Golden Earring was a Dutch rock band that started life in 1961 as The Tornadoes. The band released two Nederbeat albums on Polydor between 1965 and 1967 under variations of the pluralized “Golden Earrings” banner before the arrival of vocalist Barry Hay. Between 1968 and 1981, the band recorded 16 albums for the label before […]
Kool & The Gang were an American soul-funk band from Jersey City that released nineteen albums on De-Lite Records between 1970 and 1986. In their early years, Kool & the Gang blended tight rhythms and punchy brass, defined by songs like “Kool’s Back” and “Funky Stuff.” Bassist Robert “Kool” Bell provided the anchor, while saxophonist […]
Dexys Midnight Runners were an English new wave band that emerged from the Birmingham R&B–ska scene with the 1980 EMI–Parlophone album Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, which spawned the UK No. 1 “Geno.” They embraced Celtic folk-pop on the 1982 Mercury release Too-Rye-Ay and its transatlantic hit “Come On Eileen.” Bandleader Kevin Rowland revised […]
Jack Bruce (1943— 2014) was a Scottish-born bassist, vocalist, and composer who played in a series of popular English bands during the 1960s, followed by a successful solo career over the following half-century. He first emerged in 1965 with a two-album stint in the Graham Bond Organization, followed with brief time in Manfred Mann and […]
The Lotus Eaters were an English sophisti-pop combo from Liverpool that released five singles and the 1984 Arista album No Sense of Sin. They scored a 1983 UK hit with “The First Picture of You” and a Continental charter with “It Hurts.” Their album includes the Peel-broadcasted numbers “German Girl,” “Love Still Flows,” and “Alone […]
Emerson, Lake & Palmer — alternately known by the acronym ELP — were an English symphonic-rock trio that released three studio albums and a classical concert set between 1970 and 1972 on Island (UK) and Cotillion (US). Their 1971 release Tarkus contains a seven-part title suite that catalyzed the epic side-long format. In 1973, the […]
WAR is an American soul-funk ensemble from Los Angeles that collaborated with ex-Animals vocalist Eric Burdon on two albums for MCA in 1970, scoring a hit with the whimsically inebriated “Spill the Wine.” After the two camps parted ways, WAR released six proper albums and a soundtrack on United Artists between 1971 and 1978. Further […]
Curtis Mayfield (June 3, 1942 — December 26, 1999) was an American soul-funk musician, composer, and producer from Chicago who co-founded The Impressions in 1958 and served as the group’s lead vocalist and musical director for twelve years. His songwriting and arrangements combined smooth vocal lines with intricate guitar work, establishing a template for politically […]
Kayak was a Dutch art-pop band that released eight albums between 1973 and 1981 on EMI and Vertigo. They debuted with See See the Sun (1973), featuring the hit single “Mammoth,” and followed with Kayak II (1974), which expanded their layered keyboard and guitar textures. Royal Bed Bouncer (1975) showcased intricate arrangements and highlighted Max […]
Laura Nyro (Oct. 18, 1947 — April 8, 1997) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist from the Bronx. She debuted with the 1967 album More Than a New Discovery on Verve Folkways, then signed to Columbia for the 1968–70 albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, New York Tendaberry, and Christmas and the Beads of […]
Jade Warrior was an English New Age combo that recorded nine albums during the 1970s. Their output was marked by two distinct phases: the soft/heavy 1971–72 Vertigo “swirl” trilogy and the quiet, vocal-less 1974–78 Island quadrilogy. Members: Jon Field (flute, percussion, keyboards), Tony Duhig (guitar, percussion, keyboards, 1970-90), Glyn Havard (vocals, bass, 1970-73, 2005-present), Allan […]
Dusty Springfield (April 16, 1939 – March 2, 1999) was an English singer with a career in pop that spanned nearly four decades. As part of sibling folk trio The Springfields, she scored one of the earliest stateside hits by a UK act when “Silver Threads and Golden Needles” made the Billboard Top 20 in […]
Rory Gallagher (March 2, 1948 — June 14, 1995) was an Irish blues-rock and hard-rock guitarist active from the late 1960s to the early ’90s. He first gained prominence as the frontman for the Cork power-trio Taste, which released two albums in 1969 and 1970. Launching his solo career in 1971, he issued four albums […]
Premiata Forneria Marconi — commonly known by the acronym PFM — are an Italian symphonic-rock band from Milano, Lombardia, formed in 1970. The band released four albums and a live disc on Numero Uno between 1972 and 1975, followed by two further titles on Zoo Records during the latter half of the decade. After a […]
Free was an English hard-rock band that released six studio albums and a live set between 1969 and 1973 on Island Records. Their first two albums, Tons of Sobs and Free, appeared in 1969 and established their soft/heavy blues-based style. They reached their popular peak with the 1970 albums Fire and Water and Highway. After […]
Colosseum was an English brass-rock band that released the 1969 albums Those Who Are About to Die Salute You (Fontana) and Valentyne Suite (Vertigo). They were led by drummer Jon Hiseman and reedist Dick Heckstall-Smith, fellow travelers in the Graham Bond Organization and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. As an instigator of pop’s shift into maximalism, they […]
The Small Faces were an English mod-psych band that placed ten singles on the UK Top 20 between 1965 and 1968, including “All or Nothing,” “Tin Soldier,” “Lazy Sunday,” and the transatlantic pop-psych evergreen “Itchycoo Park.” Despite their relative late arrival on the beat-boom timeline, their quick maturity culminated in the 1968 concept album Ogdens’ […]
Richard Thompson is an English singer, guitarist, and songwriter who formed the folk rock band Fairport Convention, which he co-headed on the 1968–70 albums Fairport Convention, What We Did on Our Holidays, Unhalfbricking, Liege & Lief, and Full House. Post-Fairport, he played on albums by Nick Drake, Gary Farr, Mick Softley, John Martyn, and former […]
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band from NYC, founded in 1965 by guitarist–singer Lou Reed and Welsh-born organist–violist John Cale. They debuted with the 1967 Verve release The Velvet Underground & Nico, recorded with German chanteuse Nico. Cale departed after their 1968 second album White Light / White Heat. Musician–songwriter Doug Yule joined […]
Patti LaBelle is an American soul singer who fronted The Blue Belles during the 1960s. In 1970, they morphed into the soul-funk trio Labelle, which released seven albums between 1971 and 1976, scoring a hit with “Lady Marmalade.” After going solo, she released four albums on Epic, starting with her 1977 release Patti LaBelle. Between […]
The Zombies were an English art-pop/psych band that was active from 1962 to 1968. Distinguished by the breathy vocals of Colin Blunstone and the moody keyboards of Rod Argent, they were among the first bands to infuse rock with melodrama and jazz chordal phrasings. As central players in the first British Invasion, they stormed American […]
Jean-Luc Ponty is a French violinist, active since the early 1960s and best known for his twelve-album run of jazz-rock titles on Atlantic Records. He began recording as a leader with Jazz Long Playing (1964) and Sunday Walk (1967), establishing a technically precise, rhythmically adventurous style that integrated violin into modern jazz ensembles. His early […]
Spirit was an American psych-rock band from Los Angeles that released three 1968/69 albums on Ode Records, followed by two 1970–72 albums on Epic and a four-album 1975–77 run on Mercury. Formed in 1967 by guitarist Randy California and his stepfather, drummer Ed Cassidy, Spirit fused jazz modalities, baroque textures, and hard rock power with […]
The Four Tops were an American soul group from Detroit, best known for the 1960s Motown hits “Baby, I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out,” “Standing In the Shadows of Love,” and “Bernadette.” After fourteen Motown studio albums (including three with The Supremes), […]
The Strawbs were an English folk-rock band from Strawberry Hill, London, that released eight studio albums and a live disc on A&M between 1969 and 1975, followed by a pair of albums on Oyster/Polydor in 1976/77 and a final release on Arista in 1978. The band was founded in 1967 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Cousins and […]
The B-52’s are an American new wave band from Athens that released three albums and an EP on Warner Bros. between 1979 and 1983, scoring hits with “Rock Lobster,” “Dance This Mess Around,” “Private Idaho,” “Give Me Back My Man,” “Legal Tender,” and “Song for a Future Generation.” After the passing of guitarist and songwriter […]
Focus is a Dutch rock band, known internationally for their 1972 yodeling hard-rock staple “Hocus Pocus” and the classic 1971–74 albums Moving Waves, Focus 3, and Hamburger Concerto. Between 1970 and 1977, they released seven studio albums and scored European hits with “House of the King,” “Sylvia,” and “Harem Scarem.” They launched the careers of […]
The Pointer Sisters were an American soul-pop group from Oakland, formed in 1969 by sisters Anita, June, and Bonnie; later joined by eldest sister Ruth Pointer. Presenting as a retro-1940s cabaret act, they cut four studio albums between 1973 and 1977 on Blue Thumb/ABC. Switching to contemporary soul-pop, the Pointer Sisters (without Bonnie) released six […]
Joe Jackson is an English pianist, songwriter, vocalist, author, and occasional bandleader, active since the late 1970s. Emerging on London’s New Wave scene, he achieved fame with the 1979/80 albums Look Sharp!, I’m the Man, and Beat Crazy. Over the years, his music has incorporated rock, reggae, salsa, jump blues, Tin Pan Alley, big-band vocal […]
The Allman Brothers Band were an American blues-rock band that formed in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1969 around guitarist Duane Allman, singer-keyboardist Gregg Allman, guitarist Dickey Betts, bassist Berry Oakley, and drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe. Their recorded run began on Atco with The Allman Brothers Band and Idlewild South, then shifted to Capricorn for the […]
The Psychedelic Furs are an English new wave band from London that released six albums between 1980 and 1989 on CBS and Columbia. Their popular songs include “Pretty In Pink,” “Heaven,” and the 1982 MTV hit “Love My Way,” a mainstay of Eighties new wave playlists. Singer Richard Butler formed the band with his bassist […]
Parliament was an American R&B band that existed in two phases between 1955 and 1981. The first incarnation, as The Parliaments, yielded a string of doo-wop and soul singles on Revilot and other labels between 1959 and 1968, culminating with the 1970 album Osmium, released as Parliament on Invictus. Singer–producer George Clinton reactivated Parliament as […]
Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou (March 29, 1943 — May 17, 2022) was a Greek electronic musician and composer, known professionally as Vangelis. He emerged as the keyboardist of The Forminx, a popular Greek beat group. In 1967, he formed Aphrodite’s Child, which made nine singles and three albums, culminating with the 1972 double-album 666. Midway through […]
Dire Straits was an English rustic-rock band led by guitarist–singer Mark Knopfler. They released six studio albums and a live disc between 1978 and 1991 on Vertigo/Warner Bros. Musically, the band progressed from lean four-piece interplay on Dire Straits and Communiqué (“Sultans of Swing,” “Lady Writer”) to piano-colored, longer-form song structures on Making Movies (“Tunnel […]
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band that has been active since the late 1970s. In the early 1980s, the band were at the center of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement, which popularized the music among younger hoards of concert goers and record buyers. During its 1980–88 heyday, the band […]
Midnight Oil are an Australian rock band that released two 1978–79 albums on Powderworks, followed by five albums between 1981 and 1990 on CBS. Their 1982 fourth album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 marked their debut in the Northern hemisphere, which they conquered with the 1984–87 albums Red Sails in […]
The Isley Brothers were an American soul-funk band from Cincinnati that first performed doo-wop in the early 1950s. Between 1957 and 1967, they released assorted singles on RCA, Atlantic, Wand, and UA, capping this period with two albums on Tamla. Between 1969 and 1983, they released 18 albums on their exclusive imprint T-Neck, distributed by […]
Marcos Valle is a Brazilian samba-pop singer/songwriter who released ten albums between 1963 and 1974 on Odeon, followed by three Eighties-era albums on Som Livre and Arca. He emerged with Samba “Demais” and gained international traction in 1964 with “Samba de Verão,” a standard co-written with his brother, Paulo Sérgio Valle. Through O Compositor e […]
Rick James (February 1, 1948 — August 6, 2004) was an American soul-funk singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. James debuted with the 1978 Gordy release Come Get It!, which spawned the No. 1 R&B single “You and I” and its No. 3 followup “Mary Jane.” Bustin’ Out of L Seven and Fire It Up followed […]
Al Stewart is a Scottish singer/songwriter who emerged from the British folk boom of the mid-1960s. He debuted with the 1967 orchestral-psych album Bed Sitter Images, his first of five albums on CBS, culminating with the lavish 1972/73 works Orange and Past, Present and Future. His 1975 release Modern Times marked his first collaboration with […]
Peter Gabriel is an English singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and activist with a career in music dating back to the late 1960s. He rose to prominence as the vocalist of Genesis, which he fronted for six albums between 1969 and 1974. As a solo artist, he issued four self-titled albums on Charisma between 1977 and 1982. […]
Byzantium was an English rustic-rock band that released the 1972/73 albums Byzantium and Seasons Changing on A&M, followed by a self-issued demos album. They were formed and managed by ex-Ora songwriter and frontman Jamie Rubinstein. Guitarist/singer Chas Jankel later served as the keyboardist and musical director of Ian Dury and the Blockheads and issued a […]
Rod Stewart (born Jan. 10, 1945) is an English rock vocalist from London who fronted several R&B/beat combos during the mid-1960s before rising to prominence as the frontman of the Jeff Beck Group on the 1968/69 albums Truth and Beck-Ola. In 1969, Stewart left the group along with bassist/guitarist Ron Wood to join the Small […]
The Pretty Things were an English rock band, originally formed in 1963 by guitarist/vocalist Dick Taylor and singer/guitarist Phil May. Taylor had briefly played the prior year in an embryonic lineup of The Rolling Stones. They were arguably the most significant band of the beat boom to not have a stateside breakthrough during the British […]
Sun Ra — aka Herman Poole Blount (May 22, 1914 — May 30, 1993) — was an American jazz keyboardist, composer, and bandleader who released more than seventy albums across thirty-five years. He led successive Arkestra iterations: Jazz Arkestra, Myth Science Arkestra, Solar Arkestra, Astro Infinity Arkestra, and Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra. His early Saturn […]
Van Morrison (born Aug. 31, 1945) is an Irish singer–songwriter, best known for the hits “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Mooondance,” “Domino,” “Wild Night,” and “Jackie Wilson Said.” He first gained prominence as the frontman of Them, a mid-1960s R&B/beat band that rode the British Invasion with tracks like “Gloria” and “Here Comes the Night.” In 1967, […]
Neil Young is a Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader whose 1968–89 album sequence runs from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, and Harvest through Tonight’s the Night, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps, Trans, and Freedom. His key songs from this period include “Cinnamon Girl,” “Down by the River,” “Only Love Can Break […]
Chick Corea (June 12, 1941 – Feb. 9, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader with a six-decade career that spanned the early 1960s to the late 2010s. He emerged as a backing player for Mongo Santamaria, Sonny Stitt, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, Hubert Laws, and Cal Tjader. As a solo artist, Corea […]
Magma are a French avant-garde rock band from Paris, formed in 1969 by drummer and keyboardist Christian Vander. During the 1970s, they released six proper studio albums and a live disc on the Philips, Vertigo, Utopia, and Eurodisc labels. Their debut, Kobaïa (1970), introduced the Kobaïan language and ritualized vocal arrangements. 1001° Centigrades (1971) and […]
The Spinners were an American soul group, best known for the 1970s hits “It’s a Shame,” “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “One of a Kind (Love Affair),” “Mighty Love,” “Then Came You,” “Games People Play,” and “The Rubberband Man.” Formed in 1954, they cut multiple singles for Harvey Fuqua’s Tri-Phi […]
Freddie Hubbard (1938–2008) was an American jazz trumpeter who released seven post-bop albums on Blue Note (1960–67), followed by stints on Atlantic (1967–70), CTI (1970–74), and Columbia (1974–77). He went electric on the 1970–71 albums The Black Angel, Red Clay, and Straight Life and embraced jazz-funk on the 1974–76 titles High Energy, Liquid Love, and […]
Kansas are an American symphonic/hard-rock band that released nine albums and a live double-LP on CBS-subsidiary Kirshner between 1974 and 1983, followed by a pair of late-’80s albums on MCA. Formed in Topeka by guitarist–keyboardist Kerry Livgren and drummer Phil Ehart, the band solidified with vocalist–keyboardist Steve Walsh, violinist–vocalist Robby Steinhardt, guitarist Rich Williams, bassist […]
Gang of Four are an English post-punk band that released four albums between 1979 and 1983 on EMI/Warner. They emerged with the 1978 indie single “Damaged Goods” on Fast Product, followed by the 1979 album Entertainment!, a strident mix of funk rhythms, dischorded riffs, taut vocals, and provocative lyrics. Notable titles include “Love Like Anthrax,” […]
Harry Nilsson (1941–1994) was an American singer/songwriter who released fourteen albums between 1967 and 1977 on RCA Victor, including the chamber-psych classics Pandemonium Shadow Show and Aerial Ballet and the ribald pop-satire sets Nilsson Schmilsson and Son of Schmilsson. His songs were covered by The Monkees, Yardbirds, and Three Dog Night, who scored their chart […]
The Stooges were an American hard-rock/punk band fronted by singer Iggy Pop. They released two albums on Elektra: The Stooges (1969) and Fun House (1970). After a brief split, they returned with the 1973 Columbia release Raw Power, produced by David Bowie. Pop reemerged as a solo artist, starting with the 1977 Bowie-produced albums The […]
Jean Carn is an American soul singer who cut three albums for the Black Jazz label (1971–73) with her then-husband, keyboardist Doug Carn. She debuted as a solo artist with a 1976 self-titled album on Philadelphia International, followed by the 1978–79 titles Happy to Be With You and When I Find You Love. In the […]
Culture Club are an English new wave and soul-pop band whose first two albums, Kissing to Be Clever and Colour by Numbers, spawned the 1982–83 Second British Invasion hits “Time,” “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya,” “Karma Chameleon,” “Church of the Poison Mind,” “It’s a Miracle,” “Miss Me Blind,” and the reggae-pop evergreen “Do You Really Want […]
Barry White (September 12, 1944 — July 4, 2003) was an American soul singer, composer, and producer who released ten albums between 1973 and 1979 on 20th Century Records and scored five No. 1 R&B hits: “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby,” “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” “You’re the First, […]
Alice Cooper is an American singer and performer, best known for the shock-rock antics and horror trappings of his 1970s live shows. He emerged as the frontman of namesake hard-rockers Alice Cooper, which charted with a string of 1971–73 Warner Bros. albums, including the hits “School’s Out,” “I’m Eighteen,” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” […]
Audience was an English folk-psych band that debuted with the 1969 album Audience on Polydor. Between 1970 and 1972, they released three albums on Charisma: Friend’s Friend’s Friend, The House on the Hill, and Lunch. Frontman Howard Werth subsequently formed the Moonbeams. Reedist Keith Gemmell joined Stackridge for a two-album stint during the mid-1970s. Members: […]
The Left Banke was an American chamber-pop band from NYC that released the 1967 album Walk Away Renée / Pretty Ballerina on Mercury-subsidiary Smash Records, scoring hits with the two title-tracks. Amid some lineup turmoil, they scored a further hit with “Desiree” and completed the 1968 album The Left Banke Too. Between 1969 and 1976, […]
Fairport Convention are an English revolving-door folk ensemble, founded in London 1967. The band debuted with a self-titled album on Polydor in 1968, followed by nine albums and two live discs on Island between 1969 and 1976. After a pair of 1977/78 releases on Vertigo, bassist Dave Pegg established Woodworm Records for all subsequent proper […]
Horace Silver (September 2, 1928 — June 18, 2014) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He gained prominence in 1950 when his trio teamed with Stan Getz. In 1954, Silver co-founded the Jazz Messengers with drummer Art Blakey. Their first studio recordings, issued as Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, featured Silver’s composition […]
Gryphon was an English Elizabethan symphonic folk and rock band that released four albums on Transatlantic, including the popular 1974 titles Midnight Mushrumps and Red Queen to Gryphon Three. With a revised lineup, they switched to Harvest for the 1977 album Treason. Members: Richard Harvey (keyboards, woodwinds, mandolin), Brian Gulland ([renaissance] winds, bassoon, keyboards, vocals), […]
Martha and the Vandellas were an American soul-pop trio from Detroit, signed to the Gordy division of Motown. Between 1963 and 1972, they released eight proper albums and numerous singles, scoring hits with “Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack,” “Nowhere to Run,” and the much-covered AM evergreen “Dancing In the Street.” Members: Martha Reeves (lead vocals), Rosalind […]
Earth and Fire was a Dutch symphonic art-rock band that released eight albums and numerous singles between 1969 and 1983, mostly on Polydor and Vertigo. Members: Gerard Koerts (keyboards, 1968-82), Chris Koerts (guitar, 1968-79), Hans Ziech (bass, 1968-74), Cees Kalis (drums, 1968-70), Manuela Berloth [aka Lysett] (vocals, 1968-69), Jerney Kaagman (vocals, 1969-82, 1987-90), Ton van […]
Donovan (born May 10, 1946) is a Scottish folk-rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter who released his first two albums in 1965 on Pye, followed by a prolific run of titles on Epic between 1966 and 1976. After a self-titled one-off on RAK in 1977, he released a further round of albums on RCA during the […]
Blue Öyster Cult are an American hard-rock band from Long Island known for their literate lyrics, dual-guitar interplay, and fusion of heavy riff structures with cryptic sci-fi and occult themes. They emerged in 1972 with a trilogy of stark, riff-driven albums—Blue Öyster Cult, Tyranny and Mutation, and Secret Treaties—anchored by the tight rhythm section of […]
The Alan Parsons Project (APP) was an English symphonic/art-pop band led by the production/multi-instrumental team of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. The project began with the album Tales of Mystery and Imagination on 20th Century in 1976, followed by nine albums on Arista between 1977 and 1987. Their catalogue includes concept albums like I Robot, […]
Gino Vannelli is an Italian-Canadian vocalist and songwriter who released ten albums between 1973 and 1990 and scored hits with “I Just Wanna Stop” and “Living Inside Myself.” He rose to prominence with his 1974 singles “Powerful People” and “People Gotta Move,” theatrical hybrids of lounge-jazz and blue-eyed soul. His lavish orchestration culminated with the […]
Janis Joplin (Jan. 19, 1943 — Oct. 4, 1970) was an American singer who fronted Bay Area blues-rockers Big Brother & the Holding Company, best known for their 1968 album Cheap Thrills and the evergreen “Piece of My Heart.” She went solo with the 1969 Columbia release I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! […]
Steeleye Span was an English folk-rock band that debuted with the 1970 RCA release Hark! The Village Wait, followed by the 1971 albums Please to See the King and Ten Man Mop or Mr Reservoir Butler Rides Again. Between 1972 and 1982, they made eight studio albums and two live discs on Chrysalis, plus a […]
Gil Scott-Heron (1949–2011) was an American jazz-funk poet who made fourteen albums between 1970 and 1982, including seven co-billed to his music partner, Brian Jackson. Background Gil Scott-Heron was born on April 1, 1949, in Chicago; the only child of Bobbi Scott and Gilbert Saint Elmo Heron (1922–2008). Bobbi hailed from Mississippi and sang opera […]
Serú Girán was an Argentine supergroup with national rock veterans Charly García, David Lebón, Oscar Moro, and teenage musician Pedro Aznar. Between 1978 and 1981, the band released four studio albums: Serú Girán, La Grasa de las Capitales, Bicicleta, and Peperina. This was the fourth band in under a decade fronted by García, who previously […]
Hermeto Pascoal (June 22, 1936 – September 13, 2025) was a Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader who played with the 1960s samba-jazz combos Sambrasa Trio and Quarteto Nôvo. After a one-album stint with Brazilian Octopus, he made his first headlining album in 1970 on Cobblestone Records. He recorded twenty-five albums on assorted labels, including the […]
Peter Tosh — aka Winston Hubert MacIntosh (Oct. 19, 1944 — Sept. 11, 1987) — was a Jamaican roots-reggae musician who rose to prominence during the 1960s as a member of the Wailers. In 1976, he released the album Legalize It on Intel Diplo/Columbia, followed by three further albums on the imprint during the late […]
Bobby Womack (1944–2014) was an American soul singer/songwriter who first recorded with his four brothers in The Valentinos, a protege act of Sam Cooke. They originated the Rolling Stones first international hit, “It’s All Over Now.” Womack launched his solo career with the 1968/69 Minit albums Fly Me to the Moon and My Prescription. On […]
Passport was a German jazz-rock ensemble led by saxophonist, keyboardist, and composer Klaus Doldinger, whose name appears prominently on select releases. Formed in 1971, the band emerged as Germany’s answer to Weather Report, blending electric jazz textures with tight, rhythmic interplay. Their 1972 album Second Passport established the core formula, followed by the landmark Cross-Collateral […]
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso is an Italian rock band that co-headed the nation’s symphonic boom with the classic 1972/73 albums Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Darwin!, and Io Sono Nato Libero. They re-recorded some of their best-loved material in English for the 1975 release Banco on ELP’s Manticore label, which issued their 1976 titles Garofano Rosso […]
Colosseum II was an English jazz-rock band that released the album Strange New Flesh on Bronze in 1976, followed by Electric Savage and War Dance on MCA in 1977. They also backed Andrew Lloyd Webber on his 1978 classical-rock album Variations. The band was a followup to Colosseum, which drummer Jon Hiseman led from 1968 […]
Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) was a Japanese electro/art-pop trio that released six proper albums and a live disc between 1978 and 1983 on Alfa. They were formed by veteran multi-instrumentalist Haruomi Hosono (ex-Apryl Fool, Happy End) and featured drummer Yukihiro Takahashi (ex-Sadistic Mika Band). During YMO’s initial run, singer and keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto launched a […]
