Category Archives: Jazz

ANDREAS SPECHTI-THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW, AND HOW TO BUILD IT.

Andreas Spechti-Thinking About Tomorrow, And How To Build It. Label: Bureau B. Since the advent of the internet, the world has become a much  smaller place, with music lovers suddenly having access to music from each of the seven continents in the world. With one click of a mouse, it’s possible to hear traditional and …

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IF MUSIC PRESENTS YOU NEED THIS! AN INTRODUCTION TO BLACK SAINT AND SOUL NOTE (1975 TO 1985).

IF Music Presents You Need This! An Introduction To Black Saint and Soul Note (1975 To 1985). Label: BBE. Two years ago, in November 2015, when BBE released IF Music presents You Need This A Journey Into Deep Jazz which was compiled by Jean Claude, the owner of London’s IF Music the aim of this …

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ASTRID KULJANIC TRANSATLANTIC EXPLORATION COMPANY-RIVA.

Astrid Kuljanic Transatlantic Exploration Company-Riva. Label: One Trick Dog Records. It was Astrid Kuljanic’s love of jazz that resulted in her leaving her home on the beautiful island of Cres, which is a natural paradise surrounded by the deep blue Adriatic Sea. However, a new life and the opportunity of a lifetime awaited Astrid Kuljanic in …

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GILLIAN HILLS-ZOU BISOU BISOU: TOUT EN FRANCAIS THE YE-YE YEARS 1960-1965. 

Gillian Hills-Zou Bisou Bisou: Tout En Français-The Yé-Yé Years 1960-1965. Gillian Hills was born in Cairo, Egypt, on the ‘5th’ of June 1944  and was the daughter of teacher, traveller, author and adventurer Denis Hills and Dunia Leśmianowna, daughter of Polish poet Bolesław Leśmian. Much of Gillian Hills’ early life was spent in France which …

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HANNE HUKKELBERG-TRUST.

Hanne Hukkelberg-Trust. Label: Propeller Recordings. From an early age, children are taught that the best way achieve something is to start at the beginning. That is the gospel according to countless generations of teachers and Julie Andrews in the Sound Of Music, who believed it’s: “a very good place to start.” However, that isn’t always …

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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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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SANDY DENNY-FROM FOTHERINGAY TO THE SOLO YEARS.

Sandy Denny-From Fotheringay To The Solo Years. In December 1969, an announcement was made that Sandy Denny had left Britain’s leading folk band, Fairport Convention. This came as a shock to many as Fairport Convention, who were Britain’s first electric folk band, popularity been rising over the past two years. Playing her part in the rise and rise of Fairport Convention was Sandy Denny who had previously been …

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ELIANA CUEVAS-GOLPES Y FLORES.

Eliana Cuevas-Golpes y Flores.  Label: Alma Records. It was twenty years ago in 1997, when Venezuelan singer, songwriter and bandleader Eliana Cuevas arrived in Toronto, Canada, which she now calls home. Since then, Eliana Cuevas’ career has flourished, and the award-winning singer-songwriter is now one of the most successful Latin American singers of her generations. …

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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. …

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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 …

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LINDA PERHACS-I’M A HARMONY.

Linda Perhacs-I’m A Harmony. Label: Omnivore Recordings. There aren’t many artists that wait forty-four years before releasing their sophomore album. That was the case with one of music’s best kept secrets, Linda Perhacs, who returned with her much-anticipated comeback sophomore album The Soul Of All Natural Things in March 2014. It was the followup to …

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SUSANNE SUNDFOR-MUSIC FOR PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.

Susanne Sundfør-Music For People In Trouble. Label: Bella Union. Although Susanne Sundfør only embarked upon a musical career in 2005, the thirty-one year old is already one of Norway’s most successful singer, songwriter and producers. Her last four studio albums have topped the Norwegian charts, including her recently released fifth album Music For People In …

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 ERLEND APNESETH TRIO-ARA.

Erlend Apneseth Trio-Åra. Label: Hubro Music. Just a year after the Erlend Apneseth Trio released their critically acclaimed debut album Det Andre Rommet, they recently returned with their sophomore album Åra, which was released on Hubro Music. Åra finds the talented triumvirate return with another album of original music that is regarded as an almost …

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THE RISE AND DEMISE OF THE YOUNGBLOODS.

The Rise and Demise Of The Youngbloods By 1965, bassist and vocalist Jesse Colin Young was twenty-four and had already enjoyed a degree of success as a folk singer. He had already released two albums The Soul Of A City Boy in 1964, and Young Blood in 1965. However, Jesse Colin Young’s solo career was …

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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 …

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KEV BEADLE PRESENTS PRIVATE COLLECTION VOLUME 3.

Kev Beadle Presents Private Collection Volume 3. Label: BBE. Just over three years have passed since BBE released Kev Beadle Presents Private Collection Volume 2 to plaudits and praise in July 2014. Since then, much has changed in the life of DJ, club promoter, compiler and inveterate crate-digger Kev Beadle.  The unthinkable happened in 2016 …

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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 …

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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 …

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