Category Archives: Jazz Funk
BILLY COBHAM MAGIC AND ALIVEMUTHERFORYA.
Billy Cobham-Magic and Alivemutherforya. Label: BGO Records. By 1977, Panamanian-American jazz and fusion drummer Billy Cobham had only been a solo artist since 1973, but he already accumulated a wealth of experience since his discharge from the US Army in 1968. Soon, Billy Cobham had joined Horace Silver’s Quintet, then became the house drummer at …
COLIN CURTIS PRESENTS JAZZ DANCE FUSION.
Colin Curtis Presents Jazz Dance Fusion. Label: Z Records. 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 listen to offshore pirate …
MAYNARD FERGUSON-M.F HORN 4 AND 5: LIVE AT JIMMY’S.
Maynard Ferguson-M.F. Horn 4 and 5:Live At Jimmy’s. BGO Records. The first time many jazz fans heard Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, was when he joined the when the twenty-four year old joined Stan Kenton’s new Innovations Orchestra in 1949. This was home for Maynard Ferguson for the next four years and was where he …
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 …
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 …
JOEY NEGRO + SEAN P PRESENT THE BEST OF DISCO SPECTRUM.
Joey Negro + Sean P Present The Best Of Disco Spectrum. Label: BBE. Nearly eighteen years ago, BBE released the first volume in their critically acclaimed Disco Spectrum series. It was compiled by DJ, remixer and crate digger extraordinaire Joey Negro. He was responsible for a compilation that stood head and shoulders above the competition …
MAD MATS DIGGING BEYOND THE CRATES VOLUME 1.
Mad Mats Digging Beyond The Crates Volume 1. Label: BBE. Mats Karlsson’s life changed forevermore when hip hop arrived in Europe in 1983. Back then, he was living in northern Stockholm, which was an ethnically diverse neighbourhood, and had no interest in music. That soon changed when he discovered hip hop. Soon, Mats Karlsson threw …
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 …
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