i figured only now that most of the named bands played music with a funky touch but none of them intended to play vintage funk from the 60s/70s. besides that, most of the named bands were on some big major labels...
I think what needs to be pointed out is that there was a big funk scene in London in the mid to late 80s, but it was always straight funk mixed up with all sorts of great black music from through the ages. So you would here heavy James Brown, Mickey and the soul generation, EPMD and LL, reggae and Leroy Hutson style soul all in one go. When the groups that came out of this scene started making records the whole idea was to make modern records that were influenced by the past not records that tried to sound like 1968 and in virtually every case failed. The very best of these bands were alwayd incredible live - why do you think there was so much hip hop respect for the Brand New Heavies. If you want retro sounding records from this period I would suggest trying JTQ's 'Redneck' from their Extended Play mini LP, or Snowboy's astounding 'Funky Djembe'. I'd argue that at their mid 90s peak JTQ could out funk any of the so called new soul bands. However the best things to come out were the great songs such as the YDs 'Apparently Nothing' (from what is probably the greatest British soul album ever 'Road To Freedom'), or the Heavies 'Stay This Way'. It has to be remembered though that whilst these acid jazz / UK soul records were coming direct from the UK clubs they were aimed at the charts not a little clique of true believers. Hearing the heavies hit the top 30 for the first time was a very special moment for us. We wanted hits!
Finally the best club record to come from Acid Jazz the label - The Night Trains - Lovesick
I think what needs to be pointed out is that there was a big funk scene in London in the mid to late 80s, but it was always straight funk mixed up with all sorts of great black music from through the ages. So you would here heavy James Brown, Mickey and the soul generation, EPMD and LL, reggae and Leroy Hutson style soul all in one go. When the groups that came out of this scene started making records the whole idea was to make modern records that were influenced by the past not records that tried to sound like 1968 and in virtually every case failed. The very best of these bands were alwayd incredible live - why do you think there was so much hip hop respect for the Brand New Heavies. If you want retro sounding records from this period I would suggest trying JTQ's 'Redneck' from their Extended Play mini LP, or Snowboy's astounding 'Funky Djembe'. I'd argue that at their mid 90s peak JTQ could out funk any of the so called new soul bands. However the best things to come out were the great songs such as the YDs 'Apparently Nothing' (from what is probably the greatest British soul album ever 'Road To Freedom'), or the Heavies 'Stay This Way'. It has to be remembered though that whilst these acid jazz / UK soul records were coming direct from the UK clubs they were aimed at the charts not a little clique of true believers. Hearing the heavies hit the top 30 for the first time was a very special moment for us. We wanted hits!
Finally the best club record to come from Acid Jazz the label - The Night Trains - Lovesick
Can't argue with the precis, but just to quibble with some judgements: the best club record IMHO was BNH "Dream Come True" which worked like a dream mixed into Expansions by LLSmith, and "Earthly Powers" by A Man Called Adam which sounded huge in the right sized room.
One of the most overlooked retro sounds at the time was Snowboy's "Astralisation", b-side to Lucky Fellow; it's like the Mizzell brothers finest. Check that out for some retro jazz funk.
And I also read that Snowboy is writing a book on UK Jazz dance scene BITD. Mighty looking forward to reading that...
I think what needs to be pointed out is that there was a big funk scene in London in the mid to late 80s, but it was always straight funk mixed up with all sorts of great black music from through the ages. So you would here heavy James Brown, Mickey and the soul generation, EPMD and LL, reggae and Leroy Hutson style soul all in one go. When the groups that came out of this scene started making records the whole idea was to make modern records that were influenced by the past not records that tried to sound like 1968 and in virtually every case failed. The very best of these bands were alwayd incredible live - why do you think there was so much hip hop respect for the Brand New Heavies. If you want retro sounding records from this period I would suggest trying JTQ's 'Redneck' from their Extended Play mini LP, or Snowboy's astounding 'Funky Djembe'. I'd argue that at their mid 90s peak JTQ could out funk any of the so called new soul bands. However the best things to come out were the great songs such as the YDs 'Apparently Nothing' (from what is probably the greatest British soul album ever 'Road To Freedom'), or the Heavies 'Stay This Way'. It has to be remembered though that whilst these acid jazz / UK soul records were coming direct from the UK clubs they were aimed at the charts not a little clique of true believers. Hearing the heavies hit the top 30 for the first time was a very special moment for us. We wanted hits!
Finally the best club record to come from Acid Jazz the label - The Night Trains - Lovesick
Can't argue with the precis, but just to quibble with some judgements: the best club record IMHO was BNH "Dream Come True" which worked like a dream mixed into Expansions by LLSmith, and "Earthly Powers" by A Man Called Adam which sounded huge in the right sized room.
One of the most overlooked retro sounds at the time was Snowboy's "Astralisation", b-side to Lucky Fellow; it's like the Mizzell brothers finest. Check that out for some retro jazz funk.
And I also read that Snowboy is writing a book on UK Jazz dance scene BITD. Mighty looking forward to reading that...
Yes Snowy's book is out soon, but it's about the UK jazz dance scene before Acid Jazz took over.
Dream Come True and Earthly Powers are great, as was Masterplan from the same time by Diana Brown and Barry Sharpe, which was a monster club cut.
I remember the day Snowboy brought Astralisation into us at the label - thought it was amazing, always a bit slow for the floor though. Great warm up record.
wouldn't exactly call these guys unknown, but i used to dig'em back in the day
not my favorite record, not really into their recorded output, but they were great live... used to hang a bit with the drummer Zack Najor, (i think he was into my sister...) met him the first time either of us saw the Roots! and Greyboy's Freestylin' was a pretty good record at the time.
and for a few years in SF, in the early nineties, this was my favorite spot...
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I've never heard them before - but I used to know a guy who CAKED OUT off being a sideman for them on some big tours.
I didn't even know they were supposed to be funk, I always assumed it was a jam band type thing.
DAG-JAM BAND COMMITED TO FONK
blah blah blah...go tell your mother
Monday Michiru - Delicious Poison
Acid Jazz - w/ a Funk twist.
besides that, most of the named bands were on some big major labels...
The very best of these bands were alwayd incredible live - why do you think there was so much hip hop respect for the Brand New Heavies. If you want retro sounding records from this period I would suggest trying JTQ's 'Redneck' from their Extended Play mini LP, or Snowboy's astounding 'Funky Djembe'. I'd argue that at their mid 90s peak JTQ could out funk any of the so called new soul bands.
However the best things to come out were the great songs such as the YDs 'Apparently Nothing' (from what is probably the greatest British soul album ever 'Road To Freedom'), or the Heavies 'Stay This Way'.
It has to be remembered though that whilst these acid jazz / UK soul records were coming direct from the UK clubs they were aimed at the charts not a little clique of true believers. Hearing the heavies hit the top 30 for the first time was a very special moment for us. We wanted hits!
Finally the best club record to come from Acid Jazz the label - The Night Trains - Lovesick
Can't argue with the precis, but just to quibble with some judgements: the best club record IMHO was BNH "Dream Come True" which worked like a dream mixed into Expansions by LLSmith, and "Earthly Powers" by A Man Called Adam which sounded huge in the right sized room.
One of the most overlooked retro sounds at the time was Snowboy's "Astralisation", b-side to Lucky Fellow; it's like the Mizzell brothers finest. Check that out for some retro jazz funk.
And I also read that Snowboy is writing a book on UK Jazz dance scene BITD.
Mighty looking forward to reading that...
Yes Snowy's book is out soon, but it's about the UK jazz dance scene before Acid Jazz took over.
Dream Come True and Earthly Powers are great, as was Masterplan from the same time by Diana Brown and Barry Sharpe, which was a monster club cut.
I remember the day Snowboy brought Astralisation into us at the label - thought it was amazing, always a bit slow for the floor though. Great warm up record.
That's what I'm talmbout
not my favorite record, not really into their recorded output, but they were great live...
used to hang a bit with the drummer Zack Najor, (i think he was into my sister...) met him the first time either of us saw the Roots!
and Greyboy's Freestylin' was a pretty good record at the time.
and for a few years in SF, in the early nineties, this was my favorite spot...