Category Archives: R&B

WILLIAM BELL-THE MAN IN THE STREET.

William Bell-The Man In The Street. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Southern Soul man William Bell was born William Yarbrough on July the ’16th’ 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, he sang in church and was inspired by the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, who at the time, were led by Sam Cooke. By the …

Continue reading

LOMA NORTHERN SOUL-CLASSICS AND REVELATIONS 1964-1968.

Loma Northern Soul-Classics and Revelations 1964-1968. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘27th’ January 2023. The Loma Records’ story began in March 1964. That was when Mike Maitland, the Warner Bros president, announced that the label was launching a new imprint. It was to be managed by former PR man and record producer Bob …

Continue reading

WHERE SOUL BEGINS…KENT MODERN-FOR DANCERS FORTY.

Where Soul Begins…Kent Modern-For Dancers Forty. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: 25th November 2022. In 1982, a new label, Kent Records, released its first ever compilation, For Dancers Only to widespread critical acclaim. It was released to critical acclaim and was hailed a commercial success. This landmark compilation was also the start of …

Continue reading

A SNAPSHOT IN TIME.

A Snapshot In Time. Ace Records. Format: CD. Ever since the birth of rock ’n’ roll,  youth cults have come and gone. Some have proven to be nothing more than passing fads that nowadays, and nowadays, are mere footnotes in cultural history. Some youth cults have endured and played an important part in British culture. However, …

Continue reading

LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH! GIRL GROUP SOUNDS USA 1962-1966.

  Look But Don’t Touch! Girl Group Sounds USA 1962-1966. Label: Ace Records. Format: LP. Ever since the eighties, Ace Records has been the go-to label for girl group compilations. Since then, they’ve released ten volumes of their critically acclaimed Where The Girls Are as well as the Girls About Town and Stop, Look and …

Continue reading

GIRLS WITH GUITARS GONNA SHAKE!

Girls With Guitars Gonna Shake! Ace Records. Format: CD. There are very few compilation series that are still going strong after thirty-three years. Often, by then, the compiler has run out of material or musical tastes have changed.  However, some compilation series survive changing musical tastes and prosper. That’s the case with Ace Records’ long-running …

Continue reading

WHATEVER YOU WANT-BOB CREWE’S 60s SOUL SOUNDS

Whatever You Want-Bob Crewe’s 60s Soul Sounds. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Mention Bob Crewe’s name and most music fans remember the pop-soul songs he wrote, and his recordings with Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. Then there’s the New Voice and Dynavoice labels which he founded and …

Continue reading

THE COUNT BISHOPS-THE COUNT BISHOPS.

The Count Bishops-The Count Bishops. Label: Chiswick. Format: LP. During 1977, a genre that has continued to divide opinion was at the peak of its popularity, punk. This anti music was championed by critics and cultural commentators who were willing to overlook that many of the musical charlatans within punk bands could barely play their …

Continue reading

NEW YORK CITY BLUES.

New York City Blues. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. The golden age of blues in New York was between the forties and sixties. By then, many people had moved from the southeastern states and brought with them southern rural music. Soon, blues music was being heard in ballrooms, clubs, theatres and on the streets of …

Continue reading

DUSTY SINGS SOUL.

Dusty Sings Soul. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Dusty Springfield’s love of soul and R&B was apparent from the very start of a solo career that spanned three decades. Between 1964 and 1995 she released fifteen studio albums. However, she was at the peak of her powers when signed to Philips Records. Especially on the …

Continue reading

ALL TURNED ON! MOTOWN INSTRUMENTALS 1960-1972.

All Turned On! Motown Instrumentals 1960-1972. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Previously, Ace Records have dug deep into the Motown vaults and released two successful and critically acclaimed compilation series. Motown Girls was the first and this was followed by Motown Guys. However, now two becomes three with All Turned On! Motown Instrumentals 1960-1972, which …

Continue reading

LENNY KAYE PRESENTS LIGHTNING STRIKING.

Lenny Kaye Presents Lightning Striking.  Label: Ace Records. Format: 2CD. Versatile describes musician, composer and producer Lenny Kaye. Many music fans remember him as the guitarist in the Patti Smith Group. Lenny Kaye also worked with everyone from REM and James to Suzanne Vega and Kristin Hersh right through to Soul Asylum and even poet …

Continue reading

THIS LOVE WAS REAL-LA VOCAL GROUPS 1959-1964.

This Love Was Real-LA Vocal Groups 1959-1964. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. During the forties and fifties, doo wop groups were formed in towns and cities across America. From Baltimore to Chicago and Detroit to New York new groups were founded. This was also the case in Los Angeles during the golden age of doo …

Continue reading

PEOPLE GET READY: THE CURTIS MAYFIELD SONGBOOK.

People Get Ready: The Curtis Mayfield Songbook. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. After the demise of The Impressions in 1970, Curtis Mayfield embarked upon a solo career. It spanned three decades and commercial success and critical acclaim were constant companions for the Chicago-born soul man. Between his 1970 debut Curtis, and 1996s Â New World Order …

Continue reading

CAN I GET A WITNESS-STAX SOUTHERN GROOVE.

Can I Get A Witness-Stax Southern Groove. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Satellite Records was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton and four years later, in 1961, the label changed its name to Stax Records. The newly named label was then joined by Volt Records which was its sister label. This was …

Continue reading

CULT CLASSIC: JETHRO TULL-THIS WAS.

Cult Classic: Jethro Tull-This Was. The origins of Jethro Tull can be traced to Blackpool,  Lancashire,  in 1962, where Ian Anderson formed his first group Blades, which was originally a four piece, featuring Ian Anderson on vocals and harmonica. A year later in 1963, Blades was a quintet and in 1964 the group was a sextet who …

Continue reading

LORD SHANGO ORIGINAL 1975 MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK BY HOWARD ROBERTS.

Lord Shango Original 1975 Motion Picture Soundtrack By Howard Roberts. Label: Tidal Waves Music. Format: LP. During first half of the seventies, Blaxploitation films started to grow in popularity and by soon, Hollywood producer saw the potential in what was a relatively new genre. However, there’s much debate about what was the first Blaxploitation film? Some critics …

Continue reading

IMPULSE RECORDS: MUSIC, MESSAGE AND THE MOMENT.

Impulse Records: Music, Message and The Moment. Label: Impulse. Format: 2CD Set. The roots of Impulse! can be traced to 1955 when the American Broadcasting Company decided the time was right to diversify into the record business. History was made on June ‘14th’ 1955 when  Am-Par Record Corporation was incorporated and Samuel H. Clark became …

Continue reading

YOU GAVE ME A REASON TO LIVE-SOUTHERN AND DEEP SOUL FROM LOUISIANA. 

You Gave Me Reason To Live-Southern And Deep Soul From Louisiana. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. During the sixties and seventies, South-West Louisiana was famous for its vibrant and music industry which was soon expanding and thriving. Initially, the region was famous for the Cajun sound and Zydeco, but soon, artists and producers started recording …

Continue reading

STOP THE WAR.

Stop The War. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. When the Vietnam War began on the ‘1st’ November 1955, Americans never realised that this bloody and brutal war would last nineteen years, five months, four  weeks and one day. By the time the War ended on the ’30th’ April 1975 America was a nation divided. Those in favour of …

Continue reading