Category Archives: R&B
CULT CLASSIC: LONNIE MACK-THE WHAM OF THAT MEMPHIS MAN!
Cult Classic: Lonnie Mack-The Wham Of That Memphis Man! By 1963, twenty-two year old Lonnie Mack was already an experienced musician. He had been making a living as a musician since he was thirteen. That was when Lonnie Mack quit school, after getting involved in an argument with a teacher. For most thirteen year olds, this …
THE CLARK SISTERS-YOU BROUGHT THE SUNSHINE-THE SOUND OF GOSPEL RECORDINGS 1976-1981.
The Clark Sisters-You Brought The Sunshine-The Sound Of Gospel Recordings 1976-1981. Label: Ace Records. By the late-sixties, both jazz and blues were no longer as popular as they once had been. That was when it dawned on some mucicians that unless the music they loved evolved, is risked becoming irrelevant. Both jazz and blues evolved …
CULT CLASSIC: DR JOHN-DESITIVELY BONAROO.
Cult Classic: Dr John-Desitively Bonnaroo. When a copy of Dr John’s debut album Gris Gris was sent to Atlantic Records’ founder Ahmet Ertegun he disliked the album so much, that he was reluctant to even release the album and said: “how can we market this boogaloo crap?” This wasn’t the response that Dr John had …
CULT CLASSIC: THE BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE-THE BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE.
Cult Classic: The Bonniwell Music Machine-The Bonniwell Music Machine. In 1955, Sean Bonniwell’s life changed when he heard The Platters’ Only You and decided to become a musician. Eventually, his dream became a reality, and he became one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the mid-sixties. With his band The Bonniwell Music Machine, Sean …
THE LONDON AMERICAN LABEL YEAR BY YEAR 1967.
The London American Label Year By Year 1967. Label: Ace Records. For a generation of British teenagers who embarked upon a lifelong love affair with music during the fifties and sixties, the London American Recordings will forever have a place in their heart. London American Recordings was the label that introduced a British music lovers …
JIMMY HOLIDAY-THE ACCIDENTAL SINGER-SONGWRITER AND ONE OF MUSIC’S BEST KPET SECRETS.
Jimmy Holiday-The Accidental Singer-Songwriter and One Of Music’s Best Kept Secrets. Jimmy Holiday never set out to make a career out of music, and instead, he wanted to be a boxer. He got as far as fighting in the annual Golden Gloves competition, and then Jimmy started to get beat. That wasn’t in his plans. Realising he was …
HORN ROCK AND FUNKY GUITAR GROOVES 1968-1974.
Horn Rock and Funky Guitar Grooves 1968-1974. Label: BGP. Nowadays, music historians regard 1968 as the year that American rock returned to its soulful roots. The man responsible, was one of the true legends of music, Bob Dylan, who joined forces with The Band, and they went in search of a chimerical America, and what …
FAREWELL DR JOHN AND A GUIDE TO HIS MUSIC:PART 1-THE ATCO YEARS 1968-1974.
Farewell Dr John and A Guide To His Music: Part 1: The Atco Years 1968-1974. A month ago, on the ‘6th’ of July 2019, Dr John, who was born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. on November the 20th 1941, in New Orleans, which he still called home, passed away aged seventy-seven. That day, music lost one of the greatest musicians of his generation. The next day I …
RHYTHM AND BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-BOP CAT STOMP.
Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp. Label: Ace Records. Nowadays, the compilation market is without doubt, one of the most competitive in the music industry. Every week hundreds of compilations are released by labels in America, Europe and Britain. Some are released by major labels, while others are lovingly curated and released by …
ON THE DETROIT BEAT! MOTOR CITY SOUL-UK STYLE 1963-1967.
On The Detroit Beat! Motor City Soul-UK Style 1963-67. Label: Ace Records. As 1959 unfolded, Detroit based songwriter, producer and future musical impresario Berry Gordy Jr had already discovered The Miracles and started to build a successful portfolio of recording artists. There was only one problem, what would Berry Gordy Jr do with these talented …
DR JOHN-THE ATCO YEARS 1968-1974.
Dr John-The Atco Years 1968-1974. Gris Gris. When a copy of Dr John’s debut album Gris Gris was sent to Atlantic Records’ founder Ahmet Ertegun he disliked the album so much, that he was reluctant to even release the album and said: “how can we market this boogaloo crap?” This wasn’t the response that Dr …
ONENESS OF JUJU-AFRICAN RHYTHMS-VINYL.
Oneness of Juju-African Rhythms-Vinyl. Label: Strut. After five politically charged years living on the East and West coast of America, bandleader James “Plunky” Branch returned to his home town of Richmond, Virginia, where he formed Oneness of Juju won released their Afro-jazz classic‘African Rhythms’ on the Black Fire label in 1975. Now some forty-three years later Strut …
WINSTON McANUFF AND FIXI-BIG BROTHERS.
Winston McAnuff and Fixi-Big Brothers. Label: Chapter Two Records Following his recent collaborations with the Jamaican roots collective Inna De Yard, the man of the moment Winston McAnuff, returns with Big Brothers, the second album he’s released with French accordionist and producer Fixi. Big Brothers was recently released on Chapter Two Records and finds Winston …
WILLIE HIGHTOWER-OUT OF THE BLUE.
Willie Hightower-Out Of The Blue. Label: Ace Records. Sadly, nowadays ageism is rife in society and many experienced and talented professionals are consigned to the scrap-heap. Many talented and experienced people are suddenly jettisoned by organisations who should know better. Many of these people are only in their fifties and sixties and have a lot …
KAT FRANKIE-BAD BEHAVIOUR.
Kat Frankie-Bad Behaviour. Label: Grönland Records. Romanian author Nico J. Genes wrote in her book Magnetic Reverie: “follow your dreams, let them guide you. Who knows where they may take you.” This is what Kat Frankie decided to do in 2004, when she gave up her job in Sydney, Australia, and left her family and …
NEW BREED R&B (VINYL)
New Breed R&B (Vinyl). Label: Kent Dance. The phrase New Breed R&B was coined way back in 2001, when Adrian Croasdell was compiling a new compilation for Kent Dance. This was New Breed R&B: Soulful 60’s Blues For Today’s Dancers, which featured a selection of songs from the original Kent and Modern labels. It was …
THREE SIX NINE! THE BEST OF SHIRLEY ELLIS.
Three Six Nine! The Best Of Shirley Ellis. Label: Ace Records. The ‘16th’ of June 1954 was a proud day for twenty-five year old singer-songwriter Shirley Ellis, when she registered her first songwriting copyrights with Library Of Congress. This she hoped would be the start of a successful songwriting career that would transform her fortunes …
dereksmusicblog