Category Archives: R&B
THE FIFTY-FIVE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2015-PART 5.
THE FIFTY-FIVE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2015-PART 5. PRIVATE WAX VOLUME TWO. Private Wax Volume Two was released on BBE Music in October 2015. This is another compilation of “Super Rare Boogie and Disco Compiled By Zaflovevinyl.” Given their rarity, it’s no wonder it’s taken three years to compile Private Wax Volume Two. However, if anyone …
SOUTH TEXAS RHYTHM ’N’ SOUL REVUEW 2-FROM THE VAULTS OF CRAZY CAJUN RECORDS.
SOUTH TEXAS RHYTHM ’N’ SOUL REVUEW 2-FROM THE VAULTS OF CRAZY CAJUN RECORDS. Back in February 2013, Kent Soul released South Texas Rhythm ‘N’ Soul Revue, a compilation of some of the finest soul and R&B to emerge from the Lone Star State. It was recorded at Huey Meaux’s studio, and featured many of the …
JON SAVAGE’S 1966: THE YEAR THE DECADE EXPLODED.
JON SAVAGE’S 1966: THE YEAR THE DECADE EXPLODED. It was the best of times, it was the worst of time. That’s the best way to describe 1966, which musical historians and cultural commentators remember as the year that transformed music. 1966 was a game-changer. Nothing would ever be the same again. Jon Savage explains why …
GEORGIE FAME HEARD THEM HERE FIRST.
GEORGIE FAME HEARD THEM HERE FIRST. Not many compilation series has enjoyed the longevity and success of Ace Records’ Heard Them Here First series. There’s a reason for this. The series allows music lovers to hear the music that influenced some of the biggest names in music. This has previously included The New York Dolls, …
RHYTHM ‘N’ BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-VOCAL GROUPS.
RHYTHM ‘N’ BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-VOCAL GROUPS. When compilers are looking for inspiration for a new compilation series, there’s a tendency to focus on a city or region. That’s all very well. However, far too often, compilers focus on the same cities. Detroit, Memphis and Philly are favourites. So are Chicago, Los Angeles and New …
REACHING OUT! CHESS RECORDS AT FAME STUDIOS.
REACHING OUT! CHESS RECORDS AT FAME STUDIOS. There aren’t many recording studios that play such an important part in their town’s history, that they’re added to the list of local landmarks and designated part of the town’s heritage. That’s what happened to the Fame Recording Studios in December 1997, when the recording studios were added …
ALL ABOARD! 25 TRAIN TRACKS CALLING AT ALL MUSICAL STATIONS.
ALL ABOARD! 25 TRAIN TRACKS CALLING AT ALL MUSICAL STATIONS. Nowadays, most compilations seem to be genre specific. They feature only soul, funky, jazz, psychedelia, pop or rock. Some compilations go even further, and focus on a sub genre of music. That’s because nowadays, many people seem to gravitate to one genre of music. It …
UNLOCK THE LOCK-THE KENT RECORDS STORY VOLUME 1 1958-1962.
UNLOCK THE LOCK-THE KENT RECORDS STORY VOLUME 1 1958-1962. In 1944, Jules Bihari, a Hollywood based musical entrepreneur, founded Modern Music with his brothers Saul, Joe and Lester. Little did anyone realise, that within a few years the nascent Modern Music would become one of the most successful independent labels. Commercial success visited Modern Music …
IAN LEVINE’S SOLID STAX SENSATIONS.
IAN LEVINE’S SOLID STAX SENSATIONS. The Stax Records’ story began in 1957, when Jim Stewart founded Satellite Records. Four years later, in 1961, Satellite Records changed its name to Stax Records. That day, one of what become one of the most successful independent soul labels was born. This success lasted fourteen years. Then on December …
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST-OCTOBER 4TH AND 5TH 1968.
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST-OCTOBER 4TH AND 5TH 1968. As promoters go, Bill Graham was one of the best. He seemed to have the uncanny knack of spotting bands on their way up. Often he managed to book bands just before they made it big. This meant when a band were …
TOMMY RIDGLEY AND BOBBY MITCHELL-IN THE SAME OLD WAY: THE COMPLETE RIC, RON AND SHO-BIZ RECORDINGS.
TOMMY RIDGLEY AND BOBBY MITCHELL-IN THE SAME OLD WAY: THE COMPLETE RIC, RON AND SHO-BIZ RECORDINGS. Although Joe Ruffino’s Ric and Ron labels may not have been the first R&B labels in New Orleans, they would become two of the most important and influential. That’s no surprised. Joe Ruffino was a music industry veteran. By …
BILAL-IN ANOTHER LIFE.
BILAL-IN ANOTHER LIFE. Just over two years ago, in March 2013, Bilal released his fourth album A Love Surreal, on BBE Music. A Love Surreal was billed as the most ambitious album of Bilal’s career. The music on A Love Surreal had been inspired by the art of legendary surrealist painter, Salvador Dali. It seemed …
YOUNG JESSIE-HIT, GIT AND SPLIT.
YOUNG JESSIE-HIT, GIT AND SPLIT. Texas has a rich musical history. That’s been the case for over a hundred years. Country legends Gene Aubry, Boxcar Willie and George Jones were from Texas. So were blues men Albert Collins, Freddie King and T-Bone Walker. Then there’s Buddy Holly, jazz drummer Buddy Miles, Janis Joplin, Sly Stone, …
DJ VADIM AND SENA-GROW SLOW.
DJ VADIM AND SENA-GROW SLOW. Ten years ago, Sena and her band made long the journey from Accra in Ghana, to Budapest, Hungary to play at a festival. Sena never thought anything of it at the time when she agreed to the booking. Granted she was excited to be playing at such a prestigious festival. …
KEEP A HOLD ON HIM! MORE GARPAX GIRLS.
KEEP A HOLD ON HIM! MORE GARPAX GIRLS. Nowadays, record companies don’t waste time releasing the sequel to a successful compilation. Often, only six months to a year passes, before volume two is released in a blaze of publicity. However, that wasn’t the case with Boy Trouble: Garpax Girls, which Ace Records released back in …
CLARENCE “FROGMAN” HENRY-BABY AIN’T THAT LOVE-TEXAS AND TENNESSEE SESSIONS 1964-1974.
CLARENCE “FROGMAN” HENRY-BABY AIN’T THAT LOVE-TEXAS AND TENNESSEE SESSIONS 1964-1974. New Orleans is one of America’s great musical cities. It always has been. That’s always been the case for just over a hundred years. Back then, blues and gospel provided Big Easy’s soundtrack. Next came Dixieland and swing. By then, New Orleans lived and breathed …
WOW, WOW, BABY! VOLUME 3-1950S R&B, BLUES AND GOSPEL FROM DOLPHIN’S OF HOLLYWOOD.
WOW, WOW, BABY! VOLUME 3-1950S R&B, BLUES AND GOSPEL FROM DOLPHIN’S OF HOLLYWOOD. By 1958, Fred Grayton Dolphin was living the American dream. The Toast of The Coast was a successful businessman, who owned a record shop and independent record label. Fred was also a record producer and political activist. He was well respected within …
JACKIE WILSON-NYC 1961-1966.
JACKIE WILSON-NYC 1961-1966. 1957 was a landmark year in Jackie Wilson’s career. That’s when Jackie Wilson left Billy Ward and His Dominoes, to embark upon a solo career. Previously, Jackie Wilson had spent four years with Billy Ward and His Dominoes. He was only nineteen when he joined Billy Ward and His Dominoes in 1953. Already Jackie …
EDDIE BO-BABY I’M WISE THE COMPLETE RIC SINGLES 1959-1962.
EDDIE BO-BABY I’M WISE THE COMPLETE RIC SINGLES 1959-1962. New Orleans is one of America’s great musical cities. It always has been. That’s been the case for the last hundred years. Back since the delta blues, and later Dixieland provided the soundtrack to New Orleans at play, the city has given the world some of …