Posts

Soul Hit Explosion (Best Of 70s Soul)

Image
The cover of a Dutch 1970s compilation album that I found on a flea market inspired me to create this mix!
“In the early '70s, Rufus was one of the most popular and interesting bands in R&B and rock. Of course, the reason was Chaka Khan, who possessed an amazing voice that was well versed in rock and jazz every bit as much as R&B. Their debut went nowhere, Rags to Rufus offered two instant classics, and Rufusized displayed their skill as album artists.”(Allmusic.com)

Enjoy this new episode of Best Of 70s Soul!

Tracklist:

Peaches & Herb – Easy As Pie (1979)
Stargard ‎– Theme Song From "Which Way Is Up" (1977)
Ike & Tina Turner – Nutbush City Limits (1973)
The Reflections – Three Steps From True Love (1975)
Tavares – Don’t Take Away The Music (1976)
Linda Lewis ‎– Baby I'm Yours (1976)
Tony Sherman – Sing With Me (1975)
The Miracle Workers – Something (1975)
Natalie Cole – This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) (1975)
Rufus Feat. Chaka Khan ‎– Once You Get Started …
Post a Comment
Read more

Late Summer Breeze From The West Coast (AOR Radio)

Image
At the beginning of the 1960s, AM radio was by far the dominant format. It was the more tightly programmed, singles-oriented band on the dial, and it played the sort of commercial pop music that has since become synonymous with the era (1961-1975). Pop music sounded best on portable mono radios and in Europe it was mainly played by pirate stations near the Dutch and British coast. Around the mid-70s FM radio on stereo hifi equipment replaced the transistor radio and pirate stations disappeared one by one, due to government decisions.

The more sophisticated and technically better FM radio stations were willing to play album tracks and longer songs from bands like Earth, Wind & Fire. Those bands used the improved studio techniques and possibilities to a full extent. Eventually FM radio became the new standard, especially for the high standards of the AOR sound.

Speaking of radio sound, the new album Predictions by New York based 79.5 is “that fantasy radio station you wished exist…
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Gentle Waves & Soft Winds

Image
This is my Oktoberfest: a smooth sailing trip on a calm sea and gentle waves only. Enjoy! :-)

At a time when Rosie Vela worked as a model, she built a home recording studio for herself and signed a recording contract with A&M Records. Steely Dan’s main members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker played on her 1986 debut album Zazu, which was produced by Gary Katz, who had previously worked with them. Though the album was critically acclaimed, it went largely unnoticed in the U.S. Following Zazu, Vela did not release any further material, but has since become a backing vocalist for other musicians, including Electric Light Orchestra on their 2001 album Zoom. Vela also went on tour with the band, and was for 7 years in a relationship with ELO's frontman Jeff Lynne.

Only a fool from 'Calypso King' The Mighty Sparrow is about a guy who cannot let go. It is a heart breaking love story, sung by a seemingly vulnerable man. The funny thing is, however, that the singer was not that…
Post a Comment
Read more

Slow Dancin’ Moods (Mixcloud 500!)

Image
Yes, I reached my 500th upload on Mixcloud today! :-) I uploaded my first cloudcast on the 3rd of September 2009 as one of the first users of Mixcloud and today, 9 years later, I added my 500th one! Thanks to everyone for making this possible. I am so glad that my “funky chill” dj-style or “relaxed Sunday morning music" or "music you can almost dance to" or "soulful pop" made it to the ears of so many listeners. To celebrate my 500th cloudcast on Mixcloud I chose to call the genre that I play "slow dancing moods". Enjoy this hour of celebration!
"Addrisi Brothers (1977) - smooth disco boogie album of the two acrobatic brothers from Massachusetts. You hear the strong influence of the Bee Gees. Their own version of "Never My Love" - ​​a hit for The Association, written by the brothers in 1967 - is wonderful. There is also a nice cover of Michael Frank's "Monkey See, Monkey Do". A contemporary document. The artwork is pricel…
Post a Comment
Read more

Lovely Day – The Songs Of Bill Withers By Others

Image
Is it folk, is it soul or is it just pop? Singer/songwriter Bill Withers is hard to categorize, but he surely wrote some memorable songs. He was a late starter musically and cut his first demos while working as a mechanic for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. His debut album Just As I Am came out in 1971 , when he was 33. After being in the business for more than 10 years, Withers became fed up with the music industry. His last charting LP was Watching You, Watching Me, released in spring 1985.

The songs and recordings of Bill Withers have been used as both the source of numerous covers and sampled by a multitude of hip-hop/rap groups. Because of his 80th birthday, two tribute albums came out last month, Hello Like Before by Anthony David and Lean On Me by Jose James on the legendary Blue Note label.

Tracklist:

Luther Vandross Feat. Busta Rhymes – Lovely Day (2003)
Anthony David – Hello Like Before (2018)
Cris Delanno – Just The Two Of Us (2006)
Nancy Wilson ‎– Ain't No Sunshine (197…
Post a Comment
Read more

Seventies Breeze by The Smooth Operators

Image
In the 1970s all kinds of genres melted together: pop, jazz, rock and soul. The Smooth Operators put a handful of those mixed gems together to create a Seventies Breeze!

Before Alan O'Day became a successful recording artist, he was writing hits for other singers. First there was "The Drum" in 1971 for teen idol Bobby Sherman, which was featured on his Portrait of Bobby album. "Angie Baby" for mellow Australian crooner Helen Reddy followed in 1974 on her Free and Easy album, and the single hit the top of the charts late that year. Three years later, O'Day stepped in front of the microphone and took "Undercover Angel," another song he penned, into the winner's circle. The single sold a couple of million copies in 1977 for Pacific Records. O'Day went on to score another winner as a singer, this time in Australia. His "Skinny Girls" rose to number one in 1980. The following year he and Tatsuro Yamashita collaborated on "Your E…
Post a Comment
Read more

AOR Radio: Mellow Weekend

Image
Isn’t that what everybody wants? A mellow weekend? I deliver the soundtrack, so you can keep mellow all weekend long… Enjoy this fresh part of AOR Radio!

One of the tracks is from talented singer/songwriter ROOSEVELT who describes Shadows from his album Young Romance as follows::
"Shadows is a song about a long lost companion - someone that you were close to in the past, that still haunts you and you can't get out of your head. With the production I tried to mix 70s disco with more recent synth pop."Arianne by pop/soul singer Johnny Mathis appeared on his Killing Me Softly With Her Song album that was released in 1973. Rod McKuen, who recorded the track two years later, wrote on his official site that the lyrics are a translated French poem. Although it is a beautiful song, it almost sounds a bit creepy:
"Arianne is April morning
That comes rippling through my window
She's the smell of coffee brewing
On a quiet, rainy Sunday
She's the purring of a kitten
That…
Post a Comment
Read more

Best Of 70s Soul: Music Trance

Image
The finest of Labelle's original albums, Nightbirds was recorded in New Orleans with funkmeister Allen Toussaint behind the production desk and members of the Meters (later known as the Neville Brothers) playing the instruments. Lady Marmalade (Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir) was their well-deserved number one from the album.

Deniece Williams spent the first half of the 1970s establishing herself as a background vocalist for an impressive line of artists, including Stevie Wonder, Minnie Riperton, Roberta Flack, and Esther Phillips. Though she'd continue to do session work throughout her career, she also became accomplished as a solo artist. Unfortunately, a lot of people think she came out of nowhere for 1984's Let's Hear It for the Boy on the Footloose soundtrack, a number one pop hit, but she was making excellent albums as early as 1976. The songs that would eventually make up her debut, This Is Niecy, were sent to Earth, Wind & Fire. Williams didn't …
Post a Comment
Read more

Funky Blue Note Grooves From The Crates

Image
Enjoy the funky Blue Note (and affiliated) Grooves From The Crates! The legendary jazz label was founded by German immigrants Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff in 1939. It derives its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. On one of the tracks José James joins voices with Lalah Hathaway, Donny's daughter. Their fresh new duet is a version of Bill Withers’ classic Lovely Day. James’ forthcoming album is a tribute to the man who celebrated his 80th birthday on the Fourth of July. Lean On Me is out next week.

In 1972 Larry and Fonce Mizell started their production company ‘Sky high’ and began to work for artists like Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey and Johnny Hammond. The Mizell Brothers created a unique multi-layered sound that shimmers somewhere between funk, jazz, soul and disco. After having huge commercial success with A Taste of Honey, they stopped producing and playing on records. Larry only shortly appeared on Play With The Changes from 4Hero in 2006.

Actor David McCallum i…
Post a Comment
Read more

One More Slow Disco Car Ride

Image
The summer of 2018 is slowly closing its curtains, so it’s time to drive into the sunset one more time with some slow disco coming out of the speakers… I want to thank German music journalist Thomas Splett for the inspiration.
This is what Charlee Remitz tells about her new single:
“To Tell You the Truth is “What if?” in musical form. A brilliant shade of curiosity. A mystical world you frequent when someone enchants you. A love/hate moment you must cherish before, all too quickly, that enchanting “What if?” becomes “What now?”Tracklist:

Camino 84 – Yacht Rock Breaks Side B (2018)
Aaron Tesser & The New Jazz Affair – Ride Like The Wind (2010)
Michael Franks – Down In Brazil (1977)
Wayne Henderson – Hot Stuff (1978)
Barrabas – On The Road Again (1981)
Greg Kihn Band – Jeopardy [Soft Rocks Edit] (1983/2006)
Freeway – Get The Feelin’ (1980)
The Dells – No Way Back (1976)
Eddie Kendricks – I Won't Take No (1976)
The Four Seasons – Who Loves You (1975)
Young Gun Silver Fox – Love Guarantee …
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Spaced Out Jazz-Funk & Sophisticated Soul

Image
Liner notes:

Johnny Bristol – Love Takes Tears (1975)

This Johnny Bristol track was covered by British jazz-funk band The Real Thing in 1982. Johnny Bristol wrote songs for the Motown factory for many years before he went solo in 1974.

Norman Connors – Captain Connors (1978)

Jazz drummer Norman Connors crossed over to the R&B market with his superb album This is your life. The track Captain Connors can be found on it.

Demis Roussos – I Dig You (1977)

Originally called Who and done by Odyssey, a ‘one single only’ disco project from synthesizer player and movie composer Vangelis Papathanassiou (Chariots of fire). Greek singer Demis Roussos did a cover version a couple of years later and called it I dig you. He did it with more self-confidence which gave the song something extra.

Stanley Turrentine – Evil Ways (1976)

Saxophonist Stanley Turrentine played with many legendary jazz musicians, like Ray Charles and John Coltrane. He died in 2000.

The Lewis Express – Hawkshaw Philly (2018)

…
Post a Comment
Read more

Careless Whisper: Stripped 80s Chillout

Image
Enjoy these soulful, chilled and jazzy lounge takes on classics from the 1980s! One of the tracks is Don't You (Forget About Me) from the movie The Breakfast Club. Producer Keith Forsey, who used to be Giorgio Moroder’s right hand, asked subsequently Cy Curnin from The Fixx, Bryan Ferry and Billy Idol to record the song, but all three turned it down. Bryan would regret his decision later on in his career, because it would have been a good opportunity to crack the US market. Forsey then asked Simple Minds who, after refusing as well, agreed after some pushing from their label, A&M. According to frontman Jim Kerr, the band was reluctant to record the song as they felt they should only record their own material, relenting after persuasion from Kerr's wife at the time, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, and a phone call from Forsey in which he expressed his admiration for the band. The band rearranged and recorded Don't You (Forget About Me) in three hours in a north Londo…
Post a Comment
Read more

Slow Disco Pool Party

Image
This week I host a slow disco pool party with a small, final tribute to the Queen of Soul. As I told you last week, Aretha Franklin started to struggle with her career in the 1970s, when she did not seem to have a clear direction anymore. Her voice even seemed to sound a little timid on some records. Her self-confidence came back in the 1980s when some good producers knew how to use her voice best. I particularly like her 1982 album ‘Jump to it’, a collaboration with legendary singer Luther Vandross and multi-talented bass player Marcus Miller, who would later work with jazz icon Miles Davis. The opening track is the best hommage to Aretha I could think of.

Enjoy this 60 minutes of pleasure from my pool party cassette! Thanks to Walter Sobcek for the inspiration.

Tracklist:
Aretha Franklin – It’s Just Your Love (1982)
Michael Jackson – Can’t Help It (1979)
Michael McDonald – I Keep Forgettin’ [Late Nite Tuff Guy “Not In Love Anymore” Edit] (2013)
The Isley Brothers – Prize Possession [Fol…
Post a Comment
Read more

AOR Radio: Late Summer Night

Image
Let’s close the curtains, shut down the sun and tune in to to AOR late summer night radio! When her career seemed to go downhill in the 1970s, it did not necessarily mean that Aretha Franklin did not make any good records anymore. I specifically like the album You from 1976, which contains It Only Happens (When I Look At You). She then was and she will always be the one and only Queen of Soul.

I also selected a track from the new album Down To The Strip by Ash Reynolds:
“Put on your gladdest of drags and hit the main thoroughfare; for his debut album Reynolds is taking us to town and he's doing it with serious sonic style. Down To The Strip is a hazy, dusky balmy LA Miami night circa 1985.” (Juno)

Tracklist:
Aretha Franklin – It Only Happens (When I Look At You) (1975)
Rupert Holmes – Him (1979)
Jimmy Messina – Love Is Here (1979)
Gino Vannelli – Feel Like Flying (1978)
Lee Ritenour Feat. Eric Tagg – Sunset Drivers (1984)
Work Drugs – On The Gold Coast (2018)
Lindisfarne – Run For Home (…
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Tropicana Trip

Image
Enjoy your Tropicana Flight and your visit at Club Tropicana! The first hour symbolizes a smooth flight (“lounge pop”) and the second part is inspired by the 1984 Wham! video (“club pop”). To be honest, I have a little fear of flying myself, just like former Dutch soccer player Dennis Bergkamp and singer Gary Brooker (Procul Harum). But to overcome the fear, I have selected quite a few happy and joyful songs about taking planes and making trips to paradise resorts, like Club Tropicana:
“Pack your bags,
And leave tonight.
Don't take your time,
Gotta move your feet, don't you miss the flight!
Cool, cool, cool, cool”About 7 years ago L.A. based duo Poolside made waves with their daytime disco version of Neil Young's Harvest Moon as well as original tunes. In 2012 they released their sunshine drenched debut album Pacific Standard Time on their own Day & Night label, followed by Heat last year. I chose to play Take Me Home from their first album.

Enjoy this Smooth Sailing Tr…
Post a Comment
Read more

Professor Eddy’s Private Beach Party

Image
This disco beach party is an alternate version of a mix I recently did for Boogie Bunker Radio. One of the main tracks is If I Can’t Have You from Yvonne Elliman. She played Maria Magdalene in the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar, for which she won a Golden Globe award. She also appeared in the American production of the musical on Broadway, where she met her later husband Bill Oakes, the president of RSO Records. He introduced her to Eric Clapton, who asked her to sing backup vocals on I Shot the Sheriff. Label companions Barry and Robin Gibb wrote Love Me for her, which became a worldwide hit and paved the way for her greatest chart success, If I Can’t Have You from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. By the end of the 1970s, however, she became unhappy with her image as a disco diva and quite suddenly she went off the radar.

While mixing First Choice's Dr Love, Tom Moulton suffered from a heart attack, but he waited more than four hours to go to hospital, because he wan…
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Sea Grooves & Latin Moods

Image
Let me take you on a Latin Soul sailing trip this time! Enjoy the Sea Grooves & Latin Moods! By the way, this part of Smooth Sailing is based on a cloudcast called Sea Groove that I did exactly 8 years ago. The closing track is from the album We Want A Piece Of The Pie by Septimus, only recently officially released by Cultures of Soul:
"The final product was an album featuring eight tracks of sumptuous, jazzy R&B and funk, showcasing the crisp musicianship Septimus had honed night after night playing for nightclub crowds in Oklahoma. It also felt slightly out of time, hearkening back to the deeply earth and spiritual feeling of early 70s soul more so than fitting in with the gleefully cosmetic and glossy tone of early 1980s boogie funk.”(Uchenna Ikonne)

Tracklist:

Alaida Costa – Catavento (1976)
Mo’ Horizons – Kiss (2011)
Patti Drew – Fever (1969)
The JuJu Orchestra – Funky Nassau (2007)
Ray Barretto – Pastime Paradise (1980)
Jon Lucien – Would You Believe In Me (1973)
Earth, Wi…
Post a Comment
Read more

AOR Radio: Long Hot Summer

Image
Here I am again! The warm weather inspired me to create this soundtrack to sunny days. It surely is going to be a long hot summer over here in the Netherlands! Make a car ride along the coast with me, while you tune into AOR Radio! One of the tracks is Lovin’ And Losin’ You by Dwayne Ford. The song is #31 on Hello Loser’s Yacht Rock Top 100:
‘Dwayne Ford is the classic tale of “what could have been.” His classic yacht rock album “Needless Freaking” included a cast of talented musicians such as Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro and Mike Porcaro from Toto, and also mega-producer, David Foster. This album should have made Dwayne Ford a yacht rock legend with the likes of Christopher Cross and Michael McDonald, but David Foster refused to acknowledge it and even threatened law suits against Ford for crediting him on the album. Foster wanted complete creative control. Dwayne Ford credits Foster’s decision as the “most significant event in his life,” which is basically PC for “David Foster ruined…
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Suntanned Lounge & Summer Chill

Image
Enjoy yet another trip on my lounge boat! One of the tracks on this new Smooth Sailing episode is Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton:

“Les Fleurs found Riperton imagining herself a flower budding into bloom, a hippy-dippy metaphor for every soul realising its true potential. Stepney’s production echoed that metaphor, its sparse guitar and drum verse blossoming into wonderfully overblown choruses encompassing swooning strings, blaring horns, artfully arranged choirs and Riperton’s own theremin-rivalling whistle-register scree; the entire track is some winningly over-egged pudding, its absurdity part of its charm. Though it was overlooked on release, drum’n’bass adventurers 4hero’s faithful reworking for their 2001 album Creating Patterns won a belated new audience for the Riperton original.” (The Guardian)

Sool combine the best of music from France and California. L.A. native Art Bleek and French singer Mercy Collazo mix up pop, soul and electronics. Their EP Quite Obvious is the result of …
Post a Comment
Read more

“Pop Eyes”: Summer Synth- & Sophisti Pop by The Smooth Operators

Image
Enjoy these fresh ice-like summer synth- and sophisti pop songs by The Smooth Operators! One of them is from The Dream Academy. The self-titled debut release for the art-school trio led by lead singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes was produced by him and David Gilmour (Pink Floyd). The band used lush string arrangements and choir-like background vocals to create a sumptuous backdrop for their paisley-tinged pop. It worked to best effect on their smash Life in a Northern Town with its nostalgic lyrics and references to Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and The Walker Brothers (Make It Easy On Yourself). The song was written as an elegy to British folk singer Nick Drake, who died of an anti-depression overdose in 1974. The single's record sleeve included a dedication to him. Life in a Northern Town reached number 7 on the American Billboard Hot 100 in February 1986. Its memorable chant-like hook was later used in Sunchyme by Dario G.

Tracklist:

ABC – King Without A Crown (1987)
Daryl Hall &…
Post a Comment
Read more

Evening Steps: Sunset Soul & Disco

Image
Evening Steps: Sunset Boogie & Disco sounds best when the light is starting to shimmer after a warm summer’s day! Enjoy!

Three-time Grammy Award–winner Barry White is known for his distinctive bass-baritone voice, spoken intros and romantic image. His greatest success came in the 1970s as one of the frontrunners of disco, creating Love’s Theme with his Love Unlimited Orchestra and songs like Never Gonna Give Ya Up, Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe and  I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More, Baby (which is on this cloudcast) as a solo singer. During the course of his career, White achieved 106 gold albums worldwide, 41 of which also attained platinum status. He had 20 gold and 10 platinum singles, with worldwide record sales in excess of 100 million. The so-called Walrus Of Love passed away on the 4th of July 2003, so last week it was exactly 15 years ago.

Tracklist:

Central Line – Walking On Sunshine (1981)
Change – Searching (1980)
Melba Moore ‎– Mind Up Tonight (1982…
Post a Comment
Read more

AOR Radio: Hot Summer Madness

Image
A few years back I shared a car with two ladies who were in the middle of a conversation, when I heard the intro of Sweet Lui-Louise by Ironhorse softly coming through on the radio. I immediately asked them to stop talking and turned up the volume. The only way to listen to that song by Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman (of Bachman-Turner Overdrive fame) is to play it as loud as possible on the car speakers! :-)

A little bit out of the AOR box is Under The Sun, the new single by German singer/producer Roosevelt. For Young Romance (out on September 28) Roosevelt aka Marius Lauber travelled to Los Angeles where he worked on completing his demos. Where the first album was deeply rooted in club culture, and neon lit Nightmoves, his new album shows his newfound love for bigger, bolder pop songs.

Sky High by British band Jigsaw was the main title theme to the film The Man from Hong Kong and a worldwide hit in the latter part of 1975. The song was composed by keyboard player Clive Scott and …
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Summer Breeze & Deep Seas

Image
To celebrate the first week of summer we are going to make a smooth sailing trip across deep seas with a warm summer breeze in the sails. Enjoy!

The tracks by Courtial, Carol Dionne and Stylus are from the new compilation Under The Influence Vol.6, which is out on Z-Records. It is the first compilation British DJ-duo Faze Action have been made for quite some time. The two brothers have dug incredibly deep, selecting tracks ranging from afro, italo, soul, funk and disco, with many of the vinyl going for hundreds of euros on the market! They have also edited some of the tracks exclusively for the album.

Tracklist:

Nick & Samantha – Summer Breeze (2018)
Carol Dionne ‎– I'm In Love With You (1981)
Courtial With Errol Knowles ‎– Love Nevermore (1976)
Shirma Rouse – Bridge Over Troubled Water (2012)
Earth, Wind & Fire – Devotion (1975)
Minnie Riperton – Our Lives (1974)
Everything But The Girl – Troubled Mind (1994)
The Staple Singers ‎– Let's Do It Again (1975)
Gwen McCrae ‎– 90% Of…
Post a Comment
Read more

Eddy’s 80s Grooves part 25: On The Beat

Image
Again music from and inspired by the 1980s! The tracks by Beverly Girl and Chromeo were released last week. Enjoy this new episode of Eddy's 80s Grooves!

Singer Phyllis Hyman had completed her album Sing a Song by 1978 and readied it for release, but Buddah Records found itself acquired by Arista Records in a recent deal headed by the ultimate svengali, Clive Davis. Sing a Song was deemed “uncommercial,” scrapped and released as the retooled Somewhere in My Lifetime the same year. In the meantime she recorded You Know How to Love Me. It became Phyllis Hyman's most successful album and was carefully tailored to become the artist's crossover breakthrough, with prolific producer/songwriters James Mtume and Reggie Lucas (who recently passed away) on board. She released six more albums for Arista and PIR Records the following years. One of them was Can’t We Fall in Love Again, which brought us You Sure Look Good to Me, a little bit reminiscent of the Pointer Sisters' hit …
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: From Sunset To Sunrise

Image
The opening track is by Munich’s new soul sensation Pho Queue. Their musical journey started in a local Vietnamese restaurant. While waiting in line to order their pho (Vietnamese soup) to be exact. Enlightened and inspired by the taste of their pho, Felix Kirner and Adriano Prestel decided to head to the studio. Since then they repeated this ritual at least once a week. The result? A fresh and tasty combination of electronic music and soulful vocals. They dropped their long awaited debut album Sweet on Tokyo Dawn Records last week. It’s the perfect soundtrack to the summer of 2018!

After serving in the Vietnam War with the Marines, G.C. Cameron joined Motown act The Spinners as lead singer. He sang both lead parts on their first big hit, 1970's It's a Shame, co-written and produced by Stevie Wonder. He remained with Motown as a solo artist when The Spinners left the company in 1971. Although Cameron was not a major-seller for the label, he did have a hit with It's So Hard…
Post a Comment
Read more

Early Morning Funky Chill Out

Image
Do things look better in the morning? That’s what’s this cloudcast is about. One of the tracks is a remix I made of Coffee by Scavenger Hunt. To the original vocals I added a beat, synthesizer and a piano solo to complete my Early Break Remix. Enjoy!

Will You Love Me Tomorrow by Bryan Ferry is about fearing the next morning: will she still love him then? It's a remake of the classic by the Shirelles, but their song is about the question if a man will respect a woman after a night together. Ferry’s version seems to be about doubt or cheat in a relationship. He uses the same words, but in the meantime he turns the song from Gerry Goffin and Carole King into something completely different.

When his golden days with the Four Seasons seemed to be over, Frankie Valli recorded When The Morning Comes for Motown around 1972. For some reason it was never released in the United States and Frankie Valli left the famous music factory soon afterwards. But by the mid-seventies another Motown reco…
Post a Comment
Read more

Hot Classic Rock by The Smooth Operators

Image
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on commercially successful hard rock popularized in the 1970s.

The Smooth Operators emphasize the melodic or pop/rock side of the genre. The tracks we chose are tightly constructed, with no wasted space or prolonged detours from the melodic hooks. The production of the songs is clean, polished, and bright, making full use of the advances in recording technology and technique. In the 1990s, pop/rock became largely the province of well-established veterans, as alternative rock, urban R&B, hip-hop, and teen pop took over the pop charts to the exclusion of most everything else.

Tracklist:

Roxy Music – Dance Away (1979)
Al Stewart – If It Doesn’t Come Naturally, Leave It (1976)
Jeff Harrington – Kristi (1975)
Heart – Dreamboat Annie (1976)
Dane Dono…
Post a Comment
Read more

Smooth Sailing: Folk Funk & Funky Chill

Image
The sub-genre is officially called folk funk, but I think soulful folk is a better description, because there are just a few snippets of funk in this music style. As the 1960s melted into the ’70s in a colourful swirl of musical possibility, bands and singer-songwriters were experimenting with newfound freedoms. The psychedelic era had brought about many changes and much political upheaval in its wake. Discrete genres became fluid. Many acts fused different sounds together. Rock would meet jazz. Soul was mixed with psychedelia. In this fertile environment the somewhat vague yet highly prized form of folk funk emerged. Names that are synonymous with the genre are Bill Withers, Minnie Riperton and more recently the wonderful Kadhja Bonet. Her album Child Queen will be released June 8, 2018.
Aside from also being an awesome pro wrestler name, “Shadow Captain” is one of several songs that David Crosby wrote after waking up in the middle of the night. Kind of makes you wonder if he wrote th…
Post a Comment
Read more