Thursday, March 31, 2011

Electro Old School Beats: Herbie Hancock's ''Future Shock''

Herbie Hancock''Future Shock''( LP Columbia Records, 1983 )Catalog # FC 38814Tracklisting:A1 Rockit 5:22Bata - Daniel PonceA2 Future Shock 8:02Backing Vocals - Bernard FowlerDrums - Sly DunbarGuitar - Pete CoseyVocals - Dwight Jackson Jr.A3 TFS 5:15B1 Earth Beat 5:10Bata - Daniel PonceB2 Autodrive 6:25B3 Rough 6:57Backing Vocals - Bernard Fowler , Nicky Skopelitis , Roger

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Jazz Monsters: Herbie Hancock's ''The Herbie Hancock Box'' Compilation Box Set

Herbie Hancock ''The Herbie Hancock Box''( Compilation Box Set, 2004 )Andy's Note:Here's my last post of this trip home, back to Australia next week.However I will be back with more goodies soon.Info:Box set, Original recording remasteredLabel: SonyRelease date: (September 14, 2004)Review by C. Andrew Hovan:While some might disagree, arguably pianist Herbie Hancock’s most memorable performances

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Jazz Soul & Organ: Odell Brown And The Organ-izers' ''Raising The Roof''

Odell Brown & The Organ-izersReal Name:Odell Brown, Artee ‘Duke’ Payne, Curtis Prince, Henry Gibson, Tommy PurvisProfile:Initially formed in 1961, when the members were students at Tennessee State A&M University, the group broke up when Brown was drafted but reformed in Chicago in 1964.Between 1964 and 1969 Odell Brown & the Organ-izers recorded three LP’s and three 45’s (one non-LP) on Cadet

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Disco & Roller Skates: Dr. York's ''Shake-N-Skate''

''Shake-N-Skate'' 12''( 12'' Disco Single, Passion Records, 1980 )Catalog # LP 520559Notes:B-Side of ''Roll-A-Rock''Format:Vinyl, 12"Country:USReleased:1980Dr. York - Real Name: Dwight York, Malachi Z. York - Born: Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.Skateboarding had punk, roller skating had disco, hence roller skating is one of the most popular youth culture movements on the planet, with millionaire

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

More Bads...Melvin Sparks passed away on March 15th, 2011 of complications from diabetes.

Melvin Sparks passed away on March 15th, 2011 of complications from diabetes.The great soul-jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks died Tuesday. There isn't much press on his death and that's probably because he didn't enjoy the success of the people he supported: Sam Cooke, Idris Muhammed, Hank Crawford.A little-known site called jambands.com had a short little write up, by Annabel Lukins, a

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bad News: Ms. Loleatta Holloway passed away.

Soul and Disco singer Loleatta Holloway died Monday evening following a brief illness. She was 64 years old.Holloway’s death was confirmed Monday by her manager, Ron Richardson.The lady with the big voice got her start as a gospel singer, recording with Albertina Walker and the Caravans. In the early 1970s, she signed a recording contract with the Aware Recrods. Holloway recorded two albums for

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Jazz Soul Sax: Gene Ammons' "The Black Cat!"

Gene Ammons"The Black Cat!"( LP Prestige Records, 1971 )Catalog # PRT-10006Tracklisting:The Black CatLong Long TimePiece To Keep Away Evil SpiritsJug EyesSomethingHi Ruth!Personnel:Gene Ammons (ts)Harold Mabern (p, el-p)George Freeman (g)Ron Carter (b)Idris Muhammad (d)Bill Fischer (arr -2,5) 9 violins (-2,5)Notes:Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 11, 1970** Also

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Actor, Dancer & Singer: Mr. Ben Vereen

Ben VereenReal Name: Benjamin Augustus MiddletonInfo:Ben Vereen (born October 10, 1946, in Laurinburg, North Carolina, USA) is a Tony Award-winning, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan’s High School of Performing Arts. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Jesus Christ

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Books: Blue Note - Album Cover Art - The Ultimate Collection

Blue Note: Album Cover Art - The Ultimate CollectionBy Graham Marshand Glyn CallinghamNotes:7 x 7 in; 288 pp ; full-color images throughoutPaperbackPublished in October, 2002Comment:Smaller in trim size, greatly expanded in content, this compendium of Chronicle’s classic Blue Note books (50,000 copies sold) is now an appealingly chunky paperback. Blue Note remains one of the most influential jazz

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Philly Legends: The Three Degrees' ”So Much Love”

The Three Degrees”So Much Love”( LP Roulette Records, 1975 )Catalog # SR 3015Record date : 01/01/1975Tracklisting:1 Magic Mirror2 Trade Winds3 Love The One You’re With4 I Do Take You5 Who Is She (And What Is She to You)6 There’s So Much Love All Around Me7 Ebb Tide8 Caught Between Two Fires9 Maybe10 If You Must Leave My LifeBiography:Philly soul vocal group the Three Degrees started in 1963 in

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Philly Sound: First Choice & The Philly Groove Orchestra ''Love Freeze'' 7''

First Choice''Love Freeze'' 7''( 7'' Philly Groove Records, 1975 )Catalog # PS 204Tracklisting:A Love Freeze 3:05B Love Freeze 3:05Credits:Arranged By [Rhythm] - Norman HarrisArranged By [Strings] - Bobby MartinProducer - Stan WatsonWritten-By - Allan Felder , Norman HarrisNotes:Format:Vinyl, 7", PromoCountry:USReleased:1975One side is stereo, the other side mono.The Philly Groove Orchestra''Love