Category Archives: Soul
LINDA JONES-THE TRAGIC STORY OF THE LOST SOUL QUEEN.
Linda Jones-The Tragic Story Of The Lost Soul Queen. As 1972 dawned, twenty-seven year old Linda Jones was a successful soul singer. She had already enjoyed five hit singles and her debut album had sold well. This looked like it was just the start of a long and successful career for a singer who had the …
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF FUZZY HASKINS
The Life and Music Of Fuzzy Haskins. Between 1970 and 1977, Fuzzy Haskins was a member of not one, but two of the most prolific and successful funk bands of the seventies,..Parliament and Funkadelic. They released a total of fourteen albums, which sold in excess of 2.5 million copies. Still, though, Fuzzy Haskins found time …
THE RISE AND FALL OF SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE.
The Rise and Fall Of Sly and the Family Stone. Between 1966 and 1976, psychedelic soul pioneers Sly and The Family Stone released eight studio albums and their first Greatest Hits album. These albums showcased Sly and the Family Stone’s genre-melting music, which took as a starting point psychedelic soul and added funk and rock to this heady musical brew. …
BETTY HARRIS-NEW ORLEANS’ LOST SOUL QUEEN.
Betty Harris-New Orleans’ Lost Soul Queen. Not every artist is fortunate enough to enjoy a long and illustrious career where they enjoyed commercial success and critical acclaim. For many artists, it’s quite the opposite and their career is cut short, and is over before it has even began. That was the case with Florida born singer Betty Harris, whose career lasted …
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JEANETTE JONES?
Whatever Happened To Jeanette Jones? The history of soul music is littered with artists who could’ve and should’ve gone on to greater things, but for whatever reason, commercial success and critical acclaim passed them by. That, sadly, was the case with Jeanette Jones. She had talent in abundance, and a voice that was a mixture …
CYMBELINE-SWEDEN’S LOST GROUP.
Cymbeline-Sweden’s Lost Group. Nowadays, Norway and Sweden both have vibrant and thriving music scenes, where pioneering musicians record and release some of the most ambitious, important and innovative music that is currently being released in Europe. This is nothing new, and both countries have a long and illustrious musical history stretching back to the early …
SAM DEES-“A PROLIFIC SONGWRITER AND OCCASIONAL PERFORMER.”
Sam Dees-“A Prolific Songwriter and Occasional Performer.” For many artists their career is a case of what might have been, and sadly, that has been the case with Sam Dees. He had the talent and potential to become one of the biggest names in soul music. Sadly, Sam Dees didn’t enjoy the commercial success and critical acclaim that …
MAXINE BROWN-THE BEST OF THE WAND YEARS-VINYL.
Maxine Brown-The Best Of The Wand Years-Vinyl. Label: Kent. In 1960, twenty-one year old Maxine Brown signed to the small, New York-based Nomar label who released her All in My Mind. The deep soul ballad which was written by Maxine Brown and reached nineteen in the US Billboard 100 and number two on the US …
JIMI HENDRIX-BOTH SIDES OF THE SKY-VINYL.
Jimi Hendrix-Both Sides Of The Sky-Vinyl. Label: Sony Music. From the moment that Jimi Hendrix saw T-Bone Walker playing his guitar with his teeth he took it as a challenge, and was determined that one day, he would be able to replicate what he had just witnessed the veteran bluesman do. In years to come, …
WAKE UP! MUSIC USA-UK-NU-HOUSE: THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL.
Wake Up! Music USA-UK-Nu-House: The Start Of Something Special. Written By Derek Anderson and Maddy Gomez. Label: Wake Up! Music Group. In early 2018, I was asked by Maddy Gomez, who runs Wake Up! Music Group to write the liner notes to Music Is My Life, the comeback album from Chicago-based DJ and producer Matt …
SOUL OF A NATION: JAZZ IS THE TEACHER, FUNK IS THE PREACHER-VINYL
Soul Of A Nation: Jazz Is The Teacher, Funk Is The Preacher-Vinyl. Label: Soul Jazz Records. Just fifteen months after the release of their critically acclaimed compilation Soul Of A Nation, Soul Jazz Records release the much-anticipated followup Soul Of A Nation: Jazz Is The Teacher, Funk Is The Preacher as a three LP set. …
JON SAVAGE’S 1968-THE YEAR THE WORLD BURNED.
Jon Savage’s 1968-The Year The World Burned. Label: Ace Records. When the Rolling Stones released Street Fighting Man as a single in America in August 1968, it was called their most political song to date. The song started life as Did Everyone Pay Their Dues, but it’s alleged became Street Fighting Man after Mick Jagger …
C. J. & CO-AIN’T IT AMAZING THE UNRELEASED WESTBOUND MASTERS.
C.J. & Co-Ain’t It Amazing-The Unreleased Westbound Masters. Label: Westbound. The C. J. & Co story began in Detroit, Michigan, in the mid-sixties when they were known as The Strides. By the early seventies, The Strides featured Curtis Durden and his wife Connie, Cornelius Brown Jr and Joni Tolbert. This was the lineup that signed …
SHE’S A DOLL! WARNER BROS’ FEMININE SIDE.
She’s A Doll!-Warner Bros’ Feminine Side. Label: Ace Records. One of Ace Records’ most popular compilation series’ over the past few years has been Where The Girls Are. There’s already been nine volumes of the critically acclaimed Where The Girls Are, with another due for release in 2019. This hasn’t stopped Ace Records compiling and …
COVER ME-THE EDDIE HINTON SONGBOOK.
Cover Me-The Eddie Hinton Songbook. Label: Ace Records. When Atlantic Records’ Jerry Wexler saw Eddie Hinton playing in Muscle Shoals he called him “the next big thing.” By then, Eddie Hinton was a talented songwriter who regularly collaborated with Marlin Greene, Donnie Fritts and Dan Penn, and played guitar on nearly every session held at …
FAME NORTHERN SOUL.
Fame Northern Soul . Label: Kent. Mention Southern Soul, and there are certain record labels that spring to mind, including Stax, Hi Records and Fame Records. It’s no exaggeration to say that these three labels are synonymous with Southern Soul. Together they released some of the greatest music in the history of Southern Soul. Indeed, the …
BITTESCHON PHILOPON! VOLUME 1.
Bitteschon Philophon! Volume 1. Label: Philophon. Release Date: ‘7th’ December 2018. The Berlin based Philophon label will release their first ever label compilation Bitteschon Philophon!Volume 1 on the ‘7th’ December 2018. Bitteschon Philophon!Volume 1 is essentially a best of compilation, that features ten tracks from the first fifteen seven-inch singles released on Philophon. These fifteen …
STAX 68: A MEMPHIS STORY.
Stax 68: A Memphis Story. Label: UMC. Nowadays, many historians regard 1963 as the height of the Civil Rights movement in America, which many African-Americans had devoted themselves to, and had been working towards the day when America would be fully integrated. That was the day that they had long dreamt about. Sometimes, it seemed tantalisingly …
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