Author Archive: dereksmusicblog

BEYOND-AWAKENING BEYOND.

Beyond-Awakening Beyond. As the hundredth anniversary of the end of World War 1 fast approaches, sadly, the world faces many of the same problems in 2018 than in did back in 1918. Still parts of the world are at war, while famine and poverty are rife in a society that is still divided between the …

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THE NAZGÛL-THE NAZGÛL.

The Nazgûl-The Nazgûl. Label: Mental Experience Pyramid Records was founded by British expat Robin Page, in 1972 who was forty and one of the leading lights  in the Fluxus arts movement. He had moved from London, England to Cologne, in Germany in 1969 which had been his home ever since. However, Robin Page wasn’t the …

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PETER BRODERICK-ALL TOGETHER AGAIN.

Peter Broderick-All Together Again. Label: Erased Tapes Records.  In late 2017, Erased Tapes released All Together Again which was the new album by thirty year old American musician and composer Peter Broderick. All Together Again featured a collection of work that Peter Broderick had been commissioned to write and record for various projects and occasions …

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KLAUS SCHULZE 1 AND 2 AND KLAUS SCHULZE 3 AND 4.

Klaus Schulze-Ballet 1 and 2 and Ballet 3 and 4. Label: MIG Music. By the winter of 2000, Berlin School pioneer Klaus Schulze was fifty-three, and had already been making music for thirty-one years. He had achieved a lot over during a career that had already spanned four decades, and was regarded as one of …

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GIL SCOTT-HERON-AMERICA’S SOCIAL CONSCIENCE: 1970-1980 THE GOLDEN ERA.

Gil Scott-Heron-America’s Social Conscience: 1970-1980 The Golden Era. After releasing a trio of studio albums on Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions between 1970 and 1972, Gil Scott-Heron signed to Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell’s Strata-East Records. By then, Gil Scott-Heron was well on his way to becoming America’s social conscience. Gil Scott-Heron was a poet, …

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MOTORPSYCHO-THE TOWER. 

Motorpsycho-The Tower.  Label: Rune Grammofon and Stickman Records. Over the last few years, the vibrant Norwegian music scene has been thriving, and some of the best music in Europe has been released by Norwegian bands. This includes Motorpsycho, who are, without doubt, one of Norway’s finest musical exports. The Motorpsycho story began in Trondheim, Norway, …

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SKY MUSIC: A TRIBUTE TO TERJE RYPDAL AND SKY MUSIC: A TRIBUTE TO TERJE RYPDAL VOL. 2

Sky Music: A Tribute To Terje Rypdal and Sky Music: A Tribute To Terje Rypdal Vol. 2. Label: Rune Grammofon. On August the ‘23rd’ 2017, Norwegian composer, bandleader, guitarist and sonic pioneer Terje Rypdal celebrated his seventieth birthday. That day, there was much to celebrate as Terje Rypdal looked back on a long and illustrious …

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SUN RA-SEVEN OF THE BEST REISSUES OF 2017.

Sun Ra-Seven of The Best Reissues Of 2017. Labels: Grey Scale, Cosmic Myth Records, Strut and ORG Music. One of the most prolific artist of the twentieth century was the inimitable Sun Ra, who released around 125 albums during a career that spanned six decades. Over the last few years, dozens  of these albums have been …

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BIOSPHERE-SHENZHOU.

Biosphere-Shenzhou, Label: Biophon Norway. Until relatively recently, December was a month when many smaller, independent labels didn’t release any new albums or reissues.  Instead, they waited until January before releasing their next batch of new releases. This was a pragmatic approach, and made sense economically. Previously, December tended to be a month when the major …

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JAMES CARR-THE GREATEST SOUTHERN SOUL SINGER

James Carr-The Greatest Southern Soul Singer. By 1964, Memphis was a musical hotbed, and home to many up-and-coming soul singers and songwriters looking to make a breakthrough. Roosevelt Jamieson was a friend of many of these songwriters and soul singers, including OV Wright and James Carr, who were both looking for a label. It was a frustrating …

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ANE BRUN.

The Life and Times of Ane Brun. In her native Norway, forty-one year old Ane Brun is one of the most successful singer-songwriters of her generation. Her career began in May 2003, when she released her debut album Spending Time With Morgan. This was the start of a glittering career for Ane Brun, who recently …

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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 …

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SHA NA NA-FROM THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, HOT SOX AND SHA NA NOW.

Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York, Hot Sox and Sha Na Now. Label: BGO Records. By 1973, Sha Na Na had been together fourteen years, released four albums and played at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair on Sunday, August the ‘17th’ 1969. That night, Sha Na Na played a barnstorming thirty-minute set in front …

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MAYNARD FERGUSON-M.F HORN 4 AND 5: LIVE AT JIMMY’S.

Maynard Ferguson-M.F. Horn 4 and 5:Live At Jimmy’s. BGO Records. The first time many jazz fans heard Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, was when he joined the when the twenty-four year old joined Stan Kenton’s new Innovations Orchestra in 1949. This was home for Maynard Ferguson for the next four years and was where he …

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HAVENAIRE-RABOT.

Havenaire-Rabot. Label: Glacial Movements. For many artists, recording their debut album is a labour of love, that can take not just months, but years of their lives. This time is spent in a recording studio, and sometimes, in their home, where they continue to work on their debut album in their spare time. Initially, artists …

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CARBON BASED LIFEFORMS-DERELICTS.

Carbon Based Lifeforms-Derelicts. Label: Blood Music. During the sixties and seventies, most artists and bands released an album annually, with some even releasing two, and very occasionally three albums each year. Many artists thought nothing of this, as this was how the music industry operated. Artists and bands were contractually obliged to release one or …

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MICHAEL COSMIC-PEACE IN THE WORLD AND PHILL MUSRA GROUP-CREATOR SPACES.

Michael Cosmic-Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group-Creator Spaces. Label: Now Again Records. In the fifties, there was a growing dissatisfaction at the limitations and constraints of bebop, hard bop and modal jazz and a group of pioneering musicians decided that the time had come to alter, extend, or break down jazz conventions. This …

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JEANETTE JONES-WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?

Jeanette Jones-What Might Have Been? 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 …

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SUSANA ESTRADA-SPAIN’S FIRST LADY OF MUSIC.

Susana Estrada-Spain’s First Lady Of Music. Ever since 1939, the brutal Francoist regime had ruled Spain with an iron fist. This came to an end with the death of dictator Francisco Franco on ’20th’ November 1975. After Franco’s death, control of Spain passed to King Juan Carlos. By then, Spain was in a state of …

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THE ORIGINAL SOUND OF BURKINA FASO.

The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso. Label: Mr. Bongo Records. After the success of Mr. Bongo’s The Original Sound Of Mali compilation, the Brighton-based label recently released a new compilation, The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso which was compiled by David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle and Florent Mazzoleni. The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso transports the …

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