Category Archives: Funk

LEON THOMAS-BLUES AND SOULFUL TRUTH.

LEON THOMAS-BLUES AND SOULFUL TRUTH. Some labels are a perfect fit for an artist. This was the case with Leon Thomas and Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions. They proved to be the musical equivalent of ying and yang. By the late sixties, Leon Thomas had embraced free jazz fully. He turned his back on the …

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LONNIE LISTON SMITH AND THE COSMIC ECHOES-COSMIC FUNK.

LONNIE LISTON SMITH AND THE COSMIC ECHOES-COSMIC FUNK. Innovative, influential and way ahead of the musical curve, describes Lonnie Liston Smith. That is the perfect description of Lonnie Liston Smith and The Cosmic Echoes 1973 debut album Astral Travelling. The music on Astral Travelling was groundbreaking.  So much so, that it’s hard to believe Astral …

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SHAWN LEE PRESENTS GOLDEN AGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.

SHAWN LEE PRESENTS GOLDEN AGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. Shawn Lee’s new album, Shawn Lee Presents Golden Age Against The Machine, which was released on 5th May 2014, has been a labor of love. It’s Shawn paying homage to the golden age of hip hop, which influenced and inspired him. So much so, that Shawn decided …

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BLUE MAGIC-MESSAGE FROM THE MAGIC.

BLUE MAGIC-MESSAGE FROM THE MAGIC. By 1978, when Blue Magic released Message From The Magic, their career had stalled. Much had changed since they released Mystic Dragons in 1976. Two of Blue Magic’s original members had left. Vernon and Wendell Sawyers had left after Blue Magic’s fourth album, Mystic Dragons. It was the least successful …

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MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA.

MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA. In the early seventies, Muyei Power had established a reputation as one of Sierra Leone’s top dance bands. Along with Afro Nation, Sabaoh 75 and Super Combo, Muyei Power provided the soundtrack to daily life in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital. Their music was a fusion of the music that …

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THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-HOW HIGH.

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-HOW HIGH. The Salsoul Orchestra were formed in 1974 by members of Philadelphia International Records’ legendary studio band M.F.S.B. They left Philadelphia International Records after a dispute with Gamble and Huff over finances. Gamble and Huff’s loss would prove to be Salsoul’s gain. It’s fair to say that between their formation in 1974 …

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GYPSY RHUMBA-THE ORIGINAL RHYTHM OF GYPSY RHUMBA IN SPAIN 1965-1974.

GYPSY RHUMBA-THE ORIGINAL RHYTHM OF GYPSY RHUMBA IN SPAIN 1965-1974. It was in 1963 that a new musical genre was born in Barcelona, Spain. This was the Catalan Rhumba. This was a fusion of flamenco, rock ’n’ roll and Caribbean music. Catalan Rhumba had been evolving over a period of years. However, it was in …

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THE IMPRESSIONS-ABOUT TIME.

THE IMPRESSIONS-ABOUT TIME. For any group, losing their lead singer can derail their fortunes. In some cases, this can prove fatal. It’s a body blow that the group never recovers from. Especially when the lead singer happens to have written many of the group’s biggest hits. This was the case with The Impressions. Since 1960, …

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OTIS SPANN-SWEET GIANT OF THE BLUES.

OTIS SPANN-SWEET GIANT OF THE BLUES. For many people, Otis Spann will always be remembered as Muddy Waters’ pianist. Granted Otis spent fifteen years as a member of Muddy Waters’ band. However, there’s much more to Otis Spann’s career that that. Much more. No wonder. Otis Spann was without doubt, one of the greatest postwar …

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THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-UP THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-UP THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. For Salsoul Records and The Salsoul Orchestra, Up The Yellow Brick Road would prove to be the end of an era.  Up The Yellow Brick Road proved to be last Salsoul Orchestra arranged, produced and featuring the sound of vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr. It also proved to …

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ROCK IT…DON’T STOP IT-COMPILED BY SEAN P

ROCK IT…DON’T STOP IT-COMPILED BY SEAN P. 1979 was year zero for hip hop. It was in 1979, that some of the earliest, and most influential, hip hop singles were released. This includes Paulette and Tanya Winley’s Rhymin’ and Rappin.’ It’s become one of the most influential of the early hip hop singles. The same …

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O.V. WRIGHT-WE’RE STILL TOGETHER.

O.V. WRIGHT-WE’RE STILL TOGETHER. I’ve always thought that O.V. Wright was one of the most underrated Southern Soul singers of his generation. That’s why I’ve always championed O.V. Wright’s music. In some ways, O.V. Wright was overshadowed by the commercial success and critical acclaim Al Green was enjoying. They were both n the same label, …

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BOMBAY DISCO-DISCO HITS FROM HINDI FILMS 1979-1985.

BOMBAY DISCO-DISCO HITS FROM HINDI FILMS 1979-1985. Disco. Never has a musical genre divided opinion like disco. For some people, disco was  the musical equivalent of a four letter word. In their eyes, disco sucked. That was the case back in 1979. Thirty-five years later, disco still divides opinion.  During the thirty-five year period, disco …

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MOVEMENTS 6.

MOVEMENTS 6. One of the longest running compilation series is Movements, compiled by Tobias Kirkmayer. The first instalment in the series, Movements was released back in 2005 on Perfect Toy Records. In an ever crowded compilation market, Movements was well received. A year later, in 2006, came Movements. Then nothing. Four long years passed without …

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MERRY CLAYTON-GIMME SHELTER.

MERRY CLAYTON-GIMME SHELTER. When the Rolling Stones released Gimme Shelter in 1969, many people were left wondering who duetted with Mick Jagger on the single? That was Merry Clayton. Her vocal powerhouse helped make the song a classic. However, Merry Clayton wasn’t meant to even sing on Gimme Shelter. No. She replaced Bonnie Bramlett, who …

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SLAKAH THE BEATCHILD-SOUL MOVEMENT VOLUME 2.

SLAKAH THE BEATCHILD-SOUL MOVEMENT VOLUME 2. “It’s been a long time coming sang Sam Cooke.” The same can be said of Slakah The Beatchild’s forthcoming album Soul Movement Voiume 2. It’s the sequel to Soul Movement Volume 1, which was released to critical acclaim back in September 2008.  After a gap of six long years, …

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DR JOHN THE NIGHT TRIPPER-GRIS GRIS.

DR JOHN THE NIGHT TRIPPER-GRIS GRIS. The scenario that I’m going to describe, really happened, and demonstrates that even the most experienced people in the music industry get things wrong. It was in January 1968, and Dr. John completed his debut album Gris Gris. A copy of Gris Gris was sent to Ahmet Erteghun at Atlantic …

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INNER CITY BEAT-DETECTIVE THEMES, SPY MUSIC AND IMAGINARY THRILLERS 1967-1975.

INNER CITY BEAT-DETECTIVE THEMES, SPY MUSIC AND IMAGINARY THRILLERS 1967-1975. KPM Music, De Wolfe Music, Amphonic Music and Conroy. These names may not mean much to many people. However, for sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs alike, this means musical gold. One of music’s best kept secrets is library music. This has been the …

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THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-STREET SENSE.

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-STREET SENSE. 1978 was a landmark year for Salsoul Records.Vince Montana Jr, the man who created, conducted, arranged and produced many of The Salsoul Orchestra albums left the label. He’d been at The Salsoul Orchestra’s helm between their 1975 eponymous album and 1978s Up The Yellow Brick Road. When Vince left Salsoul, after a dispute with …

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LADY DAISEY-IN MY HEADPHONES.

LADY DAISEY-IN MY HEADPHONES. Previously, Lady Daisey’s music has been described as: “sunshine for your soul.” That might seem like hype or hyperbole. It’s not. From the moment you press play On Lady Daisey’s new album In My Headphones, you’re captivated. Powerful, sultry, seductive, soulful and sassy, describes Lady Daisey’s voice. The thirteen tracks on …

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