Black Music (magazine)

Last updated

The first edition of Black Music magazine, December 1973. Black Music magazine first issue.jpg
The first edition of Black Music magazine, December 1973.

Black Music (Black Music & Jazz Review from April 1978) was a pioneering British music magazine, published monthly. The first issue, edited by Alan Lewis, came out in December 1973 and the last in April 1984. [1] It was the first publication in the United Kingdom to write about reggae as a serious cultural phenomenon and also the first to cover African music. [2]

Under the 19781984 editorship of Chris May, who succeeded, in chronological order, Alan Lewis, Tony Cummings and Geoff Brown, the magazine championed hip hop, rap, Two Tone, avant-garde jazz and electro music in the face of hostility from British black music's, at the time, socially reactionary and still mostly white-controlled power structure, and published writing by black creatives whose work had an explicitly political dimension (notably including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Archie Shepp, Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, Michael Thelwell, Gil Scott Heron, Thomas Mapfumo and Hugh Masekela). Under May's editorship, the magazine also maintained extensive coverage of African music, which May had introduced as a freelance contributor in the mid 1970s with his Afroheat column.[ citation needed ]

In April 1984, Chris May left the magazine to head up the UK office of Celluloid Records. Following his departure, the title Black Music & Jazz Review (though not the editorial perspective) was absorbed by sister magazine Blues & Soul and ceased to exist other than as a small-print add-on to the BS masthead. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrington Levy</span> Musical artist

Barrington Ainsworth Levy is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punky Reggae Party</span> 1977 single by Bob Marley

"Punky Reggae Party" is a song by Bob Marley, recorded and released in 1977. Not appearing on any studio album, it was released in 1977 as a 12-inch single in Jamaica only on the Tuff Gong and Lee Perry's Black Art labels, as a B-side to the "Jamming" single on Chris Blackwell's Island Records label in some countries and was later released as a live single on Babylon by Bus. Subsequently, it appeared on a number of compilations and "Best of" albums as well as the Deluxe Edition of Exodus and the 2002 CD reissue of Legend. The two versions of the song on the Jamaican 12-inch single were both featured on disc 2 of the Deluxe Edition of Exodus. The version featured on the 2002 CD reissue of Legend is the B-side version from the "Jamming" 12-inch single. There is also a version of the song released as a B-side on the "Jamming" 7-inch single which is much shorter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Taylor</span> British guitarist, former member of the Rolling Stones (born 1949)

Michael Kevin Taylor is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: Let It Bleed (1969), Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert (1970), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St. (1972), Goats Head Soup (1973) and It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974).

Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Erdington area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds, Basil Gabbidon, and Ronald McQueen (bass); along with Basil's brother Colin briefly on drums and Mykaell Riley. Steel Pulse were the first non-Jamaican act to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third World (band)</span> Jamaican reggae band

Third World is a Jamaican reggae fusion band formed in 1973. Their sound is influenced by soul, funk and disco. Although it has undergone several line-up changes, Stephen "Cat" Coore and Richard Daley have been constant members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MOBO Awards</span> Annual music awards

The MOBO Awards are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in "music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and African music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Miller (musician)</span> Jamaican reggae artist (1952–1980)

Jacob Miller was a Jamaican reggae artist and Rastafari from Mandeville, Jamaica. His first recording session was with the famous Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd in the late 1960s. While pursuing a solo career, he became the lead singer for Inner Circle, a famous roots reggae band. Miller recorded and toured with Inner Circle until he died in a tragic car crash at age 27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dudu Pukwana</span> South African saxophonist and composer

Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana was a South African saxophonist, composer and pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Moholo</span> South African jazz drummer

Louis Tebogo Moholo, is a South African jazz drummer. He has been a member of several notable bands, including The Blue Notes, the Brotherhood of Breath and Assagai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnite (band)</span>

Midnite was a roots reggae band from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which started playing in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inner Circle (band)</span> Jamaican reggae band

Inner Circle, also known as The Inner Circle Band or The Bad Boys of Reggae, are a Jamaican reggae band formed in Kingston in 1968. The band first backed The Chosen Few in the early 1970s before joining with successful solo artist Jacob Miller and releasing a string of records. This era of the band ended with Miller's death in a car crash in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Velvet</span> American electronic musician

Curtis Alan Jones, better known by his stage name Green Velvet, is an American singer, record producer and DJ. He is also known as Cajmere, Geo Vogt, Half Pint, Curan Stone, and Gino Vittori.

Hugh Mundell was a Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yabby You</span> Musical artist

Vivian Neville Jackson, better known as Yabby You, was a reggae vocalist and producer, who came to prominence in the early 1970s through his uncompromising, self-produced work.

Cecil Thomas, known as Nicky Thomas, was a Jamaican-born reggae singer who enjoyed considerable chart success in Jamaica and in the United Kingdom at the start of the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirty Heads</span> American reggae rock band

Dirty Heads is an American reggae rock band from Huntington Beach, California. Their debut album, Any Port in a Storm, was released on September 23, 2008, by Executive Music Group (Fontana/Universal). Their newest album, Midnight Control, was released on August 26, 2023, by Better Noise Music. They have been associated with music groups such as Sublime with Rome, 311, and Pepper, and have toured with groups including Cobra Starship, Aer, and Gym Class Heroes.

Blues & Soul is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. The Independent has noted Blues & Soul as being the equal of magazines such as NME and Q. Billboard magazine has called Blues & Soul "a respected publication."

<i>Echoes</i> (magazine)

Echoes is a monthly magazine of soul, jazz, R&B, hip hop and reggae. It was founded as a weekly newspaper, Black Echoes, in 1976 and later changed its name to just Echoes. It became a monthly magazine in 2000.

<i>Midnight Raver</i> Music website

Midnight Raver was a website dedicated solely to the promotion and preservation of roots reggae, culture and dub. Contributors include authors and journalists, historians, record producers, broadcasters, lecturers, archivists, collectors and publishers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Tosh</span> Jamaican reggae musician

Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM, professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963–1976), after which he established himself as a successful solo artist and a promoter of Rastafari. He was murdered in 1987 during a home invasion.

References

  1. Black Music magazine front covers. dancecrasher.co.uk, 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  2. Erica Joyner, "Little Known Black History Fact: Black Music Magazine" The Tom Joyner Morning Show, 25 June 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  3. "Chris May". allaboutjazz.com.
  4. "Black Music". Rocks Back Pages.