Category Archives: Soul

A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING-THE DOLLY PARTON SONGBOOK.

A Way To Make A Living-The Dolly Parton Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: “31st” March 2023. On September the ‘18th’ 1967, Monument Records released Hello, I’m Dolly, the debut album twenty-one year old country singer Dolly Parton. The album reached number eleven in the US Country charts, and featured two hit singles, …

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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 …

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CULT CLASSIC: NORIKO MIYAMOTO WITH ISAO SUZUKI-PUSH.

Cult Classic: Noriko Miyamoto With Isao Suzuki-Push. During a long and illustrious career, double bassist Isao Suzuki was one of the most important and influential Japanese jazz artists of his generation. His career began in 1956, and over a career that spanned seven decades he released over fifty solo albums. That’s not all. He also …

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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 …

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CULT CLASSIC: MOONSHINE AKA MONICA RYPMA AND FRIENDS-CLASSIFIEDS.

Cult Classic: Moonshine aka Monica Rypma and Friends-Classifieds. When Monica Rypma’s released her album Classifieds as a private press in 1985, little did she know that one day, it would be much-prized rarity amongst collectors and fans of the folk-funk genre. That’s why nowadays, original copies of Classifieds are changing hands for ever increasing sums …

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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 …

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THE LIBRARY ARCHIVE VOLUME 1 AND 2-FUNK, JAZZ, BEATS AND SOUNDTRACKS FROM THE ARCHIVES OF CAVENDISH MUSIC-COMPILED BY MR THING AND CHRIS READ.

The Library Archive Volume 1 and 2-Funk, Jazz, Beats and Soundtracks From The Archives Of Cavendish Music-Compiled By Mr Thing and Chris Read. Label: BBE Music. Format: 2CD Set. The names Sonoton, De Woife, Amphonic, Conroy and Cavendish Music roll off the tongue of aficionados of library music. This ranges from a coterie of collectors …

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DO IT AGAIN! THE SONGS OF BRIAN WILSON.

Do It Again! The Songs Of Brian Wilson. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD Release Date: ‘28th’ October 2022. Brian Wilson is seen by some as the closest thing music has had to a genius. Proponents of this argument cite the Beach Boys 1966 progressive, psychedelic Magnus Opus Pet Sounds. By then, he was one of …

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NORIKO MIYAMOTO WITH ISAO SUZUKI-PUSH.

Noriko Miyamoto With Isao Suzuki-Push. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. During a long and illustrious career, double bassist Isao Suzuki was one of the most important and influential Japanese jazz artists of his generation. His career began in 1956, and over a career that spanned seven decades he released over fifty solo albums. That’s not …

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THE MICK COX BAND-THE MICK COX BAND.

The Mick Cox Band-The Mick Cox Band. Label: Another Planet Music. Format: CD. Mick Cox was born in Gillingham, Kent, in 1943. His father was a bandsman in the Royal Marines, and he encouraged his son to play classical piano as a child. However, by the time he was eleven, and attending Grammar Schoo,l he …

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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, …

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WRAP IT UP-THE ISAAC HAYES AND DAVID PORTER SONGBOOK.

Wrap It Up-The Isaac Hayes and David Porter Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. One of the most important songwriting partnerships in the history of Stax Records was Isaac Hayes and David Porter. They started writing together towards the end of 1964, and success came quickly for the pair when …

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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 …

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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 …

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LEON THOMAS-BLUES AND THE SOULFUL TRUTH.

Leon Thomas-Blues and The Soulful Truth. Label: BGP. Format: LP. Release Date: 26th August 2022. Some labels prove to be the perfect fit for an artist, and this was the case when Leon Thomas signed to Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions.  By the late sixties, Leon Thomas had embraced free jazz fully. He turned his back on …

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MASTERPIECES OF MODERN SOUL VOLUME 6.

Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 6. Label: Kent Dance. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2022. Almost nineteen years ago,  in October 2003,  Kent Soul released the first instalment in the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul series. Since then, another six volumes have been released. The first came in January 2009, when Masterpieces Of Modern Soul …

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ATLANTA SOUL ARTISTRY 1965-1975.

Atlanta Soul Artistry 1965-1975. Label: Kent Soul. Format: LP. Atlanta’s black music scene started to thrive during the fifties and sixties. However, one of the most important figures during the sixtes was Bill Haney.  He was a producer, songwriter and owner of Down South Productions who was responsible for some of the finest Southern Soul …

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FUNKADELIC’S GREATEST HITS.

Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits. Label: Westbound. Format: CD. Nowadays, most albums released in 1975 have been reissued at least once. An exception is Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits compilation which was originally released in 1975. That’s about to change when Westbound, an imprint of Ace Records reissues this ten track CD. It’s been newly remastered and is a …

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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 …

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BOB STANLEY AND PETE WIGGS PRESENT FELL FROM THE SKY: DOWNTEMPO AND AFTER HOURS 1990-91. 

Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Present Fell From The Sky: Downtempo and After Hours 1990-91. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD.  Release Date: ‘1st’ July 2022.   House music arrived in Britain in 1987 and instantly transformed the musical landscape. Just like disco a decade earlier, it went on to provided the soundtrack for a generation in clubs …

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