Category Archives: Blues
CLASSIC ALBUM: JIMI HENDRIX-BAND OF GYPSYS.
Classic Album: Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsys. When the Jimi Hendrix Experience took to the stage at the Denver Pop Festival in June 1969, bassist Noel Redding knew it was his swansong with the group. He had been told by a journalist before the show that he was going to be replaced by Billy Cox. It …
FOR THE GOOD TIMES-THE SONGS OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON.
For The Good Times-The Songs Of Kris Kristofferson. Label: Ace Records. Nowadays, the name Kris Kristofferson means different things to different people. For film fans he’s the star of eighty-five films, while record buyers remember the singer-songwriter who has released eighteen studio albums and three live albums between 1970 and 2014. He’s also collaborated on …
CULT CLASSIC: JACKIE MCLEAN-A FICKLE SONANCE.
Cult Classic: Jackie McLean-A Fickle Sonance. On October the ’26th’ 1961, thirty year old alto-saxophonist Jackie McLean made the now familiar journey to the Van Gelder Studio, at 445 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to record a new album with his quintet. The album became A Fickle Sonance, which was released in late 1962 and is …
CULT CLASSIC: SUN RA-CELESTIAL LOVE.
Cult Classic: Sun Ra-Celestial Love. Nowadays, maybe 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 quite rightly regarded as one of the true pioneers of free jazz and a truly innovative and influential musician who pushed musical boundaries …
THE RISE OF THE DOORS.
The Rise Of The Doors. By 1972, The Doors had decided to call the upon their career after the tragic death of their charismatic frontman Jim Morrison, who had died on the 3rd July 1971. The Lizard King became the latest entrant into the twenty-seven club, where he joined Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Alan Wilson and Jimi Hendrix. This …
FUNKADELIC-FUNKADELIC AND FREE YOUR MIND…AND YOUR ASS WILL FOLLOW.
Funkadelic-Funkadelic and Free Your Mind…and Your Ass Will Follow. Label: Westbound Records. Format: CD. Although George Clinton was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, in 1941, he grew up in New Jersey, where he formed the doo wop group The Parliaments in the late fifties.At the time he co-owned a barber salon in Plainfield and spent …
CULT CLASSIC: MICHAEL NAURA QUARTETT-CALL.
Cult Classic: Michael Naura Quartett-Call. Michael Naura was just six years old when he first travelled to Berlin with his mother, and began a new life in the city that became his home. It was where he studied journalism, philosophy and sociology. and played piano in a number of swing bands. However, by 1953 the …
SUN RA ARKESTRA-SWIRLING.
Sun Ra Arkestra-Swirling. Label: Strut. Format: CD. On May the ’30th’ 1993, Sun Ra passed away aged seventy-nine and that day, music was in mourning at the loss a musical pioneer who had played his part in rewriting the history of jazz. From the late-fifties, Sun Ra was one of the pioneers of free jazz …
CLASSIC ALBUM: THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND AT FILLMORE EAST.
Classic Album: The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East. Nowadays, there aren’t many bands who make a commercial breakthrough with a live album. That, however, is what happened to The Allman Brothers Band in 1971 when they released their third album At Fillmore East. It was a gamechanger reaching number thirteen in the US Billboard 200 …
CLASSIC ALBUM: LED ZEPPELIN-PHYSICAL GRAFFITI.
Classic Album: Led Zeppelin-Physical Graffiti. When Led Zeppelin released Physical Graffiti in on the ‘24th’ February 1975 it was the sixth album of their career. It was also the most ambitious and eclectic album that they had released since rereleasing their eponymous debut on the ’12th’ of January 1969. By then, Led Zeppelin had sold over sixteen million albums in America alone. Despite that, Physical …
SUN RA ARKESTRA-SWIRLING.
Sun Ra Arkestra-Swirling. Label: Strut. Format: LP. On May the ’30th’ 1993, Sun Ra passed away aged seventy-nine and that day, music was in mourning at the loss a musical pioneer who had played his part in rewriting the history of jazz. From the late-fifties, Sun Ra was one of the pioneers of free jazz …
JACKIE MCLEAN-IT’S TIME!
Jackie McLean-It’s Time! Label: Blue Note Records-Tone Poet Series. Format: LP. When Jackie McLean and his band journeyed to Van Gelder Studio, in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on August the ‘5th’ 1964, it was his fourteenth solo session for Blue Note Records and resulted in the album It’s Time! It which was recently reissued by …
DR JOHN-IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
Dr John-In The Right Place. Label: Get On Down. Format: LP. Very few musicians or bands can be accurately described as an overnight success. That is something that hardly ever exists except in the minds of a few tabloid journalists . The reality is that most bands need to do the hard yards and hone …
BOBBY HUTCHERSON-THE KICKER.
Bobby Hutcherson-The Kicker. Label: Blue Note Records-Tone Poet Series. Format: LP. Less than three years after Bobby Hutcherson made his recording debut, the twenty-three year old vibraphonist recorded his debut album The Kicker for Blue Note Records in 1963. This was the start of the most prolific period of his long and illustrious career. Over …
JIMMY SMITH WITH STANLEY TURRENTINE-PRAYER MEETIN’.
Jimmy Smith With Stanley Turrentine-Prayer Meetin’. Label: Blue Note Records-Tone Poet Series. Format: LP. When Jimmy Smith entered Van Gelder Studio on February the ‘8th’ 1963, he was about to record his fourth album in a week. This meant that he had fulfilled the terms of his contract with Blue Note and could sign with …
AL GREEN-GREEN IS BLUES.
Al Green-Green Is Blues. Label: Fat Possum Records Format: LP. The day that Al Green met Willie Mitchell in 1969 was, without doubt, the most important day in the twenty-two year old singer’s career. His career had stalled and he someone who could get it back on track. Willie Mitchell was the man to do …
IF I HAVE TO WRECK L.A.-KENT AND MODERN RECORDS BLUES INTO THE 60S VOL 2.
If I Have To Wreck L.A.-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 2. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. As the sixties dawned, musical tastes were changing and soul music’s popularity had started to grow. By then, new independent labels were being founded all across America and labels like Stax, Atlantic and Motown became …
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