Wednesday 29 January 2014

ON MAGAZINE







"On" magazine started up in 1995 and was a free publication that covered a variety of underground music styles such as electronica, global dancefloor, techno and ambient, with a touch of soul, jazz and abstract beats thrown in.
The mag's content consisted of charts, news updates, live events, special features, interviews and record reviews.
On's editor was, Pete Lawrence, the well known London DJ, record label boss and the main man behind The Big Chill.
The item at the top is the front cover of an issue of On dating from Spring 1997.
Under it is a review of On that was published in Birmingham Vibe magazine in 1995, and they recommended you go get a copy of the eclectic publication!
Next up is the Buzz Chart taken from the 1997 issue and shows the variety of music they dealt with.
From the chart, I've picked out the album by Amon Tobin called "Bricolage" as a specific example of the kind of material On indulged in, and so following on is their lowdown of the LP from the review pages.
Finally, I have accompanied the items with a copy of the album from my collection at home, a double vinyl pack released on Ninja Tune.

Saturday 25 January 2014

BLUE NOTE SUPPLEMENT







This Blue Note supplement came free with an issue of Acid Jazz News back in 1994.
It tells of how the Blue Note in London came about and details various aspects of its development as it becomes transformed from its previous well known 80's venue, The Bass Clef, to this brand new nightclub a decade later.
Its official opening night was on 16th December '94 with the Magic Bus DJ's and a couple of guests providing the entertainment.
The pages on display here also give the lowdown on the club's location and supply the first couple of weeks of who they had lined up music wise.
The Honest Jon's ad is also from the supplement.
The final item is dated 1996, a couple of years after the club had been up & running, and is a feature published in Birmingham Vibe magazine about the NinjaTune nights called "Stealth" they had on at the Blue Note.

Wednesday 22 January 2014

RIGHT TEMPO RECORDS






The ad at the top is from a 1995 issue of Straight No Chaser magazine and is for a selection of recordings released on Italian label, Right Tempo.
Underneath it is another SNC ad also from 1995 and this time is for one specific album, a compilation of jazzy grooves called "Dire Tempo Jazz".
Next up is a review of the album, again published in Straight No Chaser in '95.
Lastly, I have plucked out the LP from my collection at home and put the sleeve up for further information.

Saturday 18 January 2014

AZULI RECORDS







Underground dance label, Azuli Records, started up in 1991 and over the years became known for presenting top quality grooves with a modern take on disco music by adding a touch of house & garage into the mix.
The item at the top is a brief overview of the label that was published in Mixmag in 1995.
One of the records mentioned in the Mixmag article is the debut EP by Disco Elements - "Vol 1" - and following on from the Mixmag item is a review of the EP that was in Check Dis magazine in May 1992.
Under that is a chart from the same issue of Check Dis that was compiled by Blackmarket Record shop in London, and as you can see, Disco Elements is the one at the top.
Proving that the music on the EP also appealed to the jazz funk heads, the chart in green comes from a summer issue of Straight No Chaser magazine that year, and shows that the Disco Element's track "Running" was getting played at various clubs around Sydney, Australia, by Matt Hayward.
Finally, I have accompanied the items with a vinyl copy of the EP taken from my own shelves at home.