Jubu & Charlie Hunter - Two legendary guitarists, both from the East Bay, In addition to his mandatory work, Jubu has also pursued solo endeavors, emerging as a solo artist and fronting his soul-blues bands including Legally Blynd & The Jubu Smith. both Berkeley High alumni have joined forces to create a guitar album like no other. In 2024, under the Little Village, Jubu embarked on a new musical venture, teaming up with GRAMMY-award winner drummer Calvin Napper (notably MAZE with Frankie Beverly, Stephanie Mills, Donnie McClurkin) and three-time GRAMMY nominated guitarist/producer Charlie Hunter to create an authoritative groove guitar album titled "Jubu." This collaborative effort highlights their mastery of the guitar and their innovative approach to groove-based music, further solidifying Jubu's status as a true luminary.

The album 'Kiss Of The Liquid Moon' is a soothing and very attractive instrumental excursion. 

It has been a long time since another volume in the 'Whip Masters Instrumentals' series came onto the market. To be precise, that was in 2021. Fans of excellent instrumental songs will certainly find something to their liking with the now released volume 4. Once again 30 high-quality instrumentals to enjoy, but which will also effortlessly get your muscles moving. You will not know many of the artists on this album and many of them have no trace in American music history. Is that why they made less good music? Not at all, but record labels usually do not have the intention to invest in all talent. They often choose one or a few artists whose productions they hope will make the cash register ring. However, you will also see a number of big names on this compilation. We jump straight into it with 'Rocker', a song where the title says it all. Sublime song that The Montereys recorded in 1962 for the Cuca label. Bob Taylor and The Counts continue on the path taken by The Montereys with 'Taylor's Rock'. More of that is yet to come. Such as with The Downbeats and 'Midnight Express', including a beautiful combination of guitar and sax. You undoubtedly know Lazy Lester from his vocal songs, but he was also a more than gifted artist on the blues harp. You get a sample of his skills with 'Lester's Stomp'. Dave 'Baby' Cortez then introduces 'Hurricane' with a thundering jungle drum. Gus Jenkens and his orchestra are also well known. Gus and his musicians perform an excellent 'Spanky', in which the piano plays a prominent role. 'The Stripper' by Ernie Freeman drifts a bit towards vaudeville. You can expect country from Little Jimmy Dickens with The Country Boys in 'Red Wing', with a great piece on fiddle. We remain in the same genre with the well-known Bill Monroe, here in 'Wheel Hoss', with that wonderful stirring fiddle. Link Wray is well-known, but in a completely different genre. Together with his inseparable Raymen, he works his way through 'Turnpike U.S.A.' with verve. Just like with Wray, the guitar also plays the leading role in 'Swooney' by The Gentry Brothers. 'Red River Rock' was a mega hit for Johnny and The Hurricanes. 'Thunderbold' is an extension of that hit and can easily be on the same level. You certainly know 'Let's Go Trippin'' in Dick Dale's version. A surf song that flowed from his pen and which you get here in the Hot Doggers version. They recorded the song one year after Dale's, namely in 1963. That typical 'twang' guitar sound is inextricably linked to instrumental songs from the fifties and early sixties. You can hear what that sounds like for the Rhythm Rockers in the appropriate 'Twang'. A lightning fast boogie delivers Jet Tones in his 'Jet Tone Boogie'. Big Jay McNeely was a phenomenal American rhythm & blues saxophonist. Be sure to listen to his talent on 'The Squat'. At the Stax label, Booker T and The MGs served as the house band and were involved in many of the label's recordings. 'Green Onions' is their signature song, but their version of 'Twist And Shout' is also impressive. More famous people are also coming with Earl Hooker. He was a master on the guitar, as you can experience here on 'Dynamite' that he recorded for Checker in 1960. Bobby Vee scored many hits, including 'Take Good Care Of My Baby'. Here he signs 'Flyin' High' together with The Shadows.
In short, just like the previous releases in the 'Whip Masters' series, volume 4 is also bursting with dazzling instrumental songs, with the guitars usually in the spotlight. In addition to well-known artists, you will once again discover impressive songs by unknown artists. Artists who would usually not make it to our speakers without series like 'Whip Masters'. Fortunately, that is happening 

Charles Kemmons Wilson (05.01.13 – 12.02.03) opened his first Holiday Inn hotel in 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee. Hotel that would later develop into a chain. Charles' bad experiences with hotels made him decide to do this. He believed that guests deserved the best accommodations and were not confronted with hidden costs at checkout. Radio was one of the many treats Holiday Inn guests could enjoy. In his chain, which once included more than 1,000 hotels, the radio was prominent in every room. Wilson promoted the music of his 'The Holiday Inn' label through his own radio shows in all his hotels. The idea was also to sell the records of the artists belonging to the label in the hotels, especially when they performed there. The Holiday Inn 100 series (101 to 115) were produced from 1961 to 1963 but the only 16 singles released gained little commercial success. The sister label Klondike made recordings of Table Toppers. In 1963 the dream of the Holiday Inn label came to an end. In 1969, under the leadership of Suns songwriter and studio musician Stanley Augustus Kesler, there was a small restart with the 2200 series. The label took a new direction, but the success would not last long. Bankruptcy was filed in 1970.
You get both the A and B sides of all 16 singles on this album. In addition, Table Toppers are present with 1 song and certainly interesting are the two 'Holiday Inn Jingles' that are released here for the first time.
This music was mainly distributed through the hotel chain. It was therefore necessary that the songs should tasted to a large audience. The recordings therefore had to have some commercialism on board. You can experience that the Holiday Inn label succeeded in this on this compilation. But this alone will not achieve the desired success. The label did not have to rely too much on the radio stations. After all, the stations were somewhat suspicious of the singles. When they were played, the hotel chain also received free promotion. The label also made a mistake that advertisements for the hotel chain were often included in the promotional material.
So much for the history, but let's take a closer look at the releases from the Holiday Inn label. What is immediately noticeable is that a lot of attention was paid to both the songs and the arrangements and performances. After the opening with the Holiday Inn Jingle, The Roller Coasters start with the two parts of 'Rim Shot', a more than formidable instrumental song. Later, The Roller Coasters return four more times with some wonderful instrumentals, including 'Slap-Back', the title of this album. Tookie Collom, backed by The Roller Coasters, shows that the label had a broad audience in mind in the soulful and partly poppy 'You Torture Me' and 'I Could Love You', which also contain some New Orleans influences. Tookie is featured later, but uptempo in 'You've Gotta Run Me Down'. Other beautiful slow work comes with Rusty Curry in 'Tag Along' and 'Our Love Can Wait'. Holiday Inn also managed to provide its artists with great songs. Just listen to the emotional tearjerker 'Where Could I Go' by Jimmy Foster. Chet Atkins took care of the arrangements and in all likelihood he was also the guitarist. The choir you hear was formed by The Jordanaires. Frank Starr provides a rockabilly feeling a little later with 'Knees Shakin'' and 'Evil Eye'. In the later 'Lost In A Dream', Starr slows down a bit and creates a wonderful slow. It continues rocking and rolling with Kenny Lund with the excellent 'Rip It Up Potato Chip' and 'Greenbacks'. More of that to come with Buck Griffin in “Pretty Lou.” Remarkable is certainly 'Rhythm Marie' by Stony Martin. Song that was clearly based on the blues. Classy Charlie Feathers is present with the 1963 single 'Deep Elm Blues / Nobody's Darling'. It is actually unbelievable that the 16 singles that the Holiday Inn label released did not achieve more success. Just listen to 'Big Black Engine / I'll Forever Be Loving You'. I am convinced that if the promotion of all 16 singles had gone more smoothly, there would be some 'all time classics' among them. Don't worry though, because thanks to Rockstar Records these gems won't be lost and you can get them effortlessly.
'The Holiday Inn Label 100 Series Anthology, 'Slap-Back' is also a unique time document.
The album is available on CD and on 12 inch LP. The 12-inch LP contains 18 tracks selected from the CD, but when you purchase it you will receive the CD with all 35 songs as a bonus.

The release 'In Wording' is a conceptual experimental instrumental guitar rock/post-rock album with fourteen original compositions. Admirably handsome!

​For the new release in the 'Destination' series, we move to Baghdad and Istanbul and the world of sheiks, harems, oases, red-hot Sahara sand and Ali Baba. The 32 tracks on this album clearly show that these items can be performed perfectly musically. Titles such as 'Ali Baba', 'Pasha', 'Shish Ka Bob Rock', 'Ali Ben Ghazi', 'Hari's Harem' and Sands Of Arabia' speak for themselves.
With Bill Haley, Art Neville, Dinah Washington, The Fendermen, Preston Love, Johnny and The Hurricanes and Jerry Reed you already get a number of resounding names. The latter immediately kicks off with 'Rockin In Bagdad'. The song immediately puts you in the right mood and already lets the sweltering heat work on you. Song that also has a nice Eastern feeling intro.
So make sure you already have an ice-cold drink within reach, because you shouldn't expect cooling from this compilation. Reed is followed by The Champs. 'Tequila' is without a doubt their 'signature song', but the instrumental 'Ali Baba' is certainly not inferior to that. And The Polk Brothers also do it instrumentaal with razor-sharp lead guitar on 'Caravan Rock'. Later you will also hear the versions of this Duke Ellington classic by The Fendermen and Bobby Christian. Sax is 'the leading instrument' on the also instrumental 'Oasis - Part 1' by The Majestics. More beautiful atmospheric instrumentals follow with, among others, 'Hari's Harem' by The Slaves, 'Camel Walk – Part 1' by The Saxons, 'Ali Baba's Boogie' by alto saxophonist Preston Love and his orchestra, Leroy Holmes with 'In A Persian Market', 'Sands Of Arabia' by The Teentones, Ganimian and His Orientals featuring 'Come With Me To The Casbah' also known by Los Straitjackets' version, 'Ali Baba' by Dave & The Customs, The Big Sound Of Don Ralke in 'Zooba !', Johnny and The Hurricanes and 'Sheba', as well as 'Istanbul' by The Renegades.
Lots of instrumental work on this album. Not surprising because how can you better represent the Eastern atmosphere. But vocals are also scored here.
Like by the great rhythm & blues artist Big Maybelle. You might not immediately expect her here, but 'That's A Pretty Good Love' fits in perfectly. Another great lady is Dinah Washington. She does it nice swinging on 'One Arabian Night'. 'Twistin' Jack Hammer, who once recorded for the Belgian Ronnex label, is present with 'Ali Ben Ghazi'. That Ferlin 'Husky was at home in many markets, he shows in 'Aladdin's Lamp', which has both rockabilly and country & western in its genes. In 1958, Bobby Freeman recorded the original ‘Do You Want To Dance’. Song that got a high score in Cliff Richard's version. Freeman is present on this compilation with the rocking 'Sinbad'. Art Neville provides a bit of New Orleans rhythm & blues with 'Arabian Love Call'. Formidable doo-wop is featured in 'Ali Baba' by The Sandpipers.
True to tradition, Sheik Bill Dahl guides you through all tracks through the extensive liner notes.
'Destination Desert' is a nice sequel in the 'Destination' series. An album that makes you dream away.

​Peter Clasen was born in Ostend and moved to Brussels in the 1980s. He started his musical career as a drummer in the post-punk band 10 Kleine Snobs, of which Elvis Peeters was also a member. The 'post punk spirit' did not let go of Clasen and as a result he created the electro-dub project Neven. Neven made 10 records and performed on various European stages for 12 years. From 2010, Peter changed course and made music for socially related events and street theaters such as De Zinnekeparade. Occasionally he performed and made records with acts such as Monsieur Smits, The Library Sisters or Elektratique.
Peter has played a little guitar since his youth, but he always felt that he could not express himself fully and properly through that instrument. Until 2019! Then he bought himself a somewhat unusual guitar, namely a four-string tenor guitar. A guitar, of course with 4 strings, that has a narrower body and was used by American jazz musicians in the 1930s.
On 'Anderlecht' he presents 8 surf guitar-inspired instrumental and semi-instrumental songs on danceable electronic beats. Songs that are reminiscent of The Spotnicks, Link Wray, Kraftwerk, The Ramones, Underworld, Derrick May and Front 242.
These links with a musical past sharpened with the more current electronic beats provide energetic danceable music. Peter uses his 4 string guitar as the only real instrument. He programmed the beats, basses and synths with Cubase and Logic Pro. The guitar provides beautiful parts. These are immediately expressed in opener, the also very melodic 'Saint Guidon Dub' and certainly in the rousing 'Opposite Directions'. In the closing of side 1, 'Beat Beat The Clock' I clearly hear influences from Link Wray. 'I Could Dance Back To You' sends me more towards Kraftwerk. Closing track 'Are We Dreamers' is a somewhat quieter song that perfectly reflects the atmosphere of the dreamy title.
If you ignore the beats, it does indeed appear that Peter has studied the guitar legends well. He reduces those influences to a minimum so that they don't become complicated guitar monstrosities.
With 'Anderlecht', Peter Clasen not only proves that he is extremely musically inclined, but also that adding electronic beats and synths should not be at odds with the presence of a nice melody. 'Anderlecht' is certainly an album to reflect on.

​Instrumental songs are certainly not inferior to their sung brothers. Moreover, they often also draw our attention to the talent, craftsmanship and instrument mastery of the artists. Just like the two previously published volumes in the 'Whip Masters Instrumentals' series, volume 3 also offers a lot of beautiful things. A total of 30 tracks that show a rich and diverse picture of the roots genres.
With the exception of 1 track, all songs were recorded between 1950 and 1963. The exception is Urban Zotel, who also contributes to the composition of the 'Whip Masters Instrumentals'. ‘Backtrail’ is a formidable guitar-driven outer space song recorded last year, which stands with one foot in the past and the other in the present.
Rock 'n' roll, Western Swing, rhythm & blues and dark murder songs, you get them all neatly presented by composer Mark Armstrong. Wonderful album!

​Let's be clear for once ……. This series is not intended for softies! The rebellion associated with the genre, especially in the early days of rock and roll, is also in the 30 formidable instrumental tracks that fill volume 2 of the ‘Whip Masters Instrumentals’ series. Fire-breathing guitars, all searing saxophones that hit you relentlessly in the face and the vocal primal screams, certainly contribute to this. Features that can all be found on this album.
With the creation of the Whip Masters Instrumentals, composer Mark Armstrong has tapped an area that offers an abundance of fantastic rock and roll, rockabilly, surf and western swing. Just like the previously published volume 1, this edition is also worth having in your collection. Curious what will follow!

​They have no shortage of inspiration for new series at the Atomicat label. A series around instrumental songs is something else they will have thought, and they are right. How often are instrumentals treated like a stepmotherly thing? But that they are full songs is certainly clear from this first volume, which contains a mix of recordings from American local and well-known labels, sporadically supplemented with British and Slovenian recordings, all recorded in the period 1952-1963.
Whether you're looking for guitar-dominated rousing rock and roll or rockabilly, swinging tunes or surf rock, they go hand in hand on this album. ’Whip Masters Instrumentals’ promises to be an exciting series, as you can already hear at this first volume.

​What the title already suggests, is confirmed by the additional statement ‘Music For Strippers, From Burlesque To Strip Clubs’. 28 tracks that formed the soundtrack for the performances of, among others, Gypsy Rose Lee, Blaze Starr, Lili St Cyr and Ann Corio, strippers and burlesque dancers in America in the middle of the last century.
‘Get ‘Em Off’ contains 28 formidable, mostly orchestral tracks, which are extremely enjoyable even without accompanying strippers.

​You probably don't know the name Billy Strange, yet chances are you've heard him and he might even be in your record collection as a companion to your favorite artists. Besides this work as a session musician, he also recorded under his own name.
What is striking is that Strange cannot be pinned down to one music genre. Whether he was hired for swinging rhythm & blues and rock and roll, a light jazzy feel, country, cowboy songs or pop, Billy always carries out his task with an enormous dose of talent and craftsmanship.
With ‘Climb Aboard The Hell Train’, compiler dee jay Mark Armstrong not only pays tribute to Billy Strange, but also makes Strange's work more public.

It happens very rarely, but let's pour clear wine right away. If you are immensely addicted to the instrumental work of, for example, The Shadows or The Ventures, then this Jasmine collector, who links The Piltdown Men to B. Bumble And The Stingers, undeniably belongs in your record collection.
It is very commendable that Jasmine is releasing this collector. The album contains all the A and B sides of the singles that both groups released between 1960 and 1962. For The Piltdown Men that is even their complete discography. Obviously including all songs with which both bands in England were successful.
‘The Piltdown Men Meet B. Bumble And The Stingers’ is an absolute must have.

​This Chicago guitarist is a genius in playing the roots genres. He portrays blues, jazz, country, Western swing and rockabilly in a brilliant way. On this album he gives 16 songs from The Beatles an instrumental facelift. Joel played all the guitarparts that were put together in a wonderful way. This album is a must for 'guitar aficionados'.

​Two LPs full of handsome danceable instrumental songs from the originally as a joke created Dicky Doo & The Don'ts. You get the sung and instrumental hit singles as bonus tracks.

A piece of music to dream away

Fantastic instrumental album that offers you a journey through the musical cosmos, in the company of Pink Floyd and Ennio Morricone.

A mix of psychedelic rock, blues, sometimes supplemented with the clean guitar sound of instrumental bands from the fifties and sixties, by a Dutch band.

A brilliant compilation of music played in the British coffee bars about 50 years ago. A fine blend of rock and roll, guitar instrumentals and early pop songs. Very nice album!

This nice & quiet album holds the middle between Latin, ambient and world Music. It creates the atmosphere of Mediterranean coast in the evening.