Category Archives: Funk

MILLIE JACKSON-21 OF THE BEST 1971-1983.

Millie Jackson-21 Of The Best 1971-1983. Label: Westbound. Format: CD. It’s no exaggeration to say that Millie Jackson was one of the most talented and charismatic female vocalists of the seventies and early-eighties. She spent twelve years signed to Spring Records and released sixteen studio albums between 1972 and 1983. Three of these albums, 1974s …

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CULT CLASSIC: TIM MAIA 1970.

Cult Classic: Tim Maia 1970. For many musicians, choosing the title for an album can prove problematic. Especially, for a debut album. As a result, many of new artists and bands have released eponymous albums.This includes everyone from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and The Allman Brothers Band to Art In America and Ash Ra Tempel. Then there’s Cluster, Dire …

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CULT CLASSIC: ZACH AND GEEBAH-FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY.

Cult Classic: Zack and Geebah– For The Love Of Money. Tabansi Records was founded in Nigeria in 1950, and filled a void when major labels like Decca and then  Philips closed the doors on their Nigerian operations. Chief (Dr) G.A.D. Tabansi who lent his name to what would become Nigeria’s most important label, recorded artists …

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TERJE RYPDAL-CONSPIRACY.

Terje Rypdal-Conspiracy. Label: ECM. Format: CD. Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal was twenty-one when he released his debut album Bleak House on Polydor in 1968. This was the start of a recording career that has spanned six decades and saw the him become one of Norway’s most successful musical exports. Three years later, in 1971, Terje …

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OCEAN MOON-CRYSTAL HARMONICS.

Ocean Moon-Crystal Harmonics. Label: Be With. Format: LP. 2020 has been a busy year for Jon Tye of Seahawks. Earlier this year, Seahawks released a new album Island Visions, which featured a collection of library music they had recorded for KPM. The music on the album focused on the deeper, more spatial side of music. …

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TOO SLOW TO DISCO NEO: THE SUNSET MANIFESTO.

Too Slow To Disco NEO: The Sunset Manifesto. Label: How Do You Are? Format: CD.  As 2020 draws to a close the How Do You Are? label have just released the latest instalment in their long-running, critically acclaimed and successful compilation series, Too Slow To Disco. This is Too Slow To Disco NEO: The Sunset …

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CULT CLASSIC: DJ SHADOW-PRIVATE PRESS.

Cult Classic: DJ Shadow-Private Press.  On September the ’16th’ 1996, DJ Shadow released his critical acclaimed landmark debut album Endtroducing…..on the label Mo Wax Recordings. Endtroducing….which featured uptempo jams and slow, dark and broody tracks was inspired by early hip hop and was hailed as a genre classic-in-waiting.  It was no surprise when Endtroducing….was certified …

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COLIN CURTIS PRESENTS JAZZ DANCE FUSION VOLUME 2.

Colin Curtis Presents Jazz Dance Fusion Volume 2. Label: Z Records. Format: CD. During the late-seventies and early eighties, one of most popular DJs on the UK jazz-dance scene was Colin Curtis, who was born Colin Dimond, in Madeley, Staffordshire 1952. That was where the his lifelong love of music began when he started to …

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NICK LUSCOMBE PRESENTS TOKYO DREAMING.

Nick Luscombe Presents Tokyo Dreaming. Label: Wewantsounds. Format: CD. Release Date: 27th November 2020. Usually, the compilation market is buoyant with a myriad of exciting, eclectic and esoteric releases hitting the racks of record shops each week. Sadly, 2020 hasn’t been like most years and this has resulted in many record labels have scaled back …

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EABS-DISCIPLINE OF SUN RA.

EABS-Discipline Of Sun Ra. Label: Astigmatic Records. Format: CD. Having orbited planet earth and ascertained that it was safe to land, the spaceship carrying the Sun Ra Arkestra landed in Kalisz, one of the oldest cities in the Polish People’s Republic on the ‘7th’ of December 1986. Martial law had been imposed by the Pro-Moscow …

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CULT CLASSIC: EROL BÜYÜRBURÇ-HOP DEDIK.

Cult Classic: Erol Büyükburç-Hop Dedik. By October 1976, Erol Büyükburç was one of the biggest names in Turkish music. He was a flamboyant showman who looked like, dressed like and conducted himself like a star. Erol Büyükburç wore lame suits and was greeted by a legion of loyal fans every time he took the stage. …

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CULT CLASSIC KABASA-AFRICAN SUNSET.

Cult Classic: Kabasa-African Sunset. 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. The group had started life as The Beaters, but during a tour of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1976, changed their name …

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CULT CLASSIC: AZTECA-AZTECA.

Cult Classic: Azteca-Azteca. When brothers Coke and Pete Escovedo were growing up in Oakland in the sixties, they were  surrounded by Latin music which influenced them when they decided to form their own group, Azteca. Just like Santana, Azteca’s music was a fusion of musical genres and influences, including Latin and funk. They were also a group …

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BOBBY HUTCHERSON-OBLIQUE.

Bobby Hutcherson-Oblique. Label: Blue Note Records-Tone Poet Series. Format: LP. On July the ‘21st’ 1967, Bobby Hutcherson journeyed to Van Gelder Studio, in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to record Oblique which was his sixth solo album for Blue Note Records. It was just the second album he had recorded with a quartet.  The first was Happenings, …

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GEORGE JACKSON IN MEMPHIS.

George Jackson In Memphis. Label: Kent Soul. Format: LP. Just like Sam Dees, George Jackson was a prolific songwriter but an occasional recording artist. During his career, he penned over 300 songs which were recorded by everyone from James Carr, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Clarence Carter, Z.Z. Hill, Candi Staton, Bettye Swann, Ann Peebles, Bobby …

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STEVE POTTS-MUSIQUE POUR LE FILM D’UN AMI. 

Steve Potts-Musique Pour Le Film D’Un Ami. Label: Souffle Continu. Format: CD. Sadly, musical history is littered with artists whose music never received the recognition that it deserved. Often, it’s only much later that their albums start to find the audience that they so richly deserve. That was the case with Alice Clark, Gram Parsons, …

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NIMBUS SEXTET-DREAMS FULFILLED .

Nimbus Sextet-Dreams Fulfilled. Label: Acid Jazz Records. Format: CD. The roots of the Glaswegian-based contemporary jazz combo can be traced to Scotland’s capital Edinburgh, where pianist, keyboardist and bandleader Joe Nichols was studying at Edinburgh University. That was where he met his long-time collaborators drummer Alex Palmer and bassist Mischa Stevens. They’ve been performing together …

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CULT CLASSIC: DEUTSCH AMERIKANISCHE FREUNDSCHAFT-FUR IMMER.

Cult Classic: Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft-Für Immer. History treats groups very differently and that was the case with Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft a.k.a. DAF,  who released five albums between 1978 and 1982. They’ve been described variously as the “godfathers of techno,” the pioneers of EBM and the forefathers of electropunk. DAF were an influential and innovative group and …

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ALAIN BELLAICHE-SEA FLUORESCENT/KIRLIAN EFFECT.

Alain Bellaïche-Sea Fluorescent/Kirlian Effect. Label: Souffle Continu. Format: CD. Alain Bellaïche was born in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, but spent his childhood in Cannes, on the French Riviera which was where he discovered music and played his first concerts.  Initially, he played in friends’ houses where he was guaranteed a captive and appreciative audience. …

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