Category Archives: Soul

DR JOHN-IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD.

Dr John-In A Sentimental Mood. Label: Music On CD. There aren’t many musicians who enjoy the longevity that the late, great Dr John enjoyed. His career lasted the best part of sixty years and he released thirty studio albums and nine live albums. Dr John also won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the …

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INSTRUMENTAL GEMS VOL. 1: SPANISH FUNK AND GROOVE 1974/1977.

Instrumental Gems Vol. 1: Spanish Funk and Groove 1974/1977. Label: Adarce Records. During the seventies, many Spanish musicians found themselves struggling to make ends meet. Times were tough, especially for up-and-coming musicians. Some of them had dreamt of becoming a professional musician since the first started to play the guitar, bass or drums. Eventually, after years of practise, …

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PACIFIC BREEZE 2: JAPANESE CITY POP AOR AND BOOGIE 1972-1986.

Pacific Breeze 2: Japanese City Pop AOR and Boogie 1972-1986. Label: Light In The Attic Records. Release Date: ‘15th’ of May 2020. In May 2019, Seattle-based Light In The Attic Records released Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR and Boogie 1976-1986 to widespread critical acclaim. This lovingly curated compilation was what many music fans had …

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CULT CLASSIC: CESAR 830-CESAR.

Cult Classic: Cesar 830-Cesar. Originally, Cesar Ascarrunz came from Bolivia to California to study economics and psychology. He wanted to continue his education and the University of California, in Berkeley seemed the perfect place. When he arrived in California in 1960, he was twenty-five. Although interested in music, he couldn’t play an instrument. This changed in …

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NKEM NJOKU AND OZZOBIA BROTHERS-OZABIA SPECIAL. 

Nkem Njoku and Ozzobia Brothers–Ozobia Special. Label: BBE Africa. Tabansi Records was founded in Nigeria in 1952, and filled a void when major labels like Decca and later, Philips closed the doors on their Nigerian operations. Chief Tabansi, who lent his name to what would become Nigeria’s most important label, recorded artists and then pressed …

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CULT CLASSIC: ISAAC HAYES MOVEMENT-DISCO CONNECTION.

Cult Classic: Isaac Hayes Movement-Disco Connection. Disco. Never has a musical genre divided opinion like the D word.   It’s been described as musical Marmite. People either love disco, or they loathe it. There’s no in-between. However, forty years ago, in 1976, disco’s star was in the ascendancy. Artists were jumping onto the disco bandwagon. …

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DANIEL HAAKSMAN-BLACK ATLANTICA EDITS.

Daniel Haaksman-Black Atlantica Edits. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ’24th’ of April 2020. Over the last few years, Berlin-based DJ, producer and record label owner Daniel Haaksman has been reworking tracks by everyone from CK Mann + Carousel 7 and Soul Brothers to Francis Bebey, Bonde Do Rôlé and Kaba Blon and these edits have become favourites …

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DR JOHN THE NIGHT TRIPPER-THE SUN, MOON AND HERBS.

Dr John The Night Tripper-The Sun, Moon and Herbs. Label: Speaker’s Corner. By July 1970, twenty-nine year old Dr John was about to begin recording his fourth album for Atco which eventually became The Sun, Moon and Herbs which has just been reissued on vinyl by Speaker’s Corner.  Dr John had written six new track …

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LARRY ROSE BAND-THE JUPITER EFFECT.

Larry Rose Band–The Jupiter Effect. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘17th’ April 2020. Usually, at this time of the year, dedicated crate-digging DJs and discerning record collectors spend  much of their spare time searching for oft-overlooked albums and long lost hidden gems in back-street record shops, thrift stores and dusty warehouses. This is the natural …

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NIGHTMARES ON WAX-SMOKER’S DELIGHT 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION.

Nightmares On Wax-Smoker’s Delight 25th Anniversary Edition. Label: Warp. Four years after releasing their debut album A Word Of Science: The First and Final Chapter in 1991, Nightmares On Wax returned with their much-anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore album Smoker’s Delight. It was released on the ‘24th’ of October 1995, Warp, who have just reissued …

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LOCOMOTIVE-WE ARE EVERYTHING YOU SEE.

Locomotive-We Are Everything You See. Label: Magic Box.   By 1965, all over Britain, new groups were being founded every day. They had watched as The Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion groups took America by storm. The new groups watched enviously, hoping and dreaming that one day soon, they would be signed …

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CULT CLASSIC: GARY BARTZ-LOVE SONG.

Cult Classic: Gary Bartz-Love Song. By 1976, saxophonist Gary Bartz’s reputation was on the rise.This came as no surprise to those within the jazz community. Already, Gary Bartz had played with some of the biggest names in jazz. Especially before he formed his own band in 1969. Baltimore born Gary Bartz had started his career …

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JAMIE 3:26 PRESENTS A TASTE OF CHICAGO.

Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘27th’ March 2020. Two years after releasing a 12” preview sampler, BBE Music will release Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago on the ‘27th’ March 2020. It’s a compilation of  edits from the DJ and producers Jamie 3:26, who hails from the …

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BODDHI SATVA-18.

Boddhi Satva-18. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘20th’ March 2020. Boddhi Satva was born and spent much of the the early part of his life in Bria in the Eastern part Central African Republic. Soon, he was immersed in music, and spent his time writing, rapping  and producing with the hip hop crew the Gbekpa …

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CULT CLASSIC: RUPTURE-ISRAEL SUITE/DOMINANTE EN BLEU.

Cult Classic: Rupture-Israel Suite/Dominante En Bleu. Over the last fifty years, bands and artists have penned ambitious concept albums about all manner of subjects. No subject matter it seems is off-limits when it comes to the concept album. There’s been concept albums about bureaucracy and censorship, death and dreams, evolution and revolution, heaven and hell, …

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ALEX ATTIAS PRESENTS LILLYGOOD PARTY! VOLUME 2.

Alex Attias Presents LillyGood Party! Volume 2. Label: BBE Music. Release Date ‘20th’ March 2020. Thirty-two years ago in 1988,  Alex Attias decided to embark upon a career as a DJ in his home city of Lausanne, Switzerland, and began playing an eclectic selection of dancefloor friendly music.  This didn’t come as a surprise to …

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CULT CLASSIC: EL TURRONERO-NEW HONDO.

Cult Classic: El Turronero-New Hondo. All to often, music that was way ahead of its time failed to find the audience it deserves. It’s only much later when the music is reevaluated by a new generation of record buyers who realise and recognise the importance of the music. That has been the case time after …

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PHILOPSIS. 

Philopsis. Label: Digger’s Digest. Over the last few years, there’s been a resurgence of interest in library music, with British and European independent record labels releasing lovingly curated compilations that are welcomed by a coterie of musical connoisseurs who have a passion for library music. This includes DJs, producers and record collectors who are willing …

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TABANSI STUDIO BAND-WAKAR ALHAZI KANO AND MUS’EN SOFOA.

Tabansi Studio Band–Wakar Alhazai Kano and Mus’en Sofoa. Label: BBE Africa. Philadelphia International Records’ house band was MFSB, while Motown the Funk Brothers and Fame Records had the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section between 1961 and 1969. These three house bands played an important part in each label’s sound and success. That was also the case with  …

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ANDY BEY-BALLADS, BLUE AND BEY-VINYL.

Andy Bey-Ballads, Blue and Bey-Vinyl. Label: Ko Ko Music. By the time Andy Bey released Ballads, Blue and Bey in 1996, his career had already spanned four decades. His career began in 1959 when he worked on the Startime television show with Connie Francis. This continued until 1960, and by then, he had also sang …

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