Category Archives: Funk

NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN-THE SOLO YEARS 1976-1988.

Narada Michael Walden-The Solo Years 1976-1988 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 and the Mahavishnu Orchestra was one of the top fusion bands. However, …

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BOBBY HUTCHERSON’S COLUMBIA RECORDS YEARS.

Bobby Hutcherson’s Columbia Records Years. Less than three years after Bobby Hutcherson made his recording debut, the twenty-three year old vibraphonist released his debut album The Kicker on Blue Note Records in 1963. This was the start of the most prolific period of his long career.  Over the next fourteen years, Bobby Hutcherson released fifteen studio …

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SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-WOODSTOCK SUNDAY AUGUST 17 1969-RECORD STORE DAY

Sly and The Family Stone –Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969-Record Store Day. Label: We Are Vinyl. Between 1966 and 1976, psychedelic soul pioneers Sly and The Family Stone released eight studio albums and their first Greatest Hits album, which  showcased their genre-melting music.  It took as a starting point psychedelic soul and added funk and rock to this heady musical …

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WEATHER REPORT-THEIR COLUMBIA YEARS 1971-1975.

Weather Report-Their Columbia Records Years 1971-1975. By the late-sixties, jazz was no longer as popular as it had once been and the genre’s popularity had plummeted over the last few years. Many jazz clubs were  closing, or being converted into venues that put on rock bands and  album sales had fallen. Critics and cultural commentators were drawing comparisons with  blues music in the late …

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TRIGAL’S FIVE YEAR MUSICAL ODYSSEY.

Trigal’s Five Year Musical Odyssey. When Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, this was the start of a musical adventure that would last five years and see the band release two albums and four singles. They featured Trigal’s unique and inimitable fusion of gypsy rumba-funk and flamenco pop, which found favour with audiences the …

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THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA.

The Remarkable Story Of  The Souljazz Orchestra. When The Souljazz Orchestra was founded in Ottawa, Canada, in 2002 none of its members had any idea where they would or what they would be doing in fifteen years time. They didn’t even know if The Souljazz Orchestra would still be together? The Souljazz Orchestra could’ve been consigned …

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HUGO FATTUOSO

The Life and Times Of Hugo Fattoruso. Composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Hugo Fattoruso, was born in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo on the ‘29th’ June 1943, and formed his first band Trío Fattoruso in 1952 aged nine. Sixty-seven years later and Hugo Fattoruso is still involved in music. He  has dedicated his life to music, …

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KABASA-AFRICAN SUNSET.

Kabasa-African Sunset. Label: BBE Music. Kabasa was formed in Soweto by vocalist and bassist Tata “TNT” Sibeko and percussionist Oupa Segwa and guitarist Robert “Doc” Mthalane who previously had been members of the iconic Afro-rock band Harari, who the first ever local black pop band to appear on South African television. Despite Harari being regarded …

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IF YOU’RE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION-SOUL, POLITICS AND SPIRITUALITY IN JAZZ 1967-1975.  

If You’re Not Part Of The Solution-Soul, Politics and Spirituality In Jazz 1967-1975. Label: BGP. By the late sixties, jazz like the blues was at a crossroads and both genres risked becoming irrelevant to a new breed of record buyers. The problem was, that jazz was no longer as popular as it had once been, …

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TIM MAIA- THE FIRST TEN ALBUMS: 1970-1978.

Tim Maia-The First Ten Albums: 1970-1978: .  By 1978, charismatic Brazilian singer-songwriter Tim Maia’s career was at a crossroads and he was worried about what the future held for him. Tim Maia found himself financially embarrassed, after  a couple of musically barren years.  He had spent much of the money he earned on cars, musical instruments …

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ARTHUR BLYTHE-THE COLUMBIA YEARS.

Arthur Blythe-The Columbia Years. Nowadays, prodigy is one of the most overused words in the English language, and all too often it’s used to describe young children who show a modicum of talent in sport and music. Sadly, and all too often, those that were described as a prodigy never fulfil their supposed potential. The …

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DR JOHN-THE ATCO YEARS 1968-1974.

Dr John-The Atco  Years 1968-1974. Gris Gris. When a copy of Dr John’s debut album Gris Gris was sent to Atlantic Records’ founder Ahmet Ertegun he disliked the album so much, that he was reluctant to even release the album and said: “how can we market this boogaloo crap?” This wasn’t the response that Dr …

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THE JUNIE STORY: FROM OHIO PLAYER TO SOLO ARTIST, FUNKADELIC AND BEYOND.

The Junie Story: From Ohio Player To Solo Artist, Funkadelic and Beyond. In 1970, most sixteen years in Drayton, Ohio, were still at high school and were making plans for college or the world of work. Some were worrying about being drafted, and heading for Vietnam to fight in a war that America was struggling to win. …

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DOLORES VARGAS-“LA TERREMOTO”-THE EARTHQUAKE.

Dolores Vargas-“La Terremoto” The Earthquake. Ask anyone who saw Dolores Vargas at the peak of the powers in the early seventies and they almost go misty eyed as they describe a flamboyant performer who combined a unique and inimitable mixture of flamenco funk, gypsy funk and rumba pop with a wild, energetic and frenzied dancing style. …

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THE ENIGMATIC WILLIAM ONYEAEBOR

The Enigmatic William Onyeabor. Enigmatic. That was the perfect word to describe synth funk pioneer, William Onyeabor who died on January 16th 2017 aged just seventy. Nigerian music lost a musical pioneer. However, William Onyeabor was, without doubt, one of the most mysterious and elusive musicians in musical history. There’s a good reason for this, Much of William Onyeabor’s …

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THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF SEA LEVEL.

The Life and Music Of Sea Level. By August 1975, all wasn’t well within The Allman Brothers. It hadn’t been for the last couple of years. That was despite The Allman Brothers being at the peak of their popularity. Their last three albums had sold over a million copies and were certified platinum. Meanwhile, The Allman …

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THE RISE AND FALL OF SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE.

The Rise and Fall Of Sly and the Family Stone. Between 1966 and 1976, psychedelic soul pioneers Sly and The Family Stone released eight studio albums and their first Greatest Hits album. These albums showcased Sly and the Family Stone’s genre-melting music, which took as a starting point psychedelic soul and added funk and rock to this heady musical brew. …

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ERIC GALE-9 IN 10, THE SOLO YEARS 1973-1983.

Eric Gale-9 In 10, The Solo Years 1973-1983 Jazz guitarist Eric Gale was born in Brooklyn, New York on September the ‘20th’ 1938, and by the time he was eleven, had already discovered music. Fittingly, it was guitarist Les Paul that piqued Eric Gale’s interest in music. When he heard Les Paul and his wife Mary Ford …

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