser-Bring Out The Sound. Label: BBE Music. As October 2012 dawned, Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba had been making music as The Herbaliser since 1995, and were now regarded as UK hip hop’s most exciting live band. The two members of The Herbaliser were also preparing to release their seventh studio album There Were …

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COLIN CURTIS PRESENTS JAZZ DANCE FUSION.

Colin Curtis Presents Jazz Dance Fusion. Label: Z Records. During the late-seventies and early eighties, one of most popular DJs on the UK jazz-dance scene was Colin Curtis, who was born Colin Dimond, in Madeley, Staffordshire 1952. That was where the his lifelong love of music began when he started to listen to offshore pirate …

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NORMA WINSTONE-DESCANSADO: SONGS FOR FILMS. 

Norma Winstone-Descansado: Songs For Films. Label: ECM Records. There aren’t many British jazz singers who have enjoyed the longevity, commercial success and critical acclaim that Norma Winstone MBE has enjoyed over a career that has lasted over fifty years. Despite all the commercial success, critical acclaim and awards, the seventy-six year old shows no signs …

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LARAAJI: VISION SONGS VOLUME 1.

Laraaji: Vision Songs Volume 1. Label: Numero Group. During a career that has spanned five decades, American multi-instrumentalist Laraaji has released around thirty albums and countless collaborations. Many of these albums were self released by Laraaji on cassettes, and feature his unique and inimitable genre-melting sound. This best described as a fusion of ambient, avant-garde, …

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KLAUS SCHULZE-CRIME OF SUSPENSE.

Klaus Schulze-Crime Of Suspense. Label: MIG Music. By 1998, fifty-one year old Berlin School pioneer Klaus Schulze had been making music for twenty-nine years, and had achieved more than most during a career that already spanned four decades. His career began in 1969 when he was the drummer in Psy Free, and met Edgar Froese in …

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BÄTTRE LYSS-TILL DEN STRANG SOM BRAST AN ATT ALDRIG SPANNA EN BAGE.

Bättre Lyss-Till Den Sträng Som Brast Än Att Aldrig Spänna En Båge. Label: Sommor. Release Date: ‘16th’ March 2018. When the Swedish band Bättre Lyss released their debut album Till Den Sträng Som Brast Än Att Aldrig Spänna En Båge as a private pressing on the Musiklaget label in 1975, they had no idea that …

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EVA SALINA AND PETER STAN-SUDBINA: A PORTRAIT OF VIDA PAVLOVIC.

Eva Salina and Peter Stan-Sudbina: A Portrait Of Vida Pavlović. Label: Vogiton Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ March 2018. When Serbian Roma singer Vida Pavlović took to the stage in dark, smokey, and noisy backstreet clubs, there was a respectful silence among the patrons in respect of the woman they called their Queen. Alas, it hadn’t …

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NICOLETTE LARSON-ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO.

Nicolette Larson-All Dressed Up and No Place To Go. Label: BGO Records. Nowadays, far too many people are scared to follow their dream and instead, settle for second best and the drudgery of working 9-5. Sadly, it’s only much later, when it’s too late, that they realise what they gave up and what might have …

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SPENCER WIGGINS-THE GOLDWAX YEARS LP.

Spencer Wiggins-The Goldwax Years LP. Label: Kent Soul Although Spencer Wiggins is nowadays, widely recognised by critics as one of the finest exponents of deep soul, sadly, he’s still one of soul music’s best kept secrets. Spencer Wiggins at the peak of his powers, had the ability to breath life, meaning and emotion into the …

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J JAZZ: DEEP MODERN JAZZ FROM JAPAN 1969-1984.

J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969-1984. Label: BBE. Although the internet has made the world a much smaller place, and allowed record buyers to discover the delights of music from all over the world, still there are many music fans who refuse to try new types of music. It doesn’t matter whether they’re …

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TANI DISCO RUMBA AND FLAMENCO BOOGIE 1976-1979.

Tani Disco Rumba and Flamenco Boogie 1976-1979. Label: Pharaway Sounds. Ever since the birth of rock ’n’ roll in the fifties, American music has influenced musicians, producers and songwriters in different parts of the world. When they heard the latest new music coming out of America, they’ve often incorporated elements of it into the music …

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STYX-CAUGHT IN THE ACT LIVE.

Styx-Caught In The Act Live. Label: BGO Records. By April 1984, the members of Styx should’ve been preparing for the release of the twelfth album of the band’s career Caught In The Act Live, which was recently reissued as a two CD set by BGO Records. However, by then, Styx had split-up citing musical differences which had divided the …

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CHARLIE RICH-TOO MANY TEARDROPS: THE COMPLETE GROOVE AND RCA RECORDINGS.

Charlie Rich-Too Many Teardrops: The Complete Groove and RCA Recordings. Label: Ace Records. By 1963, thirty-one year old singer, songwriter and pianist Charlie Rich found himself looking back at his career as he was about to sign for Groove, a subsidiary of RCA. Charlie Rich’s career began five years earlier when the former college football …

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RUMBITA BUENA: RUMBA FUNK AND FLAMENCO POP FROM THE 1970s BELTER AND DISCOPHON ARCHIVES.

Rumbita Buena: Rumba Funk and Flamenco Pop From The 1970s Belter and Discophon Archives. Label: Pharaway Sounds. As the sixties gave way to the seventies, many within the Spanish music industry realised that the next few years were hugely important for the future of Spanish music. What these songwriters, producer and musicians realised that music …

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ELEPHANT9-GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH.

Elephant9-Greatest Show On Earth. Label: Rune Grammofon. After releasing two critically acclaimed albums with legendary Swedish guitarist Reine Fiske, a new chapter began for Elephant9 in October 2017 as they began work on their fifth studio album Greatest Show On Earth at Studio Paradiso. This was the first album that the core trio of Elephant9 …

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GEORGE JACKSON-LEAVIN’ THE HOMEWORK DONE: IN THE STUDIO WITH GEORGE JACKSON 1969-1971.

George Jackson-Leavin’ The Homework Done: In The Studio With George Jackson 1969-1971. Label: Kent Soul. When Dean Rudland and Tony Rouce were compiling the George Jackson compilation Old Friend The Fame Recordings Volume 3, which was released in late November 2013, they believed that there was only a handful of songs that had yet to …

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NELSON PSYCHOUT

Nelson’s Pyshcout. Label: Vampi Soul. For the vast majority of record buyers, Nelson Records won’t mean anything to them, unless they happen to be a connoisseur of library music. That, however, is unlikely, as library music is still one of music’s best kept secrets and is a musical treasure trove. However, apart form this small …

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ERNESTO CHAHOUD PRESENTS TAITU SOUL-FUELLED STOMPERS FROM 1960S-1970S ETHIOPIA.

Ernesto Chahoud Presents Taitu Soul-fuelled Stompers From 1960s-1970s Ethiopia. Label: BBE Africa. It’s often the case that the people who compile and curate compilations have a fascinating story to tell, and especially about how their love of music came about. That is the case with thirty-six year Lebanese DJ and crate digger Ernesto Chahoud who …

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