Archives: Features

Skip text, jump to albums >> My first introduction to Soul music was Arthur Conley’s ‘Sweet Soul Music’ in 1967. 60’s Soul had an exciting raw sound to it, and many great tracks were recorded in this decade. The 1970’s brought more sophistication and better productions to Soul Music. The soulful vocals backed by strings horns and great arrangements with lyrics that could relate to, made 70’s Soul probably the most incredible period of music for me personally. The range of emotions that I got from this music and the vocals could put you on a supernatural high, make you...

Skip text, jump to albums >> FUNK – WHERE IT STARTED FOR ME Funk was where it all started as far as I was concerned - it was the first ‘black’ music that got to me. My elder brother Laurence had gotten into Soul a few years earlier, but sixties Soul (Motown, Stax etc) and Northern Soul was not my thing then. When Laurence started playing Funk that was it. I was hooked. Funk had that edge and flow to it. It was the jazzy bassline, the naggingly infectious rhythm guitar riffs and the tight horns. It was all those...

Skip text, jump to albums >> THE SMOOTH JAZZ PHENOMENA Few things have created as much controversy within the Jazz world in the last twenty years or so than Smooth Jazz.  Many contend that Smooth Jazz is not Jazz at all and is really instrumental RnB.  The absence of improvisation and the fairly strict adherence to the melody are undoubtedly characteristics of the music.  The musicianship is however of a high quality and many of its protagionists are amongst contemporary Jazz’s finest.  Then there is the song writing which in the cases of the likes of Peter White and Brian...