Category Archives: Jazz Funk
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SEA LEVEL.
The Life and Times 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 …
INNERPEACE-RARE SPIRITUAL FUNK AND JAZZ GEMS: THE SUPREME SOUND OF PRODUCER BOB SHAD.
Innerpeace-Rare and Spiritual Funk and Jazz Gems: The Supreme Sound Of Producer Bob Shad. Label: Wewantsounds. During his long and successful career, Bob Shad always managed to see the big picture musically, and as a result, was always step ahead of the competition. In doing so, this allowed him to survive and thrive for forty …
JANNE SCHAFFER-KATHARSIS, EARMEAL AND PRESENS.
Janne Schaffer-Katharsis, Earmeal and Presens. BGO Records. Most people will have heard Swedish guitarist Janne Schaffer play many times, but never have realised it. He is one of Sweden’s premier session musicians, and has played with the great and good of Swedish music. This includes Sweden’s most successful musical export, Abba. Janne Schaffer played on …
AIRTO FOGO-AIRTO FOGO.
Airto Fogo-Airto Fogo. During the seventies, Paris born drummer and percussionist Sylvain Krief was one of France’s top musicians. He was also a talented composer, arranger and producer who founded and lead two bands. The first of these bands was Rupture, who released the spiritual jazz classic Israel Suite/Dominante En Blue in 1973. Three years …
L.A. EXPRESS-L.A. EXPRESS AND SHADOW PLAY.
L.A. Express-L.A. Express and Shadow Play, Jazz saxophonist Tom Scott’s career began in 1965, when he was just seventeen, and the leader of the jazz ensemble Neoteric Trio. After that he became one of Los Angeles’ top session players, and a familiar face on the West Coast music scene. This would stand in him in …
DUENDE LIBRE-DUENDE LIBRE.
Duende Libre-Duende Libre. Having graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Jazz Studies in 2003, keyboardist Alex Chadsey, like many new graduates, found himself wondering what the future held for him? He was a talented and versatile musician who was fluent in jazz and classical music, and was one of the beneficiaries …
SEA LEVEL-BALL ROOM.
Sea Level-Ball Room. In 1980, Southern rockers Sea Level released their fifth album Ball Room, which was recently reissued by BGO Records. The release of Ball Room was a new start for Sea Level. They had been signed to Capricorn Records since the release of their eponymous debut album in 1976. After recording four albums …
BEAT FUNKTION-GREEN MAN.
BEAT FUNKTION-GREEN MAN. Originally, Beat Funktion were formed in 2007 to play a one-off concert at a Swedish nightclub. For the six musicians involved, they were looking no further than that one concert. Little did the members of the Beat Funktion realise, that they would still be together ten years later. A lot has happened …
RHYTHM ON THE RADIO: OVAL RECORDS-SINGLES 1974-1987.
RHYTHM ON THE RADIO: OVAL RECORDS-SINGLES 1974-1987. By 1972, Charlie Gillette was a successful journalist, based in London. He wrote for various publications on both sides of the Atlantic, including Creem, NME and Let It Rock. Occasionally, Charlie presented the BBC TV music program The Old Grey Whistle Test. It was a program that suited Charlie’s …
KEV BEADLE PRESENTS THE BEST OF INNER CITY RECORDS.
KEV BEADLE PRESENTS THE BEST OF INNER CITY RECORDS. When Irv Kratka and Eric Kriss decided to found a new jazz label, Inner City Records in 1976, they seemed the perfect partnership. Irv Kratka was music industry veteran, who was the CEO of MMO Music Group. What he didn’t know about the music industry, wasn’t …
THINGS GONNA GET BETTER: STREET FUNK AND JAZZ GROOVES 1970-1977.
THINGS GONNA GET BETTER: STREET FUNK AND JAZZ GROOVES 1970-1977. As the seventies dawned, America was still at war in Vietnam, and the struggle for racial equality continued. Things were improving, but still, when it came to racal equality, America’s report card said “could do better.” There was hope though. The civil rights movement hoped …
SUNBIRDS-ZAGARA.
SUNBIRDS-ZAGARA. Back in the seventies, the only German band most British people had heard of was Kraftwerk. A few more knowledgeable music lovers have heard of Can, and maybe, Neu!, Cluster or Harmonia. That however, was the extent of their knowledge of German music. That was a great shame, as Germany in the seventies, had …
JOHNNY HAMMOND-GEARS.
JOHNNY HAMMOND-GEARS. Johnny “Hammond” Smith’s recording career began in 1958. A year later he released his debut album Have You Heard. This was the first of two albums Johnny “Hammond” Smith released during 1959. Over the next sixteen years, Johnny “Hammond” Smith released another thirty album. His thirty-second album was Gears, which was recently rereleased …
THE FIFTY BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2014-PART 2.
THE FIFTY BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2014-PART 2. DJ VADIM-DUBCATCHER. For Dubcatcher, the followup to DJ Vadim’s critically acclaimed tenth album, Don’t Be Scared, he dawned the role of hip hop’s first DJ superhero. That’s apparent from the Dubcatcher’s album cover. Looking like a cross between Robin, Bananaman and Goldfinger, a vinyl wielding DJ Vadim’s …
RY COODER-SOUNDTRACKS.
RY COODER-SOUNDTRACKS. It was fifty years ago that Ry Cooder’s career began. He was a member of The Rising Sons, a six piece blues band. They signed to Columbia Records in 1964. Two years later, The Rising Sons split-up. Their legacy was an album that was released twenty-eight years later. Rising Sons. This was Rising …
THE JAZZ CRUSADERS-GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.
THE JAZZ CRUSADERS-GIVE PEACE A CHANCE. Back in 1954, at Phillis Wheatley High School, Houston, Joe Sample, Stix Hooper and Wliton Felder met for the first time. Little did they realize the importance of this meeting. Unknown to them, this meeting would result in the formation of one of the most innovative and influential jazz …
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