Archive - March 2017

          A tough one for me, or any critic/reviewer/journalist who is reviewing a release from an artist they know personally, they...

          If you have ever had to wait for your telephone line to be fixed in the UK, you will see the irony in this band’s name...

            FIRST ON-LINE REVIEW   When legendary singer and songwriter Gary Brooker was sat in the control room of the...

          This time last weekend, I was writing a review of a new Dizzy Gillespie live album, a “lost” recording from...

        A massively popular singer on the Northern Soul scene, still today 13 years after his death. One of the most popular soul/R&B...

        This revered soul artist is still sadly missed, some seven or so years after her death at the age of 54-years old. A lovely two...

        Double-CD set by soul/pop and reggae icon, Johnny Nash covering close 15 years of recordings. This first-of-its-kind collection...

           This one excited me. The first ever box set dedicated to UK new wave punk band Radio Stars. I was a fan back in the day. On 17th...

          Newly re-mastered edition of the classic and highly collectable album by Little Free Rock, the UK hard rock trio from the late...

          Newly re-mastered edition of “Too Many Crooks”, the 1976 album by Unicorn. Featuring a line-up of Ken Baker (guitar, keyboards...

          Newly re-mastered edition of “One More Tomorrow”, the 1977 album by Unicorn. Featuring a line-up of Ken Baker (guitar...

          Former prog’ rock synth’ player Tim Blake is seen as a pioneer and after he quit the band in 1975, he teamed up with...

        Who remembers Gong? Prog rock pioneers from the 1970s.  Formed in 1967 in Paris by Aussie Daevid Allen and Brit’ singer Gilli Smyth, who...

        He’s back. Dave Hanson, Leeds-based guitar master and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead axe man for alt. folksters The Dunwells. Dave...

        This record blew my socks off.  Funky, groove-soaked, jazz-meets-soul-meets-funk-meets…. well; sheer talent. Channelling the...

      I loved her last album and gave it a glowing review. That record and two of her songs from it, made it into my end of year “Best Of” in my...

        Coco Montoya, a true blues-rock giant. Formerly a member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers for a decade, alongside his pal Walter Trout...

        This one took me by surprise. Didn’t know the band at all; nor just what they are capable of. An outrageously stonking ‘blues and...

        “Know My Name”. I didn’t. But I do now. Marty is a rock and blues guitarist, singer and songwriter of considerable talents from Atlanta...

        Bumper six-disc box set, a total of 60 tracks, including three “bonus” mono singles, available on CD for the first time. Who is Rex...

        What is Yorkshire famous for? Tea? Beer? Cricket? Beautiful countryside? Yummy cholestrol-bashing Sunday lunch pudding? The largest...

      What can one say about jazz icon Dizzy Gillespie that has not already been said? A pioneer, an innovator, a giant as a trumpeter, composer and...

      Picture the scene. Me, Little Richard and the two promoters of a historic arena tour that starred three rock and roll legends; Little...

      Although he died forty years ago, at the age of 48, Matt McGinn left behind a legacy of more than 500 songs that he had written. Labelled...

      This is an unusual one. A live double album taken from an astounding SIX HOUR concert by this sizzling jazz (and more), trio, recorded in...

      Big fan of this cool cat. A sucker for Hammond stuff, and have seen and shot pix of a fair few of the greats over the years; Jimmy Smith, Jimmy...

          Really fun album with a fabulous singer. British seven-piece band Steamchicken blend folk, jazz, gypsy-swing, reggae, blues, soul...

        This one caught me by surprise. A very pleasant surprise. Never heard of the two musicians before. When I noted the instrumentation...

          One of the best reggae bands to come from the UK, with a wondrous come-back album, 34 years since their debut album was released...

        Debut release from quirky and unique Swedish singer songwriter Johanna Lillvik, offering five self-penned five songs that almost defy...

            I am still having therapy after seeing the album cover photograph on Bob Cheevers’ 2002 release, “We Are All Naked”. Just...

            In the PR paperwork that accompanies this new live album, Krissy uses a quote written by me in a review of a previous album...

* FIRST UK REVIEW *           The album title made me wonder if Ms Collier was mates with Hank Marvin! Sorry, maybe that gag is well past...

        The voice. The voice. No, not that TV talent show with the spinning red chairs and the mad as a box of frogs Will.i.am. No, I am...

          Who invented rock and roll? Bill Hayley and his Comets? Little Richard? Chuck Berry? Jerry Lee Lewis? Elvis Presley? The list of...

          It’s here. Country2Country Festival 2017; now in its fifth year. Bringing some of the biggest names in country music across...

          Bill Kirchen and Austin de Lone are a force to be reckoned with. Having collaborated together on the road and as writers for more...

        Ash Wilson is a UK-based singer-songwriter from Lincolnshire who knows how to inject power into a track and how to hold the...

            Capturing the true spirit of New Orleans and its famed marching bands, this infectious and fun soundtrack to the summer we will...