Category Archives: Funk
DJ ANDY SMITH PRESENTS REACH UP DISCO WONDERLAND.
DJ Andy Smith Presents Reach Up Disco Wonderland. Label: BBE. DJ Andy Smith has spent much of the last three decades DJ-ing in clubs at home and abroad where his eclectic sets can feature anything from boogie and disco to funk and hip hop, right through to Motown, Northern Soul and even on occasions, AC/DC. …
MILES DAVIS-BITCHES BREW.
Miles Davis-Bitches Brew. Label: Sony Music. Although Miles Davis’ recording career began in 1951, when he released his debut album The New Sounds, he soon had established a reputation as a prolific, and innovative musician. He released further forty-three albums between 1951 and 1969. This included classics like 1957s Round About Midnight and 1959s Kind Of …
ERIC GALE-THE SOLO YEARS 1973-1983.
Eric Gale-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 on the radio …
CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE? THE JOHN LUONGO DISCO MIXES.
Can You Feel The Force? The John Luongo Disco Mixes. Label: Groove Line Records. After graduating from the Northeastern University in Boston, with a degree in Civil Engineering, twenty-four year old John Luongo decided to turn his back on the world of engineering and become a full-time DJ. He had been DJ-ing for five …
ORCHESTRE LES MANGELEPA-LAST BAND STANDING.
Orchestre Les Mangelepa-Last Band Standing. Label: Strut. It was a search for a better quality of musical instruments that brought the Congolese band Orchestre Baba National to Kenya in 1975. By then, the band was dominated by older musicians, who had the biggest say in the running of the Orchestre Baba National. This was frustrating …
PAA KOW-COOKPOT.
Paa Kow-Cookpot. Label-Self-Released. Recently, Colorado-based drummer Paa Kow released his third album Cookpot, which features his trademark Afro-fusion sound. This is something the Ghanaian drummer has been honing since he arrived at the University of Colorado as a guest artist and teacher in 2007. Not long after that, Paa Kow formed his own band. That …
DJ VADIM AND BLACKSTONE-DOUBLE SIDED
DJ Vadim and Blackstone–Double Sided. Label: BBE. The first time that Californian singer-songwriter Katrina Blackstone collaborated with Barcelona-based hip hop producer DJ Vadim, was on his 2014 album Dubcatcher. Katrina Blackstone was part of what was an all-star cast of vocalists and MCs that featured on the album. She joined YT on Give It Up and Serocee …
BOBBY BYRD-HELP FOR MY BROTHER: THE PRE-FUNK SINGLES 1963-1968.
Bobby Byrd-Help For My Brother: The Pre-Funk Singles 1963-1968. Label: BGP. During a long and successful career Bobby Byrd was a musician, producer, songwriter and talent scout. He was also one of the founding fathers of funk, and the man who discovered the future hardest working man in show business, James Brown in 1953. This …
THE RISE AND DEMISE OF SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE.
The Rise and Demise 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. …
FIFTEEN YEARS OF THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA.
Fifteen Years 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 …
THE JAMES L’ESTRAUNGE ORCHESTRA-EVENTUAL REALITY.
The James L’Estraunge Orchestra-Eventual Reality. Label: BBE. For the best part of six decades, Scotland has enjoyed a thriving and vibrant music scene, and produced many artist and bands that went on to enjoy commercial success and critical acclaim. This started back in the sixties, when Sunshine Soldier Donavon enjoyed a string of successful singles …
RON KADISH-TALES FROM UNDER.
Ron Kadish-Tales From Under. Label: Kadishtunes. Twenty-four years ago, in 1993, bassist Ron Kadish dropped out of graduate school and embarked upon a career as a freelance musician. This could’ve been the biggest mistake of his life, and a decision he lived to regret. Fortunately, this throw of the dice paid off, and Ron Kadish’s …
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-SMALL TALK, HIGH ON YOU AND HEARD YA MISSED ME, WELL I’M BACK.
Sly and the Family Stone-Small Talk, High On You and Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I’m Back. Label: BGO Records. As Sly and the Family Stone prepared to release their seventh studio album Small Talk in July 1974, they were enjoying the most successful period of their career.They had been enjoying commercial success and critical …
THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH-NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
The Undisputed Truth-Nothing But The Truth. Label: Kent Soul. By the time The Undisputed Truth released their eponymous debut album in July 1971, Norman Whitfield had spent the best part of nine years at Motown. He was one of the company’s top producers, and was the man who brought psychedelic soul to Motown in 1968. …
TRIGAL-BAILA MI RUMBA.
Trigal-Baila Mi Rumba. Label: Pharaway Sounds. 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 SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-UNDER BURNING SKIES.
The Souljazz Orchestra-Under Burning Skies. Label: Strut Records 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 …
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