All reviews by Kris Holmes

Hot Jam - Tobacco Road Hot Jam - Tobacco Road

This was exactly what the world needed back in 1975, another version of “Tobacco Road”. It’s one of my favorite songs ever & has been covered by every man & his dog worldwide. This 45 is a version of it by a band that I’d never heard of & a label I’d never […]

Jack Marshall & Shelly Manne - Sounds! Jack Marshall & Shelly Manne - Sounds!

I forget where I got this record from, but I have probably had it for around 3 years & have listened to it about 3 times (two of those times were in preparation for this review). I do know that it was one of the records I “discovered” in my shelves when I had […]

Jimmy Bowman - Swings At The Golden Fox Jimmy Bowman - Swings At The Golden Fox

Private Press Jazz for the late 60s cocktail set.  Jimmy Bowman was (is?) a journeyman pianist who at some stage apparently held a residency at the Golden Fox club in Minneapolis.  The title of this 45 is a little misleading though because it was actually recorded in a Minneapolis studio (UA Recording Studios) rather than […]

Joe "Youngblood" Cobb - It's L.B. Time Joe “Youngblood” Cobb - It’s L.B. Time

Joe Cobb was a well known radio DJ on Chicago’s WVON for many years in the 60s & 70s. He cut this 45 for the local Ex-Pect-Mo label in 1972 & it was then picked up nationally by Cutlass out of Nashville who gave the record the much more colorful label & slightly altered […]

John & Ed Strickland - Rebel Beat John & Ed Strickland - Rebel Beat

John & Ed Strickland seem to have been something of a none to one almost hit wonder group, it’s actually been pretty tough to find any information on these guys or this 45. The actual A side is a nice mid/slow version of Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City Blues” that draws equally from country & […]

Jose Barroso - Flamenco Jose Barroso - Flamenco

Another Crown atrocity that plays like total rubbish. This would actually be not a bad album of flamenco guitar. The guitarist Jose Barroso is really quite good although he only took up the guitar aged 39 & this album of Laurindo Almeida tunes is quite appealing if you are into that sort of […]

Kenneth Moales - Serve The Lord Kenneth Moales - Serve The Lord

I haven’t been able to google much about Kenneth Moales’ recording career. I believe this was his ensemble’s first LP & is probably from the early 70s. Moales is still apparently a respected evangelist & pastor, but I have no idea if he has other records or not. This would be a […]

Kevin Clark Group - On Saturday Kevin Clark Group - On Saturday

Mid-70s jazz/funk out of New Zealand, released on the local Ode label.  The Kevin Clark Group were the resident band on local television’s “On Saturday” show & this album showcases some of their varied repertoire for the show.  There are a mix of covers & originals on here & it really criss-crosses a number of […]

Kurt Van Arsdel - Golden Loneliness Kurt Van Arsdel - Golden Loneliness

Private press californian gospel LP from 1981. On the back cover Van Arsdel looked so much like the bearded Dennis Wilson that I had to give it a spin. I know this is the first pressing because it says so on the label, helpful. You can google Kurt van Arsdel and find […]

Little Buck - Little Boy Blue/Everybody's Love Little Buck - Little Boy Blue/Everybody’s Love

New Orleans based label Seven B is definitely something of a mixed bag & can usually be categorised as 45s Eddie Bo was involved with & ones that he had no part of. Finding 45s on this label will either land you with unbearably cheesy country, slightly more tolerable piano instrumentals or some […]

Los Admiradores - Bongos Los Admiradores - Bongos

This record is actually better than I remembered, which is always nice. It’s an Enoch Light production loosely disguised as a latin record. The bongo stylings are provided by Willie Rodriguez and Don Lamond who basically go bongo mad over backings provided by a pretty sweet jazzy Enoch Light band that features the usual suspects […]

Lost & Found Dept - Let's Just Praise The Lord Lost & Found Dept - Let’s Just Praise The Lord

This record comes with pretty much everything you could ask for in a Private Press Gospel album.  There’s the ugly chicks, long haired dudes, tubby inbred looking dudes and a bus within which to travel and spread the word. Just as well then that there’s a choice cover shot that incorporates all the ugliness of the […]

Lyn Barnett - Please Mr Postman Lyn Barnett - Please Mr Postman

There is something that is just so innocent & nice about a country like New Zealand back in the early 1960s. I think for me it is best summed up in some of the local records released here where local artists would often do their best imitations of overseas smash hits. This 45 […]

Marty Paich - Piano Quartet Marty Paich - Piano Quartet

Lush, Latin & Cool, mmm.  As disastrous as a “Piano Quartet” may sound in theory, this record is actually pretty listenable.  Marty Paich gathered three other jazz pianists, Pete Jolly, Jimmie Rowles & John Williams (maybe the soundtrack guy??) as well as a swinging jazz combo including horns to make this record.  They really tackle […]

Muirlands Jazz/Rock Ensemble - 1973 Muirlands Jazz/Rock Ensemble - 1973

I picked this 7″ up mainly because it has a Frank Zappa cover on it, but it actually turned out to be a solid record all the way through. I have no idea what the Muirlands Jazz/Rock Ensemble was (probably a High School Stage Band I am guessing) and from what the label tells […]

Nature's Time - The Way I See It - Far Out Nature’s Time - The Way I See It - Far Out

I am basically posting up this 45 to see if anyone can chime in with more info about it. Apparently it is pretty uncommon & seems for me to be ungoogleable. One thing that really bugs the hell out of me is when I find a record but don’t know the story behind […]

No Tag - Can We Get Away With It No Tag - Can We Get Away With It

Full length LP recorded live at the Reverb Room by New Zealand’s premier punk/oi band of the day (1982).  One of the few local punk bands of the time to do a full length, they also have a 12″ EP called “Oi Oi Oi” that features three tracks from the LP.
 No Tag - Wink Wink.mp3

Oliver Spinetto & Harry Francis - Zodiac 45 Oliver Spinetto & Harry Francis - Zodiac 45

Here’s an interesting record from a bygone era. Not only were Auckland’s Zodiac Records one of the biggest local independent labels of the 50s & 60s, as an aspiring musician you could also use their facilities to cut your own record. This 45 was recorded on the 5th of October 1955 in […]

Pair Extaordinaire - Recorded Live Pair Extaordinaire - Recorded Live

I don’t know all that much about these guys or this record (so I hope it’s not super common in the US) but I do know that it is friggin’ cool. It’s essentially a musical comedy routine captured live performing versions of a number of pop hits of the day as well as some more […]

Pete Seeger - The Folksinger's Guitar Guide Pete Seeger - The Folksinger’s Guitar Guide

A single record boxset? On Folkways from 1961. Pete Seeger talks you through the intricacies of playing folk guitar. There isn’t a whole lot more to say about this, it was a 10 cent find at a used book fair a few years ago. Luckily I already know how to play guitar […]

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