​Strong album from the 79 years old ‘bard’ Roger Chapman. Almost six decades of being a rocksinger results in releasing one of his best albums.  Strongly recommended!

​Together with 'The Rockin' Man' around Jimmy McCracklin, this album with Frankie & Lewis Lymon appeared in the 'Koko Mojo Spotlight Series'. The Lymon brothers were both born in Harlem, New York County. Frankie was born on September 30, 1942 and Lewis two years later on June 20, 1944. Father Lymon, who also sang in a vocal group, encouraged the brothers to be actively involved in music. When Frankie auditioned with his group The Teenagers on Gee Records, he sang an original song, 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love', which immediately was a big success. Inspired by his brother's success, Lewis and The Teenchords also made catchy doo-wop.
'The Harlem Hotshots' offers a nice picture of the musical legacy of the Lymon brothers. Careers, however, were cut short much too early. Frankie died of an overdose at the age of 25 and the musical career of Lewis and The Teenchords lasted only a few years. Too bad because talent was clearly present with the brothers. This album clearly shows that. 'The Harlem Hotshots' is another gem in the series.

Wonderful prog album from Norwegian Soup-songwriter Erlend Aastad Viken.  Atmospheric songs that flirt with psych, folk, ambient and spacerock.  Recommended!

Mark & The Clouds  is a London-based trio fronted by singer, guitarist, keyboardist and composer Marco Magnini, who left his native Italy for London in the 90s and has been an integral part of the UK’s new psych scene in various groups ever since. This is the third offering by Mark & The Clouds and it is a beautiful piece of work (out on Gare du Nord records). Magnini is a great composer of melodious pop, covering all rhythms and tempi (slow, mid-tempo or upbeat), at the same time mastering all sixties sub-genres  linked to psych - folk, beat, prog, dreamy summer of love balladry …  The psychedelic parts never take over;  we are even treated to the violin and horns!
As a result, Mark & The Clouds keep everything in perfect balance, avoiding carbon copies. Surely, you hear The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Creation, The Who and many more all rolled into one, but none of them in particular. Quite a feat.
Apart from the music, the song titles and the lyrics too refer to the sixties and the search for an alternative (peace, a promised land).
This is a thoroughbred sixties album. Radio 68 is happy to play choice tracks on Sunday 20 an d Tuesday 22 July.

​Fortunately, after about a year, there is now a second volume in the 'Jive-A-Rama' series. The by the Atomicat label always applied philosophy, stays effortlessly upright. That is, a nice mix of well-known, lesser-known and sometimes obscure danceable tracks, which include rhythm & blues as well as rock 'n' roll and doo-wop. In short, a super balanced album. Traditionally, this album is also bathed in a fantastic contemporary sound. 30 tracks, of which no less than 26 from the fifties and 2 from the early sixties, supplemented with 2 tracks by contemporary artists who have a warm heart for the music of the fifties, ensure a high-quality danceable album.
Missed the first 'Jive-A-Rama'? Together with this volume two, you immediately get 60 superior tracks.

Rich compositions, fuller sound, with soul and Americana influences and professionally recorded. A successful growth process for Harald Vanherf and Wicona. Nice!

​The next artist to be featured in the 'Spotlight Series' by the KokoMojo label is none other than pianist and singer Jimmy McCracklin. His career spanned no less than seven decades, during which he wrote about a thousand songs and received several awards. Together with his band The Blues Blasters he created a number of now legendary dances. Examples? Please, think of ‘The Walk’, ‘The Wobble’ and ‘The Drag’. Songs that can also be found on this album.
Of the 28 tracks, 25 are where McCracklin can be heard as a vocalist. Tracks that contain beautiful West Coast jump blues, rhythm & blues, blues bougies and rhythm & blues rockers. All in a sublime sound quality and even more, they show an artist in extremely good shape. An artist who took rocking rhythm & blues to the next level. On the last 3 recordings of this album Jimmy can be heard as a session pianist and here too he clearly knows how to leave the 'McCracklin' stamp. Let's make it clear that 'The Rockin' Man' is certainly not an album to sit still with, it is an awesome danceable one. An absolute must!

​Brilliant collaboration of twelve friends in Brussels at Jef Mercelis’ barque.  Rock, bleus, electronics and spoken word in different languages give your ears a special treatment. Just great!

The reissue of this album from 1999 brings contemporary jazz with hints of R&B, Latin, Spanish and smooth jazz. Bill Sharpe thinks about a long overdue second album. I’m curious and very much interested!

​The sun may not shine every day, which for many is a sign that summer is already half drowned and yet, despite the sometimes less good weather, there is still plenty to enjoy. For example, you can put the first volume of the compilation 'Summertime Scorchers' into your cd player, after which the sun even shines indoors. The 30 recordings, selected by compiler Mark Armstrong, all date from the period 1955 – 1963. A summery, danceable album that is made even more beautiful by the clever illustrations by Henrique San.
Do sun, sea, beach and the associated parties pass you by for one reason or another…..don't worry, with this collector sun, sea, beach and party come to you without any problems and it will be for you too' SUMMERTIME'.

​Everyone faces dead at some point, with this Undertaker’s Songbook  you are in go(o)d hands.

​Candace has the perfect voice, the talented musicians the right skills to guide in her intimacy. 

​Fans of sixties music will remember Andy Fairweather as the singer & guitarist from the band The Amen Corner. This is a new album with the registration of a live gig from September 2020. A soulful and bluesy gig, that you can enjoy now at home. 

​The Portugese company Albaluna blends eastern folk and modern rock  influences with their (antique) set of medieval instruments.  Result: a strange modern eastern brew. Just Try it!

​Combine poetry, music, photographs and you create the perfect mediamix to trigger all senses.  Losing Our Minds became a hard realistic piece of work, never to be forgotten.

​Enjoy the Joy Machine of Mark Rechler’s Circus Mind.  Steamy groovy funky songs with excellent guitar players.

​Lovers of the eighties can still enjoy the beautiful melodies in Paul Numi’s album Chimera.  But I believe the lyrics are more important than the music.

​Lea was almost born to interpret the blues. So she now has her debut record 'Blood Cash', which was produced by Travis Cruse and mixed by Grammy winner John Porter on the shelves. It includes seven original songs that Lea co-wrote with guitarist Travis Cruse. The curtains often remain hermetically closed, but Lea McIntosh exposes her heart and soul in her songs. The release 'Blood Cash' is a successful debut that is brimming with vitality and diversity. Highly recommended…!

​This sixth album by the Italian singer-songwriter Joe Barbieri contains bold and autobiographical songs, and is recommended to those who love Brazilian music. Recommended!

​This album from the Italian funk band Black & Brown contains mainly instrumental funk tracks, but also some remixes plus two vocal live tracks. A nice introduction to these Italian funk brothers! Recommended to funkateers. 

​Afton Wolfe’s own compositions are even better than the few covers he plays. Kings For Sale is a great album with a interesting diversity in songs.

​This is very fine piano album by Peter De Girolamo, produced by Papik, with new arrangements of well-known tracks. I will fit nicely in piano bars of chic hotels and clubs. Highly recommended!

​An exceptionally creative album in which Dennis Rea proves that east and west match nicely. Sublime album.

​Chicagoan Gerald McClendon is almost a definition of old school soul and R&B. The style of Motown, Stax and Atlantic Records is never far away. It actually gives him the nickname 'The Soul Keeper'. On his new pitch 'Lets' Have A party' Gerald once again collaborates with songwriter, drummer and producer Twist Turner. The duo drew with many fellow artists to Delta Roots Sound Studios in Chicago. Together they recorded twelve original songs. Gerald opens with the soul strut 'Keep On Keepin' On' and the shuffle 'If It Ain't The Blues'. The title track is a fat funk song and diverges with the touchingly sweet ballad 'Pretty Girl', which is characterized with that wonderful doo-wop sound. Handsome R&B tracks are 'Pack Your Bags And Go' and the moribund 'Ghetto Child'. From the gospel track 'You Got Be Strong' it goes quickly to 'Throw This Dog A Bone', which is colored with edgy guitar riffs. For the closing 'Funky Stuff' the legendary Chicago blues guitarist Melvin Taylor was hired. Melvin eagerly sprinkles his guitar licks and together they build a 'hot' West Side Chicago blues party. Highly recommended release…!

​This second album by Les Tzigales brings French chanson & gypsy jazz. These tracks makes me long for a trip to the south of France. Very nice!