Category Archives: Funk

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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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UNDER THE INFLUENCE VOLUME 6: A COLLECTION OF RARE SOUL AND DISCO COMPILED BY FAZE ACTION.

Under The Influence Volume 6: A Collection Of Rare Soul and Disco Compiled By Faze Action. Label: Z Records. Every time an independent record label releases a new compilation there’s always the hope that this will be the first instalment in a long running and successful series. Sadly, that hardly ever happens, and the majority …

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BOB STANLEY AND PETE WIGGS PRESENT PARIS IN THE SPRING.

Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Present Paris In The Spring. Label: Ace Records. People across Europe were shocked when they saw the pictures in newspapers and reports on television of the civil unrest in May 1968, and couldn’t believe that Paris was burning and at one point, it looked as if the French government was about to …

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WESTBOUND DISCO.

Westbound Disco.  Label: Westbound Records. By 1969, Armen Boladian was a familiar face within the Detroit music scene, and the musical impresario was about to launch a new label Westbound Records. This came as no surprise to those that knew Armen Boladian who previously, had founded and run the Fascination label and the Record Distribution …

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KRONIKI FILMOWE: POLISH LIBRARY MUSIC 1963-1978.

Kroniki Filmowe: Polish Library Music 1963-78  Label: GAD Records. Over the last few years, there’s been a resurgence of interest in library music, with British and European independent record labels releasing lovingly curated compilations that are welcomed by a coterie of musical connoisseurs who have a passion for library music. This includes DJs, producers and …

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OLA KVENBERG-STEAMDOME.

Ola Kvernberg-Steamdome.  Label: Grappa. Release Date: June ‘8th’ 2018. Three years after award-winning Norwegian fiddler Ola Kvernberg released his critically acclaimed album The Mechanical Fair, he will return with the much-anticipated followup Steamdome, which will be released by Grappa on June the ‘8th’ 2018. Steamdome is another album of innovative and imaginative music from Ola …

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GRANT GREEN-FUNK IN FRANCE FROM PARIS TO ANTIBES 1969-1970.

Grant Green-Funk In France From Paris To Antibes 1969-1970. Label: Resonance Records. In 1967, thirty-five year old guitarist Grant Green was in the throes of heroin addiction, and it looked as if he was fighting a battle he had no chance of winning. Grant Green was a shadow of the man who had arrived in …

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CUASARES-AFRO-PROGRESIVO. 

Cuasares-Afro-Progresivo. Label: Pharaway Sounds. In 1972, a new Argentinian band Cuasares, entered the recording studio and began work on what became their debut album Afro-Progresivo. This was the latest project that was masterminded by arranger, composer and pianist Waldo Belloso who previously, had been a member of Los Abrodo Brothers and recorded a sexploitation soundtrack …

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DON ELLIS-SHOCK TREATMENT AND DON ELLIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA AUTUMN.

Don Ellis-Shock Treatment and Don Ellis and His Orchestra-Autumn. Label: BGO Records. Bandleader, composer and trumpeter Don Ellis’ life was changed forevermore in 1974, when he was diagnosed with an abnormal heart condition, and a year later, in 1975, suffered his first heart attack which very nearly cost him his life. Fortunately, Don Ellis recovered …

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NUKE THE SOUP-DEEPER.

Nuke The Soup-Deeper. Label: Meteor Records. Released Date: ‘30th’ of May 2018. Singer, songwriter and musician Mark Davison founded Cubic Feet in the eighties, and his new band released their debut single Across The River in 1989, which was the start of a recording career that spanned three decades and saw the band enjoy a …

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SHIRLEY DAVIS AND THE SILVERBACKS-WISHES AND WANTS.

Shirley Davis and The Sliverbacks-Wishes and Wants. Label: Tucxone Records. Two years after Shirley Davis and The Sliverbacks released their critically acclaimed debut album Black Rose in March 2016, the London-born soul diva her backing band return with their much-anticipated sophomore album Wishes and Wants which has just been released by Tucxone Records. The release of …

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MOTOWN FUNK 2-RECORD STORE DAY 2018 EDITION.

Motown Funk 2-Record Store Day 2018 Edition. Label: UMC. By 1959, Detroit based songwriter, producer and future musical impresario Berry Gordy Jr had already discovered The Miracles and started to build a successful portfolio of recording artists. There was only one problem, what would Berry Gordy Jr do with these talented artists and groups? It …

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TOO SLOW TO DISCO BRAZIL COMPILED BY ED MOTTA.

Too Slow To Disco Brazil Compiled By Ed Motta. Label: How Do You Are.  It was back in 2014 when the German label How Do You Are released the first instalment in the Too Slow To Disco compilation series, which  was one of the first compilation series to revisit West Coast sound, which provided the …

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MELVIN SPARKS-TEXAS TWISTER-RECORD STORE DAY EDITION.

Melvin Sparks-Texas Twister-Record Store Day Edition. Label: Tidal Waves Music. Although American jazz and blues guitarist Melvin Sparks enjoyed a career that spanned five decades, the most fruitful period of his career was the seventies, when he released five albums between 1970 and 1975. Melvin Sparks’ career began at Prestige Records, where he released a …

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MOUVEMENTS-MOUVEMENTS.

Mouvements-Mouvements. Label: Mental Experience. In the late-sixties, self-taught guitarist and jazz aficionado Christian Oestreicher, who was later described as: “a savage in the era of twist and free jazz,” met artist and painter Richard Reimann who was famous for his optical art, at the renowned Aurora art gallery in Geneva, Switzerland. This was the start …

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NICKODEMUS-A LONG ENGAGEMENT.

Nickodemus-A Long Engagement. Label: Wonderwheel Recordings. Brooklyn-based producer Brian J Nickodemus Nickodemus was only fourteen when he made his DJ-ing debut behind the wheels of steel, and just like many before him, he was hooked. Soon, he was playing out on a regular basis and throwing his parties where he played everything from hip hop …

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NIK BARTSCH’S RONIN-AWASE.

Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin-Awase. Label: ECM Records.  Pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch was born in Zurich on the ‘3rd’ of August 1971, and by the age of ten was already studying piano and clarinet and later, went the Zurich Musikhochschule. At the University Of Zurich Nik Bärtsch majored in musicology, linguistics and philosophy and also discovered …

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THEMES ABOUT THE HOUSE-FROM THE DE WOLFE MUSIC LIBRARY-RECORD STORE DAY EDITION.

Themes About The House-From The De Wolfe Music Library-Record Store Day Edition.  Label: Chichester Hospital Broadcasting Association. Usually, Record Store Day is one of the highlights of the musical calendar, and for many record buyers it’s like Christmas Day all over again. Sadly, this year, not everyone got caught up in the excitement of Record …

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