Category Archives: Jazz

ARTHUR BLYTHE’S COLUMBIA YEARS.

Arthur Blythe’s Columbia Years. Prodigy is one of the most overused words in the English language. Time after time it’s used to describe young children who show a modicum of talent in sport and music. Sadly, and all too often, those that were described as a prodigy never fulfil their supposed potential. The young ball …

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TRIGAL-BAILA MI RUMBA.

Trigal-Baila Mi Rumba.  Label: Pharaway Sounds. When Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, this was the start of a musical adventure that would last five years and see the band release two albums and four singles. They featured Trigal’s unique and inimitable fusion of gypsy rumba-funk and flamenco pop, which found favour with audiences …

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THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-UNDER BURNING SKIES.

The Souljazz Orchestra-Under Burning Skies. Label: Strut Records 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 …

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THOS. RAPP AND PEARLS BEFORE SWINE-ONE OF FOLK MUSIC’S BEST KEPT SECRETS.

Thos. Rapp and Pearls Before Swine-One Of Folk Music’s Best Kept Secrets. When Pearls Before Swine  released their fifth album City Of Gold in April 1969. it was the first  album credited to Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine. This seemed only fair, as Tom Rapp was the only original member of Pearls Before Swine left. The …

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MOGWAI-EVERY COUNTRY’S SUN-BOX SET.

Mogwai-Every Country’s Sun-Box Set. Label:Rock Action Records. Over the last fifty years, the music industry has been transformed beyond all recognition. One of the biggest changes is how the music buyers purchase and listen to music. Back in the late-sixties and early seventies, most people listened to music on vinyl. Usually, younger record buyers started off buying singles, and eventually graduated to albums when their budget …

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SOUNDS OF THE UNEXPECTED.

Sounds Of The Unexpected. Label: Ace Records. Ever since she was teenager growing up in Southend-on-Sea, on the Thames Delta, Vicki Fox loved music and was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable  collector of vinyl. It was no surprise that when Vicki Fox moved to London, she would embark upon a career in the music industry. One …

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SHUJAAT HUSAIN KHAN, KEVIN HAYS, KATAYOUN GOUDARZI, TIM RIES, DIBYARKA CHATTERJEE-WILL YOU?

Shujaat Husain Khan, Kevin Hays, Katayoun Goudarzi, Tim Ries, Dibyarka Chatterjee-Will You? Label: Tames Records. Shujaat Husain Khan, Kevin Hays, Katayoun Goudarzi, Tim Ries and  Dibyarka Chatterjee started working together in 2009, and four years later the multitalented quintet released their debut album Dawning in 2013. It was released to widespread critical acclaim, with critics hailing the …

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YASUAKI SHIMIZU-MUSIC FOR COMMERCIALS: MADE TO MEASURE VOLUME 12.

Yasuaki Shimizu-Music For Commercials: Made To Measure Volume 12. Label: Crammed Discs. Thirty years ago, in 1987, Marc Hollander’s label, Crammed Discs, released an album that went on become one of their most sought after releases. This was Yasuaki Shimizu’s Music For Commercials, which featured a total of twenty-four tracks.  Twenty-three of them were short …

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SONIA AIMY-NIGERIAN SPIRIT.

Sonia Aimy-Nigerian Spirit. Label: Self-Released. Forty years ago, the only way most artists could release an album was if they were fortunate enough to be signed to a record label.  As a result, a lot of talented artists and bands slipped under the musical radar, and their music never found the audience it deserved. However, …

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PAUL BRADY-UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

Paul Brady-Unfinished Business. Label: Proper Records. When singer-songwriter Paul Brady celebrated his seventieth birthday on the ‘19th’ of May 2017, he was officially one of the elder statesmen of Irish music. He had spent fifty-two years as a professional musician, first with The Kull, then The Johnstons and Planxty. Then in 1976, Paul Brady and …

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STEIN URHEIM-UTOPIAN TALES.

Stein Urheim-Utopian Tales. Label: Hubro Music. Stein Urheim was born, and is still based in the beautiful coastal city of Bergen in 1979. That was where he grew up, and first discovered music. Soon, his life seemed to revolve around listening to, and playing music. The first instrument Stein Urheim learn to play, was the …

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MUSICAL MAVERICK AND INNOVATOR HOLGER CZUKAY.

The Life and Times Of Musical Maverick and Innovator Holger Czukay. Although the word innovator is one of the most overused words in the English language nowadays, it perfectly describes  Holger Czukay who cofounded Can in 1968. This was the start of a near fifty year career where Holger Czukay continued to make groundbreaking music, and push musical boundaries to their limits, and …

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MOGWAI-EVERY COUNTRY’S SUN-INDIES ONLY VINYL EDITION.

Mogwai-Every Country’s Sun-Indies Only Vinyl Edition. Label:Rock Action Records. It’s safe to say that 2017 hasn’t been a vintage year for Scottish music. Instead, much of the music released during the first nine months of the year has been mediocre at best. That comes as no surprise, as there was a similar problem last year. …

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NON GROUP AND BEYOND.

Non Band and Beyond. During the summer of 1978, a musical revolution took place in Japan, which changed music forevermore,..punk. The Japanese punk rockers were christened Tokyo Rockers, and initially were disregarded by the mainstream music industry. Record company executives made the mistake of thinking that the Japanese punk movement was just a passing fad, …

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ARTHUR BLYTHE-ELABORATIONS, LIGHT BLUE ARTHUR BLYTHE PLAYS THELONIUS MONK AND PUT SUNSHINE IN IT.

Arthur Blythe-Elaborations, Light Blue: Arthur Blythe Plays Thelonious Monk and Put Sunshine In It. Label: BGO Records. By 1982, alto jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe was forty-two and had been signed to Columbia since 1978. Since then, he had already released a quartet of albums for his new label. This began with two critically acclaimed albums …

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RANKY TANKY-RANKY TANKY.

Ranky Tanky-Ranky Tanky. Label: Self-Released. When South Carolina natives Quentin Baxter, Kevin Hamilton, Charlton Singleton and Clay Ross first met in 1998, they had just left university, and were wondering what the future held for them? The meeting proved to be a game-changer for the four musicians, and soon, they had formed what’s still remembered …

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SUBHI-SHAITAAN DIL (NAUGHTY HEART).

Subhi-Shaitaan Dil (Naughty Heart). On September the ‘15th’ 2017, Chicago-based singer-songwriter Subhi will release her much-anticipated, accidental debut album Shaitaan Dil (Naughty Heart). For Subhi, this is something she has dreamed about all her life. Even when she was working in finance on Wall Street. However, a career in finance wasn’t for Subhi, who remembers: …

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SKID ROW-SKID AND 34 HOURS.

Skid Row-Skid and 34 Hours. Label: BGO Records. By late 1967, Dublin’s vibrant rock scene was thriving with many newly founded bands playing in universities and clubs around the city. Some were already spreading their wings, and heading further afield taking their music to other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Its music scene had …

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GIL SCOTT-HERON-THE FLYING DUTCHMAN YEARS.

Gil Scott-Heron-The Flying Dutchman Years. After releasing a trio of studio albums on Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions between 1970 and 1972, Gil Scott-Heron signed to Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell’s Strata-East Records. By then, Gil Scott-Heron was well on his way to becoming America’s social conscience. Gil Scott-Heron was a poet, musician, and author …

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JUDY HENSKE-THE ELEKTRA ALBUMS.

Judy Henske-The Elektra Albums. Label: Ace Records. It was in 1962, when Judy Henske was living in Los Angeles, that the Queen of the Beatniks first came to the attention of Elektra Records’ founder Jac Holzman. He had just setup A&R and marketing operation in LA and was on looking for new artists to add …

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