Category Archives: Soul
MOD JAZZ RIDES AGAIN.
Mod Jazz Rides Again. Label: Kent Dance. Twenty-two years ago in 1996, Kent Dance an imprint of Ace Records released a new compilation Mod Jazz which celebrated the music that the Modernists listened to during the sixties. Mod Jazz was released to plaudits and praise and was a trip down memory lane for the original …
SHAOLIN SOUL: EPISODE 4.
Shaolin Soul: Episode 4. Label: Because Music France. Twenty years ago in 1998, the first instalment in the Shaolin Soul compilation series was released to widespread critical acclaim. Shaolin Soul: Episode 1 was an all-star compilation that featured nineteen funky and soulful tracks from labels like Atlantic, Hi, Motown and Stax that had inspired many hip hop producers. So did …
WESTBOUND SUPER BREAKS-ESSENTIAL FUNK, SOUL AND JAZZ SAMPLES AND BREAKBEATS.
Westbound Super Breaks-Essential Funk, Soul And Jazz Samples And Breakbeats. Label. Westbound Records. Back in 1969, Armen Boladian was a familiar face within the Detroit music scene, and the musical impresario was about to launch a new label Westbound Records. This came as no surprise to those that knew Armen Boladian who previously, had founded …
50 YEARS MPS.
50 Years MPS. Label: MPS. In 1958, German engineer and producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer founded a new record label SABA (Schwarzwälder-Apparate-Bau-Anstalt). Over the next ten years, SABA released 40 jazz albums. However, in 1968, SABA’s parent company was sold to the American GTE Corporation. Sadly, the new owners had no interest in SABA’s recording business, …
TIM MAIA-1970-1978: THE FIRST TEN ALBUMS.
Tim Maia-1970-1078: The First Ten Albums. By 1978, charismatic Brazilian singer-songwriter Tim Maia’s career was at a crossroads and he was worried about what the future held for him. Tim Maia found himself financially embarrassed, after a couple of musically barren years. He had spent much of the money he earned on cars, musical instruments …
WILLIE HIGHTOWER-OUT OF THE BLUE.
Willie Hightower-Out Of The Blue. Label: Ace Records. Sadly, nowadays ageism is rife in society and many experienced and talented professionals are consigned to the scrap-heap. Many talented and experienced people are suddenly jettisoned by organisations who should know better. Many of these people are only in their fifties and sixties and have a lot …
FOR THE ARCHIVES VOLUME 2 COMPILED BY VOLCOV.
From The Archive Volume 2 Compiled By Volcov. Label: BBE. Compilation Of The Week. When BBE released From The Archive Volume 1 Compiled By Volcov to critical acclaim in March 2016, critics and record buyers wondered aloud whether there would be a follow-up? Just over two years later and the much-anticipated followup From The Archive …
THE SPINNERS-WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS.
The Spinners-While The City Sleeps. Label: Kent Soul, In 1964, The Spinners signed a seven-year recording contract with Berry Gordy’s Motown label, which the Detroit-based group would transform their fortunes. They had already enjoyed two hit singles That’s What Girls Are Made For and Love (I’m So Glad) I Found You in 1961. Since then, …
JACK ASHFORD-JUST PRODUCTIONS VOLUME 2
Jack Ashford-Just Productions Volume 2. Label: Kent Soul. In March 2016, Kent Soul, an imprint of Ace Records released their new compilation Jack Ashford-Just Productions to widespread critical acclaim. Critics and music fans wondered if there would be a followup? Just over two years later and Kent Soul have released Jack Ashford-Just Productions Volume 2. …
BALEARIC 4.
Balearic 4. Label: Balearic. During the nineties several small independent labels started to release lovingly curated compilations of downtempo or chill out music, which was popular in the Balearic Islands, and especially on the White Island, Ibiza. That was where many British and European DJs first saw chill out sets being played at places like …
BURNIER AND CARTIER-BURNIER AND CARTIER.
Burnier and Cartier-Burnier and Cartier. Label: Mr Bongo. During the fifteen and sixtes, the Bossa Nova provided the soundtrack to life in Brazil and was the music that was played everywhere from houses and hotels to beachside cafes. However, by late 1968 the Bossa Nova no longer seemed the perfect soundtrack to life in Brazil. …
SUPER ELCADOS-TOGETHER IS ALWAYS A GOOD VENTURE-TAMBOURINE PARTY VOLUME 2.
Super Elcados–Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2. Label: Mr Bongo. During the early sixties, a musical revolution took place in Ghana, when musicians started combining elements of West African musical genres including highlife and fuji music which they fused with American funk and jazz. Playing an important part important part in this …
MARY LOVE-LAY THIS BURDEN DOWN-VINYL.
Mary Love-Lay This Burden Down-Vinyl. Label: Kent. The day that Mary Love entered a talent contest in a local club was that the day that her life changed. She sang a cover of Etta James’ Somebody’s Got A Hold On Me and won. This resulted in Mary being hired to sing every Thursday. She was paid $8 a …
EMANATIVE-EARTH.
Emanative-Earth. Label: Jazzman Records. Three years after the release of their third album The Light Years Of The Darkness in 2015, British jazz collective Emanative return with Earth, a new album of ambitious genre-melting music. It finds Emanative channelling the spirit of Sun Ra, but also drawing inspiration from Floating Point’s unique brand if cinematic …
MILLIE JACKSON EXPOSED: THE MULTI-TRACK SESSIONS MIXED BY STEVE LEVINE.
Millie Jackson Exposed: The Multi-Track Sessions Mixed By Steve Levine. Label: Southbound Records. To remix or not to remix, that is the question that many critics and music fans have asked over the last few years. Especially if it’s a classic album, which adds to the controversy. Soon, feelings are running high at the thought …
HOT PEPPER-SPANGLISH MOVEMENT.
Hot Pepper-Spanglish Movement. Label: Espacial Discos. By 1977, it looked as if the disco bubble would never burst as it provided the soundtrack to danceflooors in Britain, Europe and North America. DJs and dancers had been won over by disco which had grown in popularity over the past few years. Initially, disco was an underground …
NEW BREED R&B (VINYL)
New Breed R&B (Vinyl). Label: Kent Dance. The phrase New Breed R&B was coined way back in 2001, when Adrian Croasdell was compiling a new compilation for Kent Dance. This was New Breed R&B: Soulful 60’s Blues For Today’s Dancers, which featured a selection of songs from the original Kent and Modern labels. It was …
LA DISCOTEQUE PSYCHEDELIQUE VOLUME 1 (VINYL).
La Discoteque Psychédélique Volume 1 (Vinyl). Label: Boss-A-Tone Records. Nowadays, the compilation market in Britain is fiercely competitive, with independent and major record companies from home and abroad fighting for the compilation pound week after week. That has been the case for the last few years, and with every passing week new record companies join …
NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN-LOOKING AT YOU, LOOKING AT ME, THE NATURE OF THINGS AND DIVINE EMOTION.
Narada Michael Walden-Looking At You, Looking At Me, The Nature of Things and Divine Emotion. Label: BGO Records. The first many record buyers heard of Narada Michael Walden, was when he was announced as Billy Cobham’s replacement in the second lineup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1974. By then, Narada Michael Walden was just twenty-two …