Category Archives: Jazz
THE A-Z OF THE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2013-PART 4.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2013-PART 4. LOUISIANA SATURDAY NIGHT REVISITED. Ace Records waited an amazing twenty-three years to release the followup Another Saturday Night, which was released back in 1990. Released to critical acclaim and an appreciative audience, Another Saturday Night was one of the compilations of 1990. Everyone expected a followup …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2013-PART 5.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2013-PART 5. PIED PIPER PRESENTS A NEW CONCEPT IN DETROIT SOUL, When the definitive history of soul music is written, several cities will loom large in the story. A triumvirate in particular, have played a hugely important part in the development of soul. This triumvirate are Memphis, Philadelphia …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 1.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 1. With 2013 drawing to a close, and a new musical year beckoning, it’s time to look back at the best music released during the year. Over the next few days, I’ll look back at the best compilation, reissues and new releases. Before that, I’ll pick …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 2.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 2. ELLA FITZGERALD-DEARLY BELOVED. Ella Fitzgerald enjoyed a fifty-nine year career that saw her crowned The Queen of Jazz and The First Lady of Song. With a three-octave vocal range, Lady Ella became one of the most influential and revered singers in the history of jazz …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 3.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 3. PHILLY REGROOVED: THE TOM MOULTON REMIXES-SPECIAL VINYL EDITION. Just over three years ago, in August 2010, Harmless Records released the first instalment in the Philly ReGrooved compilation series. Featuring twelve remixes of tracks from the Philly Grooved back-catalogue Philly ReGrooved: The Tom Moulton Remixes was …
SWAMP DOGG-TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF YOUR MIND.
SWAMP DOGG-TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF YOUR MIND. Described as an album of gonzo soul from a true musical maverick, Total Destruction Of Your Mind was the debut album from Swamp Dogg. Released in 1970, Total Destruction Of Your Mind saw Swamp Dogg draw inspiration from everyone from Frank Zappa, Van Morrison and Sly Stone. Everything from …
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES-REACHING FOR THE WORLD.
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES-REACHING FOR THE WORLD. Wake Up Everybody marked the end of an era for Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. Not only was To Be True the last Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ album to feature Teddy Pendergrass, but it was their last album to be released on Philadelphia International …
SKADEDYR-KONGEKRABBE.
SKADEDYR-KONGEKRABBE. Recently, Skadedyr have been establishing a reputation as one of Norway’s most exciting up-and-coming bands. Skadedyr however, are no ordinary band. Far from it. Described as an anarchist/democratic band, Skadedyr feature twelve members. These twelve musicians play an eclectic selection of instruments. This includes a brass, string and rhythm section. Even their rhythm section …
CAKEWALK-TRANSFIXED.
CAKEWALK-TRANSFIXED. It was May 2012, when Cakewalk released their genre-melting debut album Wired. Released to critical acclaim, Wired featured intense, mesmeric music. Featuring three experienced and talented musicians, Cakewalk became one. Each member of Cakewalk seemed to have know exactly what the other was about to do. The interaction between them was peerless. They fed …
PLEASURE-SPECIAL THINGS.
PLEASURE-SPECIAL THINGS. Having spent spent several years honing their style and sound, Pleasure were “discovered” by Wayne Henderson of The Crusaders. Pleasure’s persistence had paid off. Pleasure had worked hard at improving and honing their style. They’d also made sure any band that swung through Portland, were handed a copy of Pleasure’s demo. Grover Washington …
CHICO HAMILTON WITH PAUL HORN-CHICO HAMILTON WITH PAUL HORN.
CHICO HAMILTON WITH PAUL HORN-CHICO HAMILTON WITH PAUL HORN. From an early age, Chico Hamilton looked destined to become a jazz drummer. Born in Los Angeles in September 1921, Chico was already a talented drummer by the time he reached high school. Away from school, he was playing alongside some of the greatest jazz musicians …
CHET BAKER QUINTETTE-CHET BAKER QUINTETTE.
CHET BAKER QUINTETTE-CHET BAKER QUINTETTE. Chet Baker’s big break came when he joined Charlie Parker’s band at the Tiffany Club, in Los Angeles. That was in May 1952, when Chet was just twenty-three. Even then, it was widely recognized that Chet Baker was a prodigious talent. A great future was forecast for the former member …
COLEMAN HAWKINS-THE HAWK SWINGS.
COLEMAN HAWKINS-THE HAWK SWINGS. There aren’t many musicians whose career traversed the big band, swing and bebop eras. Coleman Hawkins did. He was one of the finest tenor saxophonists in the history of jazz. Born in 1904, Coleman Hawkins was around when jazz was born. His recording debut came in 1921, as a member of …
JULIEN DYNE-DECEMBER.
JULIEN DYNE-DECEMBER. One of the most anticipated albums of recent months, has been Julien Dyne’s third album December. It’s just been released on BBE Music, and sees Julien pick up where he left off on his sophomore album Glimpse. On Glimpse we saw a tantalising glimpse of the direction Julien Dyne’s music was heading. This …
ANGOLA SOUNDTRACK 2.
ANGOLA SOUNDTRACK 2. Following three aggravated uprisings in 1961, the Angolan authorities were forced to act. There was no denying it, Angola was in crisis. The country could implode. Something had to be done. The status quo wasn’t an option. What followed was a double edged sword of repression and reform. For the first time, …
JETHRO TULL-BENEFIT.
JETHRO TULL-BENEFIT. If I was to ask what group had nine albums certified gold, and one certified triple-platinum, between 1969 and 1979, how many people would say Jethro Tull? That’s because most people forget how successful Jethro Tull were. They were one of the most successful, groundbreaking and innovative of the prog rock bands in …
PHAROAH SANDERS-ELEVATION.
PHAROAH SANDERS-ELEVATION. Having released his debut album Pharoah’s First in 1964, Pharoah Sanders went on to release over thirty albums. As if this isn’t impressive enough, he’s accompanied jazz legends John and Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and Don Cherry. Pharoah’s other collaborations have included working with such luminaries as Terry Callier, Sun Ra and Ornette …
HOLGER CZUKAY-ON THE WAY TO THE PEAK OF NORMAL.
HOLGER CZUKAY-ON THE WAY TO THE PEAK OF NORMAL. Holger Czukay’s name is synonymous with Can, the group he cofounded in 1968. Soon, Can went on to become one of the most innovative, influential and groundbreaking groups in musical history. Their music is best described as a fusion of ambient, avant-garde, electronic, experimental, industrial, jazz, …
VAN MORRISON-MOONDANCE.
VAN MORRISON-MOONDANCE. When Van Morrison released his third album, Moondance, in February 1970, little did he know he’d just released not only a classic album, but an album he’d never surpass. This wasn’t unexpected. After all, two years earlier in February 1968, Van Morrison has released Astral Weeks, an album which was a game-changer. Astral …
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