The Quintessential info provider for the Soul Survivor 1ST JUNE - 31ST JULY 2021 Issue 92 - The '15th Anniversary' Issue Credit: Sauvage

News Reviews & Interviews Morgan Khan, Marcus Miller, Hayden Browne & Andrew Levy

WHAT’S INSIDE? Welcome to our Fifteenth Anniversary Issue ninety-two of The Soul Survivors Magazine. Since July 4 FITZROY SPEAKS 2006 our publication has seen a few WITH MORGAN contributor and personnel changes, KHAN OF STREET various advertisers and also several SOUNDS logos and graphic design changes. Co-founder Anna Marshall left six 10 DARRELL'S FUNK years ago after nine years and I’ve BOX been totally hands on with a little 12 FITZROY SPEAKS help from a few friends. In these WITH MARCUS Roberta Flack ‘Trying Times’ we are MILLER proud to still be able to produce this magazine. 22 RECORD REVIEWS 29 FITZROY SPEAKS WITH This issue is another special and features interviews with world HAYDEN BROWNE renowned bassist Marcus Miller, Hayden Brown (aka HB) of Soul II Soul and Andrew Levy bassist of the UK’s home-grown Brand New AKA AITCH Heavies outfit. We also have an article feature with Street Sounds 40 FITZROY SPEAKS WITH founder Morgan Khan, who ahead of celebrating forty years of ANDREW LEVY OF THE Street Sounds next year, speaks about his new exciting venture BRAND NEW HEAVIES Street Sounds Radio.

Due to the lack of space we are unable to dedicate editorial for the Roll Call Of Fame where we usually pay homage to those who have All adverts are placed in good faith and passed away in recent times. Since the last issue hip-hop legends The Soul Survivors Magazine take no DMX, Shock G of Digital Underground and Black Rob have sadly responsibility for any issues arising from the passed. BB Dickerson the original bass player of the ‘L.A. Sunshine’ use of those who have advertised. All dates crew, WAR has gained his wings and we wanted to remember the are correct at time of going to print – please legacy of my old ex partner in rhyme Steve Sutherland and rapper check with venue or promoter if unsure. All rights reserved 2006 - 2021 Ty who both passed last year. Subject to space we’ll try and remedy © The Soul Survivors Magazine them not being in this issue in our August and September issue. It is essential to note that all artwork, adverts I’d like to rap this up and say big thanks to Darrell Steaman for his and listings must be confirmed and sent in Funk Box column, which has over the years proved to make a few to fitzroy@thesoulsurvivorsmagazine. people LOL with his satirical humour. I’d also like to say thanks to co.uk before 7th July 2021 in order to meet the graphic designer and print 3 Gary Dennis of Crazy Beat for his continual advertising support in week preparation. This will ensure that the every issue since edition. Special thanks to Anna Benton who for magazine for the April and May Issue is ready the last six years has passed on some valuable support with her IT and out on the streets. Thanks in advance. and social media knowledge. I’d like to thank Ayshea Scott, who The Soul Survivors Magazine for the last six years has given this publication a facelift unlike Team! any other (in that it does not sag with time). Ice cream, jelly, party Flat 2, 69A Trinity Road, poppers and lashings of ginger beer will be arriving at your office. London SW17 7SD Thanks to our advertisers and our members whom without your E: [email protected] financial contribution we would struggle to function. I hope you M: 07956 312931 C fitzroy.facey enjoy this issue full of soul surviving information from the ‘info C Fitzroytheoriginalsoulsurvivor provider for the soul survivor’ C TheSoulSurvivors MSoulSurvivors1 www.thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk Peace, Fitzroy.

PAUL ELLIS, DIRECTOR

"STREET SOUNDS RADIO is getting even better. Coming in July 2021, three NEW MORGAN KHAN, Street Sounds DIRECTOR Radio stations” MORGAN KHAN STREET SOUNDS Morgan Khan (aka Mr Street Sounds) is an entrepreneur who never gives up despite the many, many hurdles he has had to leap over. As he approaches his fortieth year with his Street Sounds brand his latest exciting venture is Street Sounds Radio. So we caught up to share the good news.

Page 4 - Issue 92 Tell us about Street Sounds The music played on Street Sounds Radio is aimed at a Radio, how you put it together more discerning audience and dedicated to lovers and and how long it has been aficionados of black/club/street music. We broadcast a going? veritable aural feast of the greatest music of black origin from the 70s, 80s and 90s and let us not forget there are Street Sounds Radio was born also some great sounds from the millennium. However out of my love of music as we didn’t want to be the new kid on the block trying to a punter rather than looking at it from a commercial compete for a new young audience. We wanted to create venture. I heard what was currently being played on a station where you’d step into the DeLorean and travel radio and discovered that there was a huge void of the back to the 1970s and 80s and crystallise the best of the music that people like myself grew up with. Yes, there is best music by listening to Street Sounds Radio. We want a plethora of specialist stations but none were catering to create that vintage soul, hip-hop and electro scene for the demographic of music that was the soundtrack that Street Sounds were famed for with the compilations of my life, hence this is where the slogan for the radio we did back in the day. We wanted to do a snap shot station ‘The soundtrack to your life ‘ came in. I met Paul of the anthems of all those genres and that is how Ellis who is my business partner in the radio station who Street Sounds was born out of doing some rudimentary had a very similar vision and he also knows the heritage market research, and with our thousands of social and pedigree of the Street Sounds brand. We already media followers we already knew we had a guaranteed had thousands of followers on social media where the audience. The station launched in August 2020 and we brand has been growing exponentially in the last few would never have expected after eight months how our years because of the record side of the business, with audience participation figures, downloads and interest that showing a need for people to remember the good has exponentially grown. times in their life. Music from the 1970s was exceptional and it was an organic and incredible time for music. Paul What is your studio set up? Ellis and I met and sat down and discussed becoming a partnership in Street Sounds Radio in terms of the financing and making this dream become somewhat of a reality about nineteen months ago.

How long ago was it when you first decided to embark on the idea?

About eighteen months ago. It actually came together sitting outside in a beer garden in Marylebone High Street. I was actually a little bit dubious because even though I wanted to do something like this I thought the brand wasn’t actually as big as I believed I wanted it to be. We actually did a random survey and went up to people in the street, black, white old and young and asked them if they had heard of Street Sounds. This was in Marylebone High Street and I can say with my hand on my heart that out of ten people, eight or nine said yes. so setting up a radio station seemed to be the obvious thing to do.

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk Paul Ellis is the studio manager and director of Street so to be clear Sounds Radio and we built two bespoke studios in Leigh there will On Sea Essex from scratch to the specifications of what be in total the presenters asked for. four Street Sounds How have you scheduled your programming of shows R a d i o and what platforms can you find Street Sound Radio on? stations. All the four I am the head of daytime music programming (7.00am- stations can 7.00pm) and Andy Smith is Head of Presenters and be heard via the Evening Music (after 7.00pm & weekends). Street Sounds Street Sounds Radio Radio has followed the format of the first carnation of App, Street Sounds Radio early Kiss FM. During the day 7am -7pm it’s playlist. Our website (www.streetsoundsradio. com) and playlist is second to none as we have three thousand third party players, including Alexa, Sonas, Radio of the best jazz, funk, soul anthems from the late 70s Player. However, only Street Sounds Radio (Original) 80s and 90s and we are constantly adding to it. It also is available on DAB Essex. We are aware through our includes the best of the underground scene around the listeners that have we have audiences in Buenos Aires country. After 7pm we have the specialist urban shows Argentina, Sidney Australia, Cairo, Singapore, Hong on different nights, which could be electro, hip-hop, Kong and the many places where there are ex pats mixed shows of new disco, or house themes. abroad who tune in. We actually do have one of our presenters broadcasting from Australia hence that helps STREET SOUNDS RADIO is getting even better. Coming with that Australian audience. These are the varied in July 2021, three NEW Street Sounds Radio stations, Street Sounds station platforms and the music policy: Page 6 - Issue 92 StreetSoundsRadio_ABSOLUTE_FINAL.indd 1 21/05/2021 10:11 Next year in 2022 it is the fortieth anniversary of Street Street Sounds Radio (Original): 24 hours a Sounds so we have lot of things planned over the next day, seven days a week. Daytime programming twelve months in preparation for that. This includes a (7.00am-7.00pm), the very best of soul, funk, jazz- documentary, which has been filmed over the last three funk, boogie, hip-hop, electro, disco, club anthems, years to be released end of this year early next year. rare groove, RNB, reggae/lovers rock and classic We have the book ‘Street Sounds The Story’ edited by house. Evening and weekend programming features Snowboy so we have two celebratory bits of history that specialist music shows; both daytime & specialist highlights the success of Street Sounds, which launched shows are presented by a stellar line-up of presenters in 1982. We are also doing a series of complications and deejays. Taking our listeners through the early in their original format of vinyl and also on CD with hours of the morning, the most soulful collection of bonus material and sleeve notes in the familiar genres slow jams and love songs. that Street Sounds are famed for. We are in discussions with Universal to expand on the jazz-funk compilation we did with them, which incidentally sold out six times Street Sounds Radio (24/7): 24 hours a day, on Amazon with people screaming out for it around seven days a week, back to back music, the very best Christmas. Universal never expected that demand of of soul, funk, jazz-funk, boogie, hip-hop, electro, what they consider a catalogue album. We are working disco, club anthems, rare groove, RNB, reggae/lovers with some of our presenters on some re-edit projects rock and classic house. No presenters. which appeals to our younger audience which converts them into realising how great that era of music was and still is. Street Sounds Radio (Old skool hip-hop & electro): 24 hours a day, seven days a week, back to back music, the best old skool hip-hop and electro from the 80s and 90s, with a nod to showcase the very best of more contemporary hip-hop that would appeal to the Street Sounds Radio family of b-boys and fly girls. No presenters.

Street Sounds Radio (Slow Jams): 24 hours a day, seven days a week, back to back music, the most soulful collection of slow jams and love songs. No presenters.

How many presenters do you have on the station?

We have over forty presenters, too many to mention individually but they are split across the day time , evening and weekend specialist shows Morgan Khan receiving his Best What else is happening for the further regarding Street Record Label Award at The Soul Sounds? Survivors Magazine Award in 2013

Page 8 - Issue 92 GET ON BOARD THE SOUL TRAIN The Sound of Philadelphia - Volume 1 UNITED SOULS IS DELIGHTED TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS • First volume in a limited edition series which covers the first eight studio albums released by the label from 1971-1973. • The series, in which all albums are re-mastered from the original tapes, will map the history of Philadelphia International Records chronologically. • Housed in a stylish 48 page slip-cased book • Also includes numbered certificate of authenticity, an exclusive 12” single and a unique poster. • Strictly limited to 2500 copies. “ When I listen to this music now I can close my eyes and the music brings us all back together again.” Kenny Gamble “ Long live the music of Gamble and Huff!” Leon Huff

OUT MAY 28TH Keep an ear out for Volume 2 coming later this year... madfishmusic.com

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk DarDarrellrell''ss FunkFunk BoxBox

Well, here we are, it is the fifteenth anniversary of The a deejay only needs to turn up at a gig with, maybe, a Soul Survivors magazine. Fifteen years, what a fantastic handful of memory sticks. Some of the latest players don't achievement. Fitzroy you are amazing and I doff my cap even have a slot to put a CD in to it. This is something to you in admiration, Sir. I know, from talking to people that I learned at my own cost, as at that time I wasn't even that I look up to, just how highly thought of and respected considering using a memory stick, and this only happened this magazine is. The interviews are insightful and well about four years ago. So now you can see that my first ever structured and really give the reader an understanding of piece for this magazine was written before the technical the interviewee. I am so proud to be associated with The explosion, and when I read it the other day, which was the Soul Survivors Magazine. first time in fifteen years, I found myself wincing at my naivety. In the fifteen years of this magazines existence we have seen the passing of so many key figures in our musical world. Teena Marie, Paul 'Trouble' Anderson, Ty, Prince and many, many more. With this magazine aimed at the Soul Survivors of the world it means that the average age is above fifty years old, an age where we hear and talk about the deaths that we have encountered more often than we talk about buying a new car. However there was one sad departure from this beautiful planet that really struck a chord with me, and that was the loss of the lovely Phil Asher. It was a piece of news that really brought me to tears. During the lifetime of this magazine I have also lost both my parents, in 2012 and 2019 respectively. So now I am an orphan and it has given me the right to kick off at any opportunity. I can scratch cars, throw bins through shop windows even start a fight by waving my arms in a large circular motion, with my jacket hanging from my upper arms, and yelling "cam on den you The first ever column that I wrote for the magazine was an slags!" and blame it all on a lack of parental guidance in article about laptop deejays. It was a proper fence-sitting my life. piece and was probably quite scathing towards deejays that used computers. But you have to remember that this was in The development of the website has made reading the 2006 and the technology had only been used, to any real magazine an absolute pleasure and brought it into the degree, for the past six years at that time. Fast forward to twenty-first century. Turning the pages at a click of the 2021 and it's a different world altogether for Disc Jockeys. mouse and hearing the virtual paper rustle is brilliant. CD players have come on leaps and bounds. The once Because we are still in the midst of this horrible pandemic, prestigious Pioneer CDJ-1000 has been overtaken by the physical copies of The Soul Survivors are extremely hard to more advanced 2000 and 3000 series which means that come by, so having a digital copy really is a lifesaver.

Page 10 - Issue 92 When it comes to things that have developed over the last fifteen years, then seeing Fitzroy’s' artwork evolve in every issue has been quite remarkable. He has a very unique style and as soon as you see a piece, you know straight away that that it has come from the brush of 'Da Buzzboy'. If I had to choose an issue that really stuck in my mind I would have to say that number sixty-four is just that. It was the tenth anniversary and not only did we celebrate ten years it was also dedicated to his 'Royal Purpleness', Prince. Another feature of that particular publication was the fact that it had a dual front cover. Prince was on the front but when you flipped it over it was another front cover that was a celebration of the magazine reaching double digits. So where are we now? The Corona Virus hasn't helped anyone that is self employed or relies on hospitality for an income, and producing a magazine to this highest quality was always going to be a challenge, but even more so when the target audience is out of reach. But it is a testament to the hard work that Fitzroy and the lovely Anna B have lovingly put in to this beloved journal, and continue to do so, that will see this periodical around for a long time to come. Happy Anniversary The Soul Survivors Magazine x

T he Lone Fisherman Introducing out scotch bonnet & lime pepper sauce condiments, new look labels and bottles just waiting to be the centre piece of your dining experience. You can also purchase the Lone Fisherman T-Shirts and packets of Caribbean Gold Sea Moss.

On line ordering and delivery service available or come down to buy in person, this is a tasting experience not to be missed.

Unit 26b, Tooting Market, Tooting High Street, London, SW17 0SN www.thelonefisherman.co.uk Follow @the_lone_fisherman on Instagram “I remember when I met the lady who became my wife on a plane from Boston to New York and I told her what I did playing with Aretha, Luther and Miles Davis and she later told me she didn’t believe a word I said."

Marcus was destined to become the musical icon he has become. Growing up in Jamaica Queens, he was part of an incredible pool of musical talent who would greatly impress upon the soul, funk and jazz world. Marcus has worked with ‘Much Too Much’ to mention, who’s who list of musicians and artists playing bass and also as a writer and producer. ‘Suddenly’ all will become clear once you read his soul surviving story.

Page 12 - Issue 92 You were born in Brooklyn in 1959 and your Father Davis and Wynton Kelly who is my Father’s cousin is an played the piano and the organ. Is it correct that your incredible jazz musician. They would all entertain each Grandfather was a minister of an unorthodox African other so music was nothing special to me as it was just church and was quite close with the revered black, what my family did. When I was ten years old I heard Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey and that your name The Jackson Five and that blew my mind because they came from that influence? were my age and looked exactly like me and their music was incredible. From that point on I decided I wanted to That is true. My do something like that as I didn’t know you could be a Grandfather was professional musician. So in middle school during year from Barbados and eleven and twelve I got together with a couple of other Trinidad eventually kids and we’d try to be like The Jackson Five in a singing emigrating to group but the guys couldn’t figure out how to harmonise. Brooklyn. He became So I advised them who should sing what part and where an associate of Mr and they thought I was a genius. Eventually I switched Garvey. They must to playing the bass because it was way more crucial to have been close enough as their relationship inspired my the soul music I was into. I graduated to liking Sly & The Grandfather to name my Father William Henry Marcus Family Stone and The Jackson Five were also big fans of Miller and I Marcus Jnr. My Dad was called Bill but my theirs. Once you’re into Sly then you start checking out parents didn’t want to call me Bill Jnr so they named me Isaac Hayes, Kool & The Gang, War and Mandrill. When Marcus and that’s the story. Marcus Garvey started a you’re playing bass you start checking out Larry Graham black West Indian version of the Orthodox Church, which who I didn’t really notice when he was with Sly apart was the African and Caribbean version of the Orthodox from ‘Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself’. When Larry Church. My Grandfather was a bishop in that church with left Sly & The Family Stone and started putting the bass a congregation in Brooklyn and that’s where I grew up. out front of his Graham Central Station group, we were asking each other ‘What is that?’ At what age did you realise you had the talent to play music? Can I ask you Fitzroy were you listening to Sly and Larry Graham growing up in London? My Dad played piano in our apartment in Brooklyn and eventually he gave me a few informal lessons. In Yes, but more in my teen years, as we grew up pre teen school I played a wind instrument (the recorder) because in late 1960s to mid 1970s. We would hear a mixture of they forced us to. The next year we moved to Jamaica pop, glam rock funk and soul. Like you said about seeing Queens and I picked up on the clarinet at school and The Jackson Five as examples then the saxophone. I’d pick of your own black imagery, I up and be able to play these certainly experienced that too. instruments faster than the However in my early teens I had other fifth grade students graduated to totally embracing because I was around music all jazz, funk and soul. the time. After church services my Grandfather and the whole My first 45 rpm record that I family, including his four Sisters bought with my own little 50 and a Brother would go down cents was James Brown ‘Say It to the basement and play, as Loud I’m Black And I’m Proud’. they were all musicians. Wynton I grew up in Brooklyn in an all Kelly used to play with Miles black neighbourhood and after

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk two years my parents There you go. Kool & The Gang were a jazz band and moved us to an area they did a gig and saw Willie Fiesta tearing it up and called Sheepshead near decided they had to step their game up. (Fitzroy: “That Coney Island, which is on is exactly what Ronald Bell said to me.”) So the guys the other side of Brooklyn. I met through Omar had played originally with Willie This was a Jewish and Fiesta and at fifteen years old I thought I’ve got to plug Italian neighbourhood. into that. Like I said we made demos and although we I grew up between the came close to it we never put out or made any records, ages of two and ten as a minority. This was during the but for me it was a great experience. Ronny Miller, who 1960s and there was an uncomfortable feeling all the is no relation to me (but we decided we are cousins) was time growing up. When James Brown came out with the guitar player in our band and he was a go-getter. that record which featured actual kids singing on it with Denzil Miller was the keyboardist (again no relation but James singing “Say It Loud” and the kids responding we decided to become cousins). Ronny would call an “I’m black and I’m proud”, as a seven year old kid I had artist and tell them that he wanted to audition for them to get that record because the message was so powerful and that is how he got the gig with Bobbi Humphrey. She and uplifting. A couple of years later I saw Michael needed a bass player, so at seventeen years old I left the Jackson in 1969 so those years were really important group Harlem River Drive and ended up playing the song to me. ‘Harlem River Drive’ with Bobbi Humphrey. (Fitzroy: “Wow.”) It was a very nice experience. Ronny also got a How did you, meeting up with drummer Omar Hakim and gig with Lonnie Liston Smith by doing the same thing as featuring in a band called Harlem River Drive, translate he did to gain an audition with Bobbi Humphrey. Ronny into you eventually working with Bobbi Humphrey the invited Lonnie Liston Smith to Jamaica Queens and flautist who had actually recorded a song called ‘Harlem introduced him to the whole community of musicians. River Drive’? Lonnie came to a basement jam and asked where all the musicians had come from and then he asked if anybody Omar and I are from the same neighbourhood but had a tune that everyone could jam on. I said, “I’ve got actually met in Manhattan High School where we were a tune”. I was very familiar with Lonnie Liston Smith’s both accepted into Music and Art school. We realised style and we started jamming. Lonnie then said, “If you that we took the same train to school. When I heard have got anymore tunes let me know.” I went home and him play I thought he was incredible and he invited me started writing some tunes and to join his band called Harlem ‘Journey Into Love’ was the River Drive. We made a lot of first one I wrote for him. We demos and I learned a lot from did three albums together. them as they were older than me but we were part of the funk That was ‘Loveland’, ‘Exotic history within the Queens area Mysteries’ and ‘Song For with artists like Willie Fiesta & The Children’. Now ‘Space The Mighty Men. I’m not sure if Princess’ was and still is a you’ve heard of them? massive tune for us over here. What inspired you to Oh yes, I have. Ronald Bell of Kool write that song? & the Gang and Larry Blackmon of Cameo spoke very highly of We did ‘Journey Into Love’ that outfit. at the time when disco was big and all the rock

Page 14 - Issue 92 players hated disco but for the black musicians disco asked me to produce his albums. I felt very connected was a different version of funk. MFSB were featured to Lonnie as he gave me a platform and by that time on Soul Train and you could literally hear disco being Donald was back working with his Brother Lonnie. We invented on the ‘TSOP’ theme tune. It starts one way did ‘A Lonely Way To Be’ and ‘Never Too Late’ for the then half way through the groove the drummer starts ‘Dreams Of Tomorrow’ album. to open up the high hat. So it was cool for me to be You mentioned earlier working with Roberta Flack at the able to play on every beat time when Luther was singing background vocals for her and it was syncopated. and that you had a conversation where Luther stated he ‘Space Princess’ helped wanted to do a solo album. You questioned him if that Lonnie to make an impact was a good move because he was the most in demand in the clubs. I was also soul session singer. Subsequently that happened and you working with Lenny White made some incredible music with Luther so how do you who had an album called ‘Venusian Summer’. The front recall that experience? cover artwork depicts a woman from Venus and that image stuck with me. Lonnie’s producer Bert told me Luther and I were both in demand session musicians. that the song ‘Space Princess’ had something special Luther was in huge demand as a singer and he also about it and I remember him arranging the strings on arranged background vocals. If you were a producer it with the background singers and it was cool. It wasn’t you would call Luther to arrange background groups a hit in the USA and it wasn’t until I came to the UK and vocals. Luther was singing on commercials for and was speaking with Robbie Vincent, who asked me MacDonalds, Burger King, Budwiser Beers and Ford about ‘Space Princess’ that I realised how much the song trucks and getting paid royalties. Luther would do the was revered in the UK. Earlier this year I played ‘Space commercials in a morning session then he’d sing for Princess’ as I hadn’t listened to it in twenty years and I various projects for the rest of the day and he was doing thought wow this is good. very well out of that. We would bump into each other in studios and in corridors often and he recommended As deejays we love playing it and as dancers we love me to Roberta Flack to moving to it too. play bass for her. We became buddies and he How did you find the transition whilst working with taught me about singers Lonnie when Donald Smith left and was replaced by as I concentrated mostly James ‘Crab’ Robinson on the vocals? on musicians because in my world the musicians Whilst recording with Lonnie, I was touring with Lenny did all the real hard work. White and his fusion band. Around 1977 I took a month Luther sat me down and showed me the values of Donny off from Lenny to work with Norman Connors and ‘Crab’ Hathaway, Dionne Warwick and other singers because he was also working and touring with Norman Connors at was really serious about their craft. Luther used Roberta’s that time. (Fitzroy: “Ok, James sang ‘Stella’ on the ‘This band to do the four song demos that ended up on the Is Your Life’ album.”) James was the go to guy for jazz debut ‘Never Too Much’ album and it became an instant funk musicians. It wasn’t a surprise to me when ‘Crab’ hit. It was crazy though because before that he could not came on board but Donald had contributed something get a record deal when he went to all the companies with really special with his voice. If you are a fan of Lonnie’s the four demos. They liked his voice but didn’t feel that from ‘Expansions’ you’d have been a little disappointed. he had a gimmick like other big band acts like Lakeside, When I came back to Lonnie after working with Luther, Cameo and Slave. They doubted the concept of having Roberta Flack and David Sanborn in the early 1980s he just one guy singing would have any commercial appeal.

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk After a year he finally would jam. There was a club called Gerald's where we got a deal with the would play six sets, forty minutes on and twenty minutes legendary A&R man off and we would sit around and talk about music day Larkin Arnold who and night. It was a very close community and we were signed Luther to Epic very serious about music. We would play straight ahead Records. When the jazz similar to what John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock album came out I would play in the 1960s as and when it was required and was working with we’d also play funk, so we couldn’t play just one style Miles Davis and we without the other. Tom Browne was an incredible straight went to Japan to do ahead jazz player in those ‘Jamaica Funk’ days and he some gigs. Upon my would sit in with Woody Shaw and tear it up. Tom was the return from Japan truth and he also had that funk in him. Donald Blackmon and arriving back in the USA I was driving was a really strong voice and Weldon was like a senior back via LA and I turned on the radio to hear ‘Never Too mentor. Weldon would make us sit in his Chevy Nova car Much’ playing all day long. It was incredible to see my in the wintertime after a gig at three in the morning and buddy become an over night sensation even though he, play us the recordings of our sets, and make us explain at twenty-nine, had been singing for over ten years, it why we played what we played. He’s ask “Why did you was beautiful. Then Clive Davis rang Luther and said, all change the groove at that point as you had a good “I heard you are a big Aretha Franklin fan, how would groove going and you just decided to change it for no you like to produce her?” Luther rang me and said he good reason? Were you all bored as you just messed up wanted to make some up tempo tracks for Aretha so I the whole song?” We’d be sitting in the back seat with wrote him a track with no vocals and he wrote the lyrics our heads down but he was that kind of cat. We’d all and that was ‘Jump To It’, which became a huge hit for encourage each other when we wrote music together. Aretha and it was the beginning of mine and Luther’s Bernard Wright was very much a part of that. We got song writing partnership. We ended up working with wind of hearing that George Benson had a venue called Cheryl Lynn, Dionne Warwick and Gregory Hines. ‘The Breezin’ Lounge’ and we started driving down to Harlem to play at this tiny bar. Dave Grusin and Larry Yes, a lot of tick boxes, I’m just going to jump back. Rosen who owned GRP Records got wind of the venue Your career is interesting because you have a side of and drove down to check it out and heard Tom Browne you where you have perfected the sound with Luther as and decided to sign him up. When Tom arrived with his exampled on Aretha ‘Love Me Right’ and ‘Get it Right’ band to record in the studio none of the musicians were and then there’s the jazz funk period when you were older than seventeen. Bernard was fourteen or fifteen working with the ‘Jamaica Funk’ collective. We are and Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen were shocked seeing talking Tom Browne, Lesette Wilson, Bernard Wright, these young kids. They signed Bernard Wright and when Weldon Irvine and Don Blackmon too. Give us an insight he came into the studio he brought in Donald Blackmon to that creative hybrid. who was around twenty two and much older than Bernard. They heard Donald play on ‘Haboglotribin’ and Well the Jamaica Queens thing was happening where I lived and that was within a two-block radius of all the musicians. I went to the music school in Manhattan with Omar Hakim but Omar introduced me to the bigger music community in Jamaica Queens and that is when I met Tom Browne, Bernard Wright, Donald Blackmon, Ronny Miller, Alvin ‘Weeky' Flight and all the cats. There were three to four clubs in Jamaica Queens where we

Page 16 - Issue 92 then they signed him for that incredible Don Blackmon The other track that impressed me on that album that album. Credit to Larry Rosen and Dave Grusin for featured you was ‘Flying Colours’. recognising the talent of the Jamaica Queens musicians. When we record them sometimes the tracks don’t have Excellent. Mentioning Dave Grusin you played on his names yet so I can’t say if I remember it. (Fitzroy: “I ‘Mountain Dance’ album and one of my favourite tracks can play it to you as I have the album here.” Marcus that you feature on is ‘Rag Bag’. upon hearing it said “Yeah I remember this.” (Fitzroy: “Marcus you have got skills man, you have got skills.) Oh yeah. I met Dave Grusin when I was working on the (Marcus laughs.) Tom Browne ‘Love Approach’ album sessions. I asked him to give me a call for any future sessions and he started In my youth I used to jazz dance (Marcus: “Really?”) calling me. ‘Mountain Dance’ was a big project and he and ‘Bullet Train’ and ‘Flying Colours’ were great to also used me on Dave Valentine’s album. Dave Grusin dance to. There was another track that took me years to was also connected with some of the LA community find as I only had it on tape from 1981 and had no idea with musicians like guitarist Lee Ritenour and drummer who the artist was and subsequently I lost the tape. In Harvey Mason on the West Coast. I got to meet Harvey the early 1990s I randomly picked up an album I’d never Mason on the ‘Mountain Dance’ album and he, as far seen before from a record stall outside the Jazz Cafe and as I am concerned is a jazz funk legend having worked he said I could listen to it. I could not believe it was the on Herbie’s ‘Head Hunters’ album. Harvey was so cool, track that had previously eluded me and it was Shunzo after the ‘Mountain Dance’ session he took me out to Ohno ‘Anteres’ (Marcus: “Wow, wow that I imagine is dinner for an Indian meal. He told me I was going to not that easy to find!”) and again when I checked the go a long way and to save my money and offered other credits you were the bass player. You also played on his fatherly mentor advice like that. That ‘Jamaica Funk’ ‘Quarter Moon’ album. thing opened up a few doors for me. Dave and Larry had just started the label. Yes Shunzo was the trumpet player in that Norman Connors band I mentioned earlier. I’ll tell you when I first noticed your name on an album, it was in 1981. You mentioned Robbie Vincent earlier and How did you find that period in the jazz funk and fusion I used to listen to his show religiously on a Saturday, when you worked with Mike Mainieri and Shunzo as it eleven thirty until two pm. One week Robbie played a had evolved from your earlier Lonnie Liston Smith days? track by Mike Mainieri called ‘Bullet Train’ and I lost my mind because I was intrigued by the song’s bass It was a really creative period as in the 1960s everything lines, so much so I had to buy the album ‘Wanderlust’. got torn down and challenged and being creative was the When I looked on the credits it said Marcus Miller. new thing. That continued in my opinion in the 1970s to Now, even though unknowingly, I had heard tracks the middle of the 1980s when experimentation started with you featured on it, I was just getting into buying to shut down. On the jazz side you start to see a lot of albums graduating from buying 12-inch records. Do you young musicians wearing suits and playing jazz in the remember working on the ‘Wanderlust’ album? style of 1965 but in 1984. We were doing local New York gigs in the late 1970s with no rehearsal and we just had I absolutely do. I remember Kazumi Watanabe a to make it happen and the club audience was packed. Japanese guitarist was touring and looking for an There was that spontaneity of Jaco Pastorius turning American band and Mike Mainieri put the band together up at a gig and I’d be playing and he would just plug and Mike needed a drummer and I recommended Omar. himself into my amp and turn all the dials up and just We went to Japan and had a great time and Mike started start playing and we had to make it work. It was a hell to use me for his projects and ‘Wanderlust’ was one of of an environment and very experimental. them. thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk Ok I loved how versatile you can be from the ‘Jamaica From 1977 to 1980 I worked with Lonnie Liston Smith Funk’ style, then you play with Lonnie Liston Smith, and Tom Browne as well as doing the evening gigs and Michael Urbanek and his wife Urszula Dudziak, Lenny Miles decided he would come out of retirement in 1981. White and then you end up playing with Miles Davis Miles’ saxophonist Bill Evans was putting Miles’ band on the ‘Man With The Horn’ album in 1981. (Marcus: together and was looking for a funky bass player and “Oh right as it’s all from the same period.”) I was I was recommended as the young fiery cat in town. disappointed that you didn’t play bass on ‘Shout’ but I Miles Davis called me on the same day and asked me was really happy that you played bass on ‘Aida’ and Fat if I could come and do a session at seven o'clock and I Time’ I was really, really happy. (Marcus laughs.) said “Yeah I’ll be there.” I was already doing a session in New York and you literally can walk from one studio As I was saying when I was coming up in Jamaica Queens to another. I waited and Miles Davis walked through the and New York City it was important to be versatile and door and we recorded those ‘Man With The Horn’ tracks play all the styles. I played with a drummer called Kenny in three days and he asked me to be in his band. He Washington who was a dedicated straight ahead player had been in retirement for around six years and people from Staten Island. We met at high school and I used to claimed that they saw him but I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t hang out with him at the weekends and go through his sure if all this was really happening until I saw him in jazz collection. It was really important to have enough in the studio right in front of me playing the trumpet, it your toolbox so that you can play with different artists was incredible. I was in the band for almost two years and that is what I prided myself on. When I became and the other projects with Luther and David Sanborn my own artist the trick was for me to develop a specific were pulling on me and with degrees of success. So I Marcus Miller the artist sound for when I made my own told Miles I wanted to leave the band to focus more on records and still be able to enjoy the work that I did writing and producing and Miles gave me his blessing. A outside of that. couple of years went by and I was heavy into producing Luther and David Sanborn and then Tommy Le Puma of How did you manage to get the attention of Miles Davis, Warner Brothers A&R called me to tell me they had just whose ‘Man With The Horn’ album and later his ‘Tutu’ signed Miles Davis from Columbia Records. I asked what project you worked alongside? was he looking to do and Tommy said Miles wanted to do something different and he sent me a track that George

Page 18 - Issue 92 Duke had written that had drum machines, synch lab, laugh). I remember when I met the lady who became synthesisers and the modern sounds of the time. I said my wife on a plane from Boston to New York and I told if Miles wants to go this way then I can work with that her what I did playing with Aretha, Luther and Miles and I wrote ‘’Tutu’ and another song. So Tommy flew me Davis and she later told me she didn’t believe a word I out to California to Capital Studios and when I asked, said. She said you are twenty-two but you look around “Where is the band?” Tommy said “I want you to create fourteen. However in retrospect listening to you run off that sound exactly like how it is on the demo as Miles that list I think yeah I had achieved a lot by the age is gonna love it.” I called the rental company and got of twenty-two. I was just rolling with the punches and all the instruments made the tracks and Miles came in enjoying the moment. The other days I looked at some three days later and he was proud to see that I had records and I’m featured on George Benson, Grover put this music together for him. He told me to call him Washington, McCoy Tyner and Chaka Khan recordings when I needed him so I called a few days later and that and all of them were my idols. When I was living in furthered my relationship with Miles from touring on the Queens I got a call from Paul Jeffery and he asked, road with him to just being one on one with him in the “Marcus where are you?” I said, “I’m at home in Queens studio and it was incredible. why?” He said, “Anthony Jackson is supposed to be on this Chaka Khan session and nobody can find him, how By the time you were twenty two you had worked with soon can you get here?” I said, “I’ll be there in fifteen Lonnie Liston Smith, the Jamaica Queens crew, Roberta minutes.” Now there is no way you can get from Queens Flack, Lenny White, Bobbi Humphrey, Ralph McDonald, to Atlantic Studios in that time but I thought I’m not Grover Washington, Miles Davis and all the other afore telling Paul that. I jumped in my car and broke all kinds mentioned artists. Did you ever take stock of what you of laws to get in the studio and everybody was waiting. I had achieved in ticking all of this boxes? plugged my bass into the amp and I played on the titled album track ‘Naughty’. That is the kind of life it was. We First of all it was New York City and so many things had answering services as there were no cell phones in happened at the same time so there was no time for 1980. All the musicians would register to a service called reflection. Secondly having started playing at fifteen Musician’s Register. You would call at night and ask I already felt like I was a veteran (Marcus and I both what do you have for me. Then you’d hear something

Indie soul artists, nu soul, nu jazz, soulful house and guest interviews.

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk like “Arif Martin needs you at four PM pick me up and I always had my bass at Atlantic Studios and Roberta Flack is with me. One day he asked me to play for wondering if you can make it at seven about forty seconds and I became a hero o’clock". Then you would say what you in the local neighbourhood and I was only could and couldn’t make and most of the sixteen years old. time you didn’t know what artists you’d be working for, as it was the producers of the On that ‘Big City’ album bassists EWF’s acts. It could be The Spinners or Stephanie Verdine White and Paul Jackson (Head Mills so everything was just flying. Hunters) performed on that album did you get to witness them? Which George Benson albums did you work on? No but I was in good company on that album. I ran into Paul Jackson on the road in the early days and we I played on the ’20/20’ album. I played live with George became fiends. He moved to Japan so when I played and Omar Hakim and after he played a solo it was like at The Bluenote club in Japan he would come and we’d how do you follow him after doing such a dynamic solo hang out. and he was one of my heroes coming up. He could play straight ahead and he had that commercial sense having I guess you felt the loss when Paul sadly passed away hits and he is very inspirational. earlier this year?

You had a solo album ‘Suddenly’ which a UK artist Yeah it is very difficult as we are losing people from the Lemar sampled ‘Much Too Much’ for his track ’50/50’ incredible creative generation. Nobody played the bass and you did your own version of ‘Loving You Is Such like Paul Jackson. An Easy Thing’ which Roberta Flack sang on the Richard Pryor ‘Bustin Loose ‘ soundtrack. How long did you work with the Saturday Night Live Band for the TV comedy series and mixing with Eddie Yes and Jay Z and Mary J Blige sampled ‘ Much Too Murphy, Steve Martin and Robin Williams? Much’ for ‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’ and it was sampled by other acts too. It was awesome man and Buddy Williams the drummer I met in Bobbi Humphrey’s band said we have to go Apart from the ‘Bustin’’ Loose’ soundtrack you wrote and audition for the Saturday Night Live Band, this was ‘The Butt’ for Spike Lee’s ‘School Dayz’ film. around 1979/1980 just after John Belushi died and he was a huge part of Saturday Night Live. The first year Yes that was a big phenomenon and it went nuts in the was cool but the atmosphere quite low because of John’s USA. Go Go had been a style that was big in Washington death. I met saxophonist David Sanborn in the band and and EU was a group that championed that sound after then Dave asked me to come and go on the road with Chuck Brown and it took off massively. him during the week as we worked weekends. The next year Eddie Murphy showed up and I saw Eddie’s career Your first recording was with Lenny White playing on start when he was a rookie warming up the audience. ‘Egypt’ right? His first joke was when he’d say, “Everybody put your fist up like this.” everybody raised their fists in the air At the time I was literally attached to Lenny White’s hip. not knowing what was coming next, then Eddie would He’d just done ‘Return To Forever’ with Chick Corea and say “Everybody repeat after me… Black Power” and had worked with Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius who everybody puled their fist down. (Fitzroy laughs) You were both my heroes. So when he had a session he’d just knew you were witnessing genius. I left there to play with Miles Davis. Page 20 - Issue 92 an ‘Artist of peace’ award. Unesco is the cultural arm of the UN and I met the people there. The year after I was doing a gig in Senegal with my band and the day before the promoter took us on a guided boat tour to the island of Goree. We did a tour of the slave house where they would stock pile the captured slaves before they sent them into slavery across the Atlantic. It was very emotional if you happen to be Africa American. I wrote a song called ‘Goree’ on the ‘Afrodeezia’ album and we performed it in Paris and there were members of Unesco in the audience. The director of Unesco came back stage afterwards and told me that she wasn’t going to ask me to be a part of the Unesco movement she was telling me that I had to be part of it for their slave group project to raise awareness of what happened in the slave trade. The lady said that I’d be surprised at how the younger generation have no concept of what Photo Credit: Ingrid Hertfelder happened. I said I would and I decided to express this on the ‘Afrodeezia’ album. I basically followed the slave How was it working with female bassist Meshell trade path of West Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Mali, Ndegeocello on the song ‘Rush Hour’ for the ‘Love Jones’ Burkina, Senegal and collaborated with musicians from film soundtrack? there South America like Brazil and the Caribbean and New Orleans musicians too and ended up in Detroit also. It was great, as I had been listening to her music. We actually met in a grocery store in LA when a guy What have you been occupying yourself with during the introduced us. I really loved what she did and I was pandemic lockdown? working on an album called ‘Tails’ and I came up with this track, so I asked Meshell to write some vocals to the I’ve been writing music for films and making plans and track. I sent it to her and she wrote what you hear and I’ll probably have some new music in a few months. it was incredible. She brought a Clavinet to the studio and the Clavinet solo in the middle of the song that is Thanks for speaking with me Marcus, I appreciate your Meshell. The song then got picked up to be included in time. the sound track of ‘Love Jones’. Thanks, Fitzroy. You did an album called ‘Afrodeezia’ which intrigued me because of the ethos behind it with all these different genres of music and musicians from around the world like Mali, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Senegal, Trinidad and other Caribbean areas. Why was it so important to do such a cultural album?

I was touring with Herbie Hancock. We were doing a tribute to Miles Davis as it was twenty years since Miles had passed in 2011. At the end of the tour Herbie invited Photo Credit: Christian Norstorm me to Paris as he was to be honoured by Unesco for Thanks to Bernard Dulau for arranging the Marcus Miller interview thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk Record Reviews Welcome to a real mixed bag of musical genres. Check out a 1970s jazz label package from BBE, some 7-inch vinyl goodies from Dynamite Cuts, a book review, some live UK funk and jazz and some conscious soul from the USA and the UK. Read and enjoy.

Dynamite Cut’s Steve Parks ‘Movin’ In The Right Direction’ F.B.I. ‘Talkin’ Bout Love’ EP & Roy Ayers’ ‘Everybody Love The Sunshine’

Malachi Trout has struck gold releasing previously unavailable or not so available 7-inch releases of in demand jazz, funk and soul gems that had a rebirth during the mid 1980s underground club circuit here in the UK. Steve Parks with his sweet Smokey Robinson esque falsetto voice made a huge impact when ‘Movin’ In The Right Direction’ was unleashed to the unsuspected soul loving audience. Sampled by The Young Disciples and Nomad in the early 1990s there is an edited 7-inch on Discogs that has fetched £200, however in its original length with a very catchy ‘Just Ask Me’ on the flip it is now available via Dynamite Cuts on blue 7-inch vinyl. Let’s hope there’s a follow up single with ‘Everything's Gonna Be OK’ to follow. It’s a must have 7-inch. Available June 15th for Record Store Day 2021 F.B.I. ‘F.B.I’, ‘Talkin’ Bout Love’, ‘Bad Deal’ ‘Love Love Love’ Available June 28th 2021

Not sure how many know how significant the history of Root Jackson is secreted in ‘Black British’ music but he is one of the founding fathers of that movement. Once part of a duo in the 1960s, Root fronted the band F.B.I. whose self-titled album, recorded in 1976, on Good Earth Records became a collectors item in the early 1990s, hence its re release on Root’s Kongo dance label. The big track was ‘Talkin' Bout Love’ a Latin soul and funk fusion menagerie sung with the intertwining vocals of Root Jackson and Bonnie Wilkinson. As B-Side of the first 7-inch it gets an official first release and sounds wonderful with its roller coaster twists and turns. Side A’s ‘F.B.I.’ is incredibly funky featuring Root’s almost Isaac Hayes toned vocals supported by some harmonious BV’s and a tight band ensemble. The second 7-inch of this four track E.P. features another very funky ‘ Bad Deal’ and a very respectful, funky cover of Donny Hathaway’s ‘Love Love Love’.

Available now from May 24th 2021 Roy Ayer’s ‘Everybody Love The Sunshine’ gets a release with the original album artwork and inner sleeve with artists photos and instruments played. Although the Ramp version was released back in the 1970s as a 7-inch, this track never was and is now available at an affordable price, unlike the later and expensive 2016 Japanese 7-inch release. Perfect as an anthem for the summer worldwide this is glorious to have on a 7-inch with an incredible B-side, perfect for those who love great drum breaks. ‘From the album there were so many other incredible tracks to choose but Malachi has done well to settle for the funky ‘Lonesome Cowboys’ and its Eddie Bo’ Hook & Sling’ esque drum break. An essential for the 7-inch crate diggers!

Page 22 - Issue 92 Sounds Of Blackness ‘Time For Reparation’

Never shy in speaking about the on going plight of the African Diaspora struggle, Sounds Of Record Reviews Blackness have been speaking and singing out about racism and discrimination in the not so united state of Minnesota since the 1970s, almost fifty years before the advent of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. This song is so powerful lyrically, spiritually and sonically that it pulls no punches in delivering the message of reparation for those who have suffered at the hands of the African slavery trade. It’s made to commemorate Juneteenth day in the USA (19th June) known as Freedom, Emancipation and Liberation Day as the official day that slavery was abolished in 1865. Sounds Of Blackness deliver a very powerful and much needed message in their typical soul surviving musical fashion.

Beggar & Co Final (Expansion)

Going back to their roots and taking a break from the BFA, Baps, Breeze and Kenny Wellington revisit some off their old Beggar & Co catalogue and give them a millennium twist. The album starts off with a pulsating new mix of The Fatback Band’s classic ‘Goin’ Home To See My Baby’ remix with an extra influence of Fatback’s ‘Spanish Hustle’ keys. This is followed by a fresh re-master of ‘Niija’ from their ‘Legacy’ album. Paying homage to one of their inspirations they tighten up with a fresh mix of Kool & The Gang’s classic ‘Open Sesame’. There is a healthy array of re-masters and 2021 versions excursions from the 2012 ‘Sleeping Giants’ album as follows: ‘Say What’s On Your Mind’, ‘Sleeping Giants’, ’Summer Is Here’, ‘Victoria Park’, ‘Whilst The City’ Sleeps’ and ‘Yesterday’s Gone’’. Listening nine years on these tracks from that album do still sound amazingly refreshing with the musicianship between the players. As Beggar & Co they have done a version of their original founding precursor group LOTW’s ‘Time’ which, has more of a noticeable hi hat swing. BFA bassist Ernie McKone has totally transformed ‘Somebody Help Me Out’ with some very live instrumentation Boogie Back Mix and extended mix. Check out the advert. Get On Board The Soul Train Philadelphia box set (Snappy Music)

This is an official fiftieth anniversary celebratory box set commemorating Philadelphia’s answer to the success of Motown namely Philadelphia International Records. It really is an impressive package that includes the first eight albums released on the label between 1971-1973 in CD format with a bonus 12-inch vinyl single of the classic ‘Back Stabbers’ performed by The O’Jays and the PIR house band MFSB. The first of three albums featuring the spiritual singing prophet Billy Paul ‘East’ hosts the wonderfully stringed ‘East’, his cover of Les McCann’s ‘Compared To What’ and ‘This Is Your Life’. CD two introduces the world to the powerful raspy voiced Teddy Pendergrass of Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes on their debut ‘I Miss You’ with the spine tingling ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’. CD three is the classic O’Jay’s ‘Back Stabbers’ that features the universal anthem ‘Love Train’ and the salaciously smooth ‘Time To Get Down’. CD four is Billy Paul’s ‘360 Degrees Of Billy Paul’. This really showcases Billy’s versatility on the black conscious ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ and ‘Brown Baby’ titles, two amazing alternative covers of Al Green’s ‘Lets Stay Together’ and Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ and the immortal love dilemma ballad ‘Me & Mrs Jones’. Enclosed is a beautifully laid out forty-eight paged book with the forward and introductory notes written respectively by Ralph Tee and Tony Cummins. With black and white photographs and album artwork, you also get an insight into the history of PIR owners Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and the featured album artists and breakdown of the albums. CD number five is probably the most unusual project. Dick Jensen was an anomaly for two reasons, firstly he wasn’t black and came from Hawaii, secondly he had more of a cabaret circuit performance background and singing style. With Gamble and Huff’s Philly production they managed to get Dick sounding funky on ‘Fat Mama’ and soulful on the ‘New York City’s A Lonely Town’ ballad. CD six introduces The Intruders ‘Save The Children’ album. Aside from the cover of Paul Simon’s ‘Mother And Child Reunion’ there’s a very emotive version of Gil Scott Heron’s ‘Save The Children’. The main anthem from that album is the ode to mothers ‘I’ll Always Love My Mama’. The house band and its accomplished musicians are showcased brilliantly under the guise of (Mother Father Brother Sister) better known as MFSB as the seventh release as a self-titled debut album. It champions the most sublime disco orchestrated jazz, funk and soul covers of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Freddie's Dead’, ‘Sly Stone’s ‘Family Affair, The O’Jays ‘Back Stabbers and a very lush ‘Poinciana’. Lastly CD eight finishes with Billy Paul’s third inclusion ‘Ebony Woman’. With uniqueness Billy’s enchanting voice serenades ‘Ebony Woman’ and covers in a jazz vein ‘Mrs Robinson’ and ‘Everyday People’ and gets funky on both ‘Psychedelic Sally’ and unrecognisably Ike & Tina’s ‘Proud Mary’. This truly is a wonderful collectors item. This is one for the collectors. Soul II Soul Back II Life House Mixes

On the back end of the Soul II Soul ‘The Making Of The Club Classics Album Documentary’ being aired on Sky Arts last month, Jazzie B releases four house mixes of the classic ‘Back II Life’ single from thirty plus years back. The mixes commissioned to deejays Fen, Booker T and Dean Zepherin tick the boxes for the UKG, House and Afro Latin genres strictly for both the radio and most certainly coming out of lock down, the dance floor. Deejay Fen’s Stripper and Dub mixes flip between two step and the four floor production with the familiar repetitive rhode stabs and skippy rhythms showcased during the height of the UKG movement in the mid to late 1990s. Booker T goes for a more subtle soulful four floor production using the ad-libs and vocals sparingly making this mix very deejay friendly. The more experimental mix comes courtesy of Dean Zepherin who fuses both an Afro and Latin percussive rhythm formula with some live trumpet which gives this more of a tribal synergy via the reverb vocals and ad-libs which definitely take you on a spiritual journey. Out June 4th this is available on many digital platforms. Page 24 - Issue 92 Kenny Wellington - ‘Lock It Down’ (Expansion)

Lockdown has given one of the UK’s finest trumpeters Kenny Wellington time to put out another solo album outside his BFA commitments. With the help from some of his BFA friends and musicians Kenny brings us out of ‘iSOULation’ with some scintillating sonics to soothe the soul. The album includes the five track EP ‘released last year ‘Lock It Down’, ‘Times Don’t Wait (Let’s Go Right Now)’, ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’, ‘The Thing About You’ and ‘Heading Home’. The drums and are replaced by Billy Osborne as are the guitar licks by Paul Mclean and Breeze. The rest of the line up includes Toby Baker on Keyboards and guitar, Ernie McKone on bass (replaces original bass on ‘Time Don’t Wait’, and ‘Where Do We Go’,) and David Baptiste plays Soprano and tenor sax on ‘Bahia’. Opening up with an incredible revamp of Bahia featuring Innocence (‘Remember The Day’), Paul McLean, Baps and Kenny Wellington on vocals, it truly is glorious. As newer tracks ‘In Focus’ features the muted horn of Kenny and an intriguing guitar solo from Paul Mclean and ‘Keepin’ It Real’ is a very cool piece of funk with a nice synth change and exceptional trumpet chops from Kenny. Lastly and slightly more up-tempo ‘Think As One’ and ‘Countdown’ complete the final ten of another great piece of UK slam dunk funk! Nat Turner Rebellion (Philly Groove Records/Chrysalis)

Back in 1970 a dispute within the camp prevented an impressive debut album from being released and up until now it has been one of Philadelphia’s best kept secrets. Inspired by the legacy of runaway slave and rebellion leader Nat Turner, members Joe Jefferson, his Brother Major Harris, Ron Harper, and Bill Spratley became the band Nat Turner Rebellion. Writing revolutionary, uplifting and socially conscious lyrics, the group’s music was raw, funky, soulful and at times psychedelic with a hint of rock flavours. Conscious and subconsciously don’t be surprised to hear early Sly & The Family Stone, Ike & Tina Turner and early Salty Peppers/ Earth Wind & Fire influences. The album musically is very diverse with ‘Fatback’, ‘Tribute To A Slave’, and ‘Getting High’ representing the funk elements. The vocal harmonies are very strong as exampled on the ballads ‘McBride’s Daughter’ and ‘Care’ and that psychedelic funk rock & soul can be heard in ‘Right On We’re Back’, ‘Love Peace Understanding’ and ‘Fruit Of The Land’. With a leading falsetto vocal you’ll hear the early EWF/Salty Peppers signature in a very soulful ‘Never Too Late’. The track most akin to what we associate with the sound of Philly is secreted in the beautiful ‘Ruby Lee’. If you’re a good train spotter you’ll hear a familiar riff used nine years later by First Choice in 1979 for ‘Double Cross’. It’s no coincidence that renowned Philly guitarist Norman Harris, cousin of Major Harris wrote both tracks. The group put out a couple of singles and Major Harris as the lead vocalist went on to become pat of The Delfonics in 1971 and in 1974 had a solo hit with ‘Love Don’t Make Me Wait’. The illusive Philly Groove Records album finally gets a CD and vinyl release on Chrysalis thankfully. Make sure you sample this piece of history.

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk Raul De Souza Generations Band Plentude PAO Records

Raul De Souza recorded four jazz-funk fusion albums between 1975-1979, two of them produced by the late George Duke (to whom he pays homage, as well as Wayne Shorter on this album). With a younger team of musicians, Christopher Schwizer, Alex Correa, Glauco Solter and Matheus Jardin, Raul revisits some of those classics with a millennium twist. The sixteen-tracked album is broken up into some interludes, slow and mid-tempo jams and up-tempo fast and furious fusion. The lesser tempo tracks like ’Funk Da Meninas’, the Wayne Shorter covered ‘Beauty And The Beast’, ‘Netinha Aura’ and ‘Passarim’ are quite ambient, opening a right of passage for various mind altering sonics to trigger the music sensors within ones psyche. Throughout the album the musicians exercise a sense of adventurous freedom within some of the compositions breathing spaces in spaces. With exception ‘Nana’ with its bossa and fusion interchanges is slightly more complex. Raul sounds as good as ever especially with his updated versions of ‘Sweet Lucy’ and an elongated ‘Daisy Mae’ both retaining the familiar hallmarks of the late George Dukes rhodes stabs. The album finishes off with an almost, made for a film soundtrack theme, cut ‘Plenitude’ and lastly borrowing influence from Airto Moreira’s ‘Celebration Suite’ and combining a mixture of jazz waltz melodies a broken down and built back up into a frenzy of Latin fusion madness, check out ‘’Tombo In 7/4’. This totally live instrumentation album will get a double Fonzie thumbs up from the purists. Great album from Raul De Souza! Chris Balling - What’s Going On? (Renegade Soul)

Probably like Carlsberg, one of the UK’s finest best kept secrets, as a male vocalist, is Chris Balling. He has worked with many artists as a background vocalist from Omar, Incognito to the late Luther Vandross and has released solo tracks and projects previously. Here he delivers a socially conscious titled ‘What’s Going On?’ a question we are all asking ourselves with the current state of affairs worldwide. Chris sings with that unique warmth and huskiness in his voice that only he can command. It’s a down-tempo groove with lyrics that will move the spirit, with great background vocal support and a fitting guitar solo in four minutes and nineteen seconds of home-grown BGT(Britain’s Got Talent). It is out as a download in June 2021, see the advert for more information.

Page 26 - Issue 92 The Crushed Velvet & The Velveteers ‘LOVE & TRUTH’ (Vintage League Music)

This is an interesting combination of musical influences that harnesses elements of southern soul Memphis, Chicago and Detroit sounds. So if Willie Mitchell, Curtis Mayfield, The Staple Singers and Stax spring to mind upon listening, then The Crushed Velvet & The Velveteers have captured the genie in this musical bottle. Multi-instrumentalist sound engineer and producer Alan Evans was previously a founding member and drummer of a funk, jazz band Soullive with his Brother Neal and friend Eric Krasno and has recorded many albums since 1999. Alan is no stranger to finding the right sonics, greatly achieved throughout this totally live instrumentation album. A mixture of classic sounding power ballads, a hint of Motown / Northern Soul fast and low down funk and various feature vocalists, this album welcomes your eagerly awaiting ears. With a funky break beat in the middle begging to be sampled ‘Really Can’t Get Over You’ featuring Yanick delivers an up-tempo Commitments style of soul with some significant horn arrangements. Featured on the first of two power ballads ‘You Are My Home’ the awesome bellowing voice of Kim Dawson sounds like a James Brown ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s World’s’ slow jam. Kim then get’s gritty on the first of two funk cuts the 7-inch single release ‘Good Thang’ retaining that Memphis soul sound with a prominent Hammond Organ within. The last ballad a more bluesier soul production features Saundra Williams surrounded by some nice melodic horns on ‘Every Second of the Day’. The second half of the album concentrates on some long standing conscious social commentating issues that are still yet to be addressed not only in the USA but also throughout the world. ‘As Far As We Know’ featuring Brother GoodLove evokes a peaceful Curtis Mayfield meets The Staple Singers vibe with soft horns and accompanying soft strings, with a message of equality and contributing to making the world better. Raising the tempo Brother GoodLove highlights that nothing has changed with the police brutality towards black people since the advent of Rodney King in 1992 to the current day via ‘We Are Not Ok’. Lyle Divinsky with a soft rasp in his voice sings about a seeing a change and seeking equality in a fat hip-hop snare drummed ‘Say Their Names Be The Change’, followed by the final lowdown and funky revolutionary pump ya fist in the air ‘Keep On Fightin’ delivered with impassioned excellence by Kim Dawson. A very impressive and versatile album, most certainly worth investigating. Soul In Print Iain McCartney (Newhaven Publishing)

Iain McCartney is the author of this comprehensively comprised book that chronologically features black music publications dating from 1963 to the present day. This involves some painstaking and in-depth research of an array of magazines and fanzines collated from the UK, USA, Canada, Finland, Japan, France and Spain and obtaining the front cover artwork, some professionally designed and some very amateurish. Sharon Davis, who has many years of experience working in soul music publications, writes the foreword. Iain wrote the introduction of this one hundred and eighty-four-paged encyclopaedia as his first venture in music journalism. It is influenced by his youthful teenage years when he attended Manchester’s ‘Twisted Wheel’, ‘The ‘Blackpool Mecca’ and Northern Soul’ club events in the 1970s. Some of the publications had short life spans and some with varying degrees of longevity. Some of them evolved out of appreciation societies created by enthusiastic black music fans. Indexed into six categories the book starts with The Sixties and introduces initially some of the first Rhythm And Blues publications like R&B Monthly and R&B Scene. These early publications would cover the transition of the rock & roll era to the R&B crossover. By 1965 we start to see the presence of the Motown influence with Dave Godin’s Hitsville USA and John Abbey’s Home Of The Blues. Both gentlemen became an integral cog in the future wheel of Blues & Soul Magazine which establishes its long term and on going status in 1969. Other future Blues & Soul journalists like David Nathan (who ran Nina Simone’s first fan club) and Sharon Davis (who ran the Four Tops fan page), author Tony Cummings of SOUL and Clive Richardson of Shout’s publication, were making their initial mark here in the UK during that 60s period. Entering the early 1970s Tony Cummings is a contributor to Black Wax Magazine and Black Music comes to rival the then leading soul music publication Blues & Soul and magazines are now more established becoming bigger, more like an A4 magazine rather than A5 fanzine size. By 1976 Black Echoes arrives and north of the UK there are publications like Northern Noise and Northern Line dedicated to the Northern Soul Scene. The 1980s saw magazines become glossier incorporating fashion and music such as The Face and in the 90s Soul CD, Manifesto and In The Basement become popular in their designated soul arenas. There are lots of interviews with owners, contributors and editors of the various magazines including one with myself speaking about The Soul Survivors Magazine, representing the millennium years (which I was humbled to be asked to be featured in). It does tend to be more of a ‘Northern Soul’ persuasion as some of the major London and South East publications are missing, but it’s impossible to include everything. Hopefully you’ll show some love and purchase this book as it does show the evolution of fan clubs and appreciation societies, letters and fanzines to the variety of magazine some of which are still currently publishing!

Page 28 - Issue 92 “Beresford and I were in the back of the car talking and she said, “Excuse me where are you guys from because you guys have got a funny accent?” So we said “We are from London.” She said, “What London, England UK?” We said “Yeah” and she said, “Get the fuck out of here there ain’t no black people in London.”

Hayden Browne aka AITCH Growing up in East London, Hayden Browne (aka Aitch) came from his local and humble sound system beginnings in the mid 1970s to become part of a sound system enterprise that would, in just over fifteen years, be known universally around the world. Aitch was one of the main, front line deejays of the Soul II Soul fraternity alongside Jazzie B and Q who with their style and fashion would coin the term the ‘Funki Dreds’. At a time when job opportunities for young blacks in the UK were seemingly bleak, Aitch inadvertently was able to ‘Get A Life’ and become an integral part of UK and world history. Read and enjoy. Fitzroy

Thanks to Aitch for supplying the images thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk always fascinating watching the needle automatically drop down on to the records one after another.

I guess I gained a bit of an affinity with music aged around eight years old and I remember just liking music full stop. My taste went a bit haywire because I was also listening to the radio chart stuff, which was quite wide and varied. At one point I was very much into David Bowie, Mark Bolan, Mott The Hoople, Slade, The Sweet and the whole pop thing. One of my favourite songs was Procol Harum’s ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’. Part of that randomness was due to us being the first black family on the street where we had moved to and up until I was about eleven years old all my friends were white English kids. I became immersed into their culture and at one point I was really into rock & roll thing with Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and dressing myself up in the whole drain pipe trousers, brothel creepers, luminous socks and the boot lace tie. I just went in, (Fitzroy starts laughing) as I didn’t know anything different. As far as I was concerned it was music and I liked the sound of it and I could dance to it. In those times everyone would watch ‘Top Of The Pops’ Tell us about growing up as a 1960s Windrush born child and that is what I was exposed to and didn’t really hear in the UK and your musical memories? reggae and soul in abundance until a bit later on.

My Father came to England from St Vincent in August So that’s all pre-teen and high school days so let’s talk 1960 and sent for my Mum who arrived Christmas 1960 about your high school years. and I was born in August 1961. So having emigrated to the UK like a lot of West Indian parents they came When I started going to secondary school it was the first with the hope of a better life. My early upbringing and year of the comprehensive system and the school I went memory was that it was so cold. Musically my parents to wasn't the school that I anticipated going to. I had to would have house parties in what seemed at the time go to a school called Trinity in Canning Town, which was a massive cellar. My Dad would kit it out, covering the renowned as a not being a friendly area for blacks. It walls and I remember the food, the standard curry was also around the time when there was rivalry with goat, sous and rice and it being cooked in the kitchen. another school called Eastleigh and sometimes it would We would be able to stay up late and mix amongst our kick off or if you were going to the bus stop you’d run peers. Originally my parents lived in Hackney just off into some racist white boys. It was then that I became Graham Road and then around 1964 my Dad bought acquainted with other black kids due to the influx of a house in Upton Park just up the road from West Ham black families that moved into my road and other roads Football club stadium in East London. From a music in the area and we were all travelling to school together. perspective I was listening to early reggae like the Trojan I remember a specific turning point that helped to define and ‘Tighten Up’ albums and tracks like ‘Young Gifted & me culturally. Up until I was twelve I was into the rock & Black. On a Sunday after church I would get a taste of roll thing and I remember coming back home from the the ‘holy grail’ in the front room when my Mum would youth club probably about 8-9PM when I got accosted by put a stack of records on the stereogram and that was some guy who gave me a bit of a hard time. He cussed

Page 30 - Issue 92 me out asking me why I was dressed like that and saying the USA and the reggae from Jamaica and as far as some that I was an 'eeediat' (idiot) and that I should celebrate people were concerned, never should the two meet. Then my culture. (Fitzroy laughs because he remembers how I find myself being influenced by and bridging between hard-core the elder generation were.) It psychologically the two music cultures which really were polar opposites. had a profound effect on me because I remember I felt like I would have to choose to be one or the other coming home and vowing that I would never wear those and there were very few that straddled the divide, so clothes again. I would go to a little soul thing or disco over here and then a blues dance over there. I guess when I really It was a blessing in disguise so where did you start got into the nuts and bolts of what I’m into now was going after you had been challenged about your cultural the first time I went to East Ham Town Hall and Froggy identity? was playing. I was amazed by the size of the place and the amount of people in there, the sound system and There were two youth centres that we would frequent seeing so many black people in one place at one time, one was the Hartley Centre and the other the Kensington it was quite a revelation. From that night two tunes that Youth Club. In the Kensington there was a guy called resonated with me were Brass construction’s ‘Movin’’ Prince who used to play a lot of the imported stuff from and The Blackbyrds ‘Rock Creek Park’. (Fitzroy: “So America. It was a bit of a wow moment for me and I slowly we are talking 1975.”) Yeah. I remember seeing people started to gravitate towards it doing dances like the bump, which and my musical tastes began to I found fascinating. Somehow I change to the virtue of the fact managed to scrape up the money of the company I was keeping. to buy those two albums and there At that time reggae music was my record collection started. In becoming more prominent amongst all of that was the weird because the Rastafarian culture scenario of knowing black people was coming through. I remember would be there, listening to black my Brother who is four years music and at the same time there older than me decided to turn was this feeling of the door polices into a Rastaman. It caused a knocking back black people from whole foray in the house and gaining entry. It was a case of my Dad was getting on at him sometimes taking turns to take one about it. My Brother threatened for the team by not getting in. It to leave the house if my Father was all part of the culture and that didn’t let his opposing opinion feeling of not being made to feel drop and my Dad decided to welcome in those environments stop hounding him. My Brother for whatever reason, albeit your was in a sound system called Jah Yoot and they were colour of being black or that black people didn’t spend quite prevalent at the time. So I started to get an affinity money at the bar, or that the white fellas didn’t like with reggae and the sound system culture. With my circle the fact we come up in there space looking nice and of friends we decided to start up a sound system too and dancing and making the girls feel excited. (Fitzroy: “Yep it became a right of passage. As a development I guess I said that in the Rodney P Jazz Funk documentary last it was similar to being in a gang. I was thirteen, this year.”) With that unwelcome feeling we started trying to would have been around 1973-74, when we started to create our own events doing little birthday parties and get speakers and pre amps and I was shifting more into christenings with the sound system .We started building the reggae side of things. During this period two musical speakers in my friend’s kitchen and one time we built cultures were developing in the UK, the soul music from one that was so big we couldn’t get it out of the kitchen.

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk (Fitzroy laughs) We had to dismantle it and still reshape as the one that broke down the barriers. Certain sound it. We were also running the gauntlet with our parents systems played his album because that shit was so good who felt we were wasting our time on this futile venture, in the day. If you didn’t play it then your sound system as it was not the future they envisaged for us. We were wasn’t saying anything. seen to be skylarking and gallivanting, which is not why they came to England. (Fitzroy: Yeah, I hear that.”) When did you start going into the West End of London?

Well in the midst of all of that around the age of fifteen we had started going to Crackers, Global Village and 100 Club. A typical Saturday would be to go to 100 Club at lunchtime, then in the evening we would go to Lacy Lady’s or Global Village and then occasionally afterwards we would go to a Blues dance. So there was this consistency of mixing up both the reggae and the soul scenes. I remember seeing dancers like Bassey and Norman Walker, Shakesy (Trevor Shakes) and all them guys doing their thing, and sometimes we would head up to Royalty in Southgate and travel about to different places, which gave us a sense of adventure.

So we are now approaching the early 1980s so how did you link up with Jazzie B and Q? and become involved in the Soul II soul thing?

My first interaction with Soul II Soul was with Daddae Harvey. One of the guys in FBI called Errol worked with We stuck with it and my first sound system was called Daddae so Daddae would check out what we were doing. FBI and that was formulated primarily with my friends I met him outside of Soul II Soul when he came to our who lived on the same street as me, The Josephs; Richie events and we started speaking around 1981 early 1982. Garry and Rudy, The Wilsons; Garry and Kevin, The Then in September 1982 I went away for a little holiday Fontaines; Danny and Derek plus additional people that at her majesty’s pleasure, so at this point I hadn’t been we hung out with at school. at a Soul II Soul event and hadn’t met Beresford (Jazzie B). Six months later on February 22nd 1983 it was my When we started rolling we were twenty people deep first day out and upon coming back home from my with friends and cousins included. We had a reasonable ‘holiday’ somehow my sound system and Soul II Soul amount of success like playing at a place called Cubies, had developed a which changed names to become Roseberries and then strong relationship. became Oasis in Kingsland Road near Stoke Newington One of my sound where Steve Walsh played. We played against Sir George guys came to pick a massive lovers rock sound system and we played me up said we against Shaka, Tubbys and the other immortal sound were going to a systems. We tried to spread that gap but at the time it Soul II Soul event, was sacrilege to play soul on a sound system. There was so I was curious. a change when the reggae and soul world did meet and Now before I went I will always cite Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall’ album away we had been

Page 32 - Issue 92 discussing the principals of how our sound system should about everything. From the sound system perspective move forward. There were a couple of us that wanted we wanted to be able to go anywhere and play to a to go more down the soul route and then others who rammed dance. wanted it to be more roots and culture Jah Rastafari style. I said that whatever happened just make sure How and when did you meet Q? that my records were safe (as by then I had collected a sizeable amount of soul and funk music). I thought Q was part and parcel of being associated with the guys that there was no point in my records being there as that were there before but he wasn’t around so much the soul department was between Danny Fontaine and when I first met them. Initially I used to see Daddae, I. We ended up at Tollington Park school and when I Jazzie and IO and then IO dropped off just before I heard the sound and the music that they were playing became more acquainted with the sound. Q was kind and them juggling between the reggae and the soul of in and out but he was a bit younger so I’m not sure it impressed me. I saw Daddae and he introduced me if that was why he wasn’t so present but then as time to Beres (Jazzie B) who was in the zone controlling progressed he eventually became more involved. When the sound and he was actually quite abrupt in how he Jazzie raps in ‘Jazzie’s Groove’ there’s three from the greeted me. Subsequently we met up a few times and north and two from the east, the north being Jazzie, had conversations and at that point I wasn’t looking Daddae and Q, Sparky and I were representing the east. into a future of being in a sound system, due to my Once Q became involved it was a case of we can’t all circumstances and after serving a sentence and I felt I play the same music so Jazzie and Daddae were mixing needed to find something stable. Over a period of time the reggae side, flexing into the soul, Sparky and I were Beres and I became kindred spirits in discussing music of the James Brown esque vibe with stuff like Rueben and taking things forward for the future. When Soul Wilson’s ‘Got To Get Your Own’ and James Mason’s II Soul were playing sets I would go along and help ‘Sweet Power’ angle. move the speakers and sound system, duties like that. By now technology was changing and we were moving “What was Q’s musical contribution that he brought to away from the big wardrobe boxes to a more slim line the sound? as I remember at African Centre he was more and hi-tech design of speakers which defined the sound on the house tip.? which we called ‘Soul II Soul Hi Tech’. The system was now condensed but very powerful. Jazzie and Daddae were going through a change themselves as they used to be called Jah Rico and they changed the name to Soul II Soul eventually. Whether it was playing at a community centre or somebody’s wedding I would help string up the sound and once everything was done and tested I ended up doing warm up sets. So from 1983 to 1985 I’d have spent a lot of time with Jazzie either at his house or at mine and I remember with the advent of the Technic SL1200 decks when we got our first set, it was like a major shift to the development of the sound system. I used to work for the company called Flat Projects who made light fittings for offices and restaurants. There Q came with the early electro vibes and he was the was a sound system department, which I mentioned to first one amongst us to really get into the house vibe. Jazzie, who came down to the company and he got a Ultimately our aim was to generate a feel-good, party job. So now we were both seeing each other at work vibe whatever we played. There was a difference in the and also socially and we were jibber jabbering constantly soul music that a soul boy would play as opposed to

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk the soul music a reggae man would play. (Fitzroy: “For the badges that people were going around nicking off of sure.”) So everybody was bringing something different Mercedes cars and selling fashion pieces. It was around musically to the table. I remember one night when Dez the time when Jennifer Lewis (aka Nicolai Bean) was Parkes and Trevor Shakes did a Thursday night at Ronnie coming up with these various art drawings. It became Scotts and it was quite a pivotal moment where Jazzie a place for creative people to come and check out what had a change of direction of taking the soul music into we were doing and for them to interpret what Soul II a different direction for the sound system rather than Soul meant to them. Derek Yates came forward one day it being a soul and reggae ethos. We did some things with a piece of artwork that personified the Soul II Soul that were not very successful with attendance and then look and the culture as by this time we started to locks we started to develop ourselves in the underground up our hair so the visual representation could have been warehouse parties era of the mid-1980s. Daddae, Jazzie, Q or I and it was a striking look. The first original T-shirts we printed ourselves and this gave us the gateway to merge music and fashion.

When would you say this was?

The shop was up and running in early 1985. I remember one day this guy came in and said he had access to a venue and eventually we started doing gigs at the African Centre in Covent Garden. The artwork with the Funki Dreds that Jen(Nicolai) was doing was on a massive scale so we could use them as drapes hanging down from the balcony at the African Centre to help create the atmosphere. It was a struggle at first getting an audience in there but we started to do some heavy promotion with a few people involved in the process of it developing. Steve Rumney was shit hot on coming up with visual designs and graphics and then we got an understanding of having a brand and marketing. So we went out religiously promoting and flying for our events three to four nights a week, driving around with streamline speakers and setting up outside Electric Ballroom in Camden playing tapes of the music we were When did you start to formulate the identity of Soul II pushing at our events and giving out flyers. Eventually it Soul with the Funki Dreds? got to the point where African Centre was the place to be and it was rammed and hot to trot. In essence that was probably about 1984 before African Centre. We had our first shop in Camden, roughly where I remember coming across you the MacDonalds is now. Daddae was in the printing guys around 1987 by coming business and he set up his own little print shop upstairs practically every week on a in this building and Jazzie had a little office there. This Sunday at the African Centre became the space where we would all hang out. We had until it finished on the 1st the sound set up so that Q and Dolby could practice January 1988.Once African mixing and scratching. Then we had the idea of having Centre finished how did things a shop, primarily to sell records and paraphernalia like develop?

Page 34 - Issue 92 thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk I always look at the development of Soul II Soul in When we were doing the live shows, I would do a bit of stages. First there was Soul II Soul the sound system, deejaying in the beginning and then there would be a then it morphed into Soul II Soul the group. I wasn’t fashion show where we would showcase all the garments. involved in ‘Fair Play’ and only heard it once it was done. Due to the success of ‘Keep On Movin’’ and ‘Back To Life’ Jazzie took that ethos of having a dub plate exclusively I was very active and hands on in the running of the shop to play on your sound system to the nth degree and we making sure we had stock and dealing with the staff. started to see the effect the record was having on the Whilst we co-ordinated this whole fashion show element dance floor. When African Centre stopped I was curious I would be involved modelling the garments. We had a as to what was going to happen next but the advent of whole catalogue done and during certain photo shoots the singles ‘Fair Play’, ‘Feel Free’ and later ‘Keep On I’d be chosen to showcase things like the trousers that Movin’’ took things to the next level. As we approach Jen made and we were trying to market ourselves on 1990 in the makings of the second album I had a bit different fronts and I was involved in its various aspects. more involvement as I had written ‘Ambition Rap’ on Ironically today I saw that Matt White posted a photo of the first ‘Club Classic’s’ album and did more writing on him and I in the Soul II Soul shop on Facebook. (Fitzroy: the second album with my claim to fame being the lyrics “Yes I saw it in the Soul II Soul Sky Arts Documentary.”) for ‘Get A Life.’ We then started doing shows and touring I remember him coming in saying he knew how to sell for a good two months starting off in Japan, Australia records and I was apprehensive but I gave him chance and then went to the USA and finished off playing at to do so and he literally took up the baptism of fire Wembley. We then had our residency at The Fridge in challenge and homeboy was in there selling music for Brixton on Friday nights. a good little while.

I remember you were doing some modelling and photo You were on the front cover of ‘Keep On Movin’’ with shoots for magazines as well around that time? Wunmi?

Yeah I was and there was a time when I guess I was considered the poster boy for Soul II Soul. (Fitzroy: “Yes pretti bwoy.”) (Aitch) laughs) I guess because you were the tallest too? (Aitch): “Yeah, sometimes my presence was needed.”)

How did you experience the reception Soul II Soul received in America?

We were received with greatness. It really did open up the eyes of a lot of black Americans to the fact that there were black people in England. I know that sounds weird to say now but before the whole Soul II Soul thing kicked off, Jazzie and I went to New York. We stayed with Timmy Regisford. One night we wanted to go to Zanzibar, which is in New Jersey and our taxi driver was a black woman. So we explained to her where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do and she stated that she could take us there but that we wouldn't find any one to take us back in the late hours of the morning when the club finished. We negotiated a deal

Page 36 - Issue 92 that she would drive us and then wait to take us back. So Beresford and I were in the back of the car talking and she said, “Excuse me where are you guys from because you guys have got a funny accent?” So we said “We are from London.” She said, “What London, England UK?” We said “Yeah” and she said, “Get the fuck out of here there ain’t no black people in London.” (Fitzroy finds that quite amusing). This was late 1986 early 1987 and we ended up explaining to her her how we came to be in London and she was totally amazed by it as she had no idea. So when we blew up I think it really resonated that there was this black culture unbeknown to them and that there was black life on the planet. We were showered with praises, winning a few Grammies and awards from NAACP and getting the keys to the City in Los Angeles. To be fair prior to us storming their shore those American men were not interested in loxin’ up their hair and when you look now, apart from the Afro centric look they had in hip-hop, sporting locks was new to them. It nice to get that level of acceptance as unfortunately we didn’t get Yeah with the writing it was one of my things when I that here in the UK. In the year of the Brit Awards when got involved in the sound system when I did a bit of MC we were nominated they gave the award to someone work on the mic. When I wrote ‘Get A Life’ I wrote it who basically pirated our ‘riddem’ and received the as an MC’s response to ‘Back To Life’ however the way accolade. (Fitzroy: “Who was that?”) Lisa Stansfield for Jazzie constructed the song with getting the kids to say ‘Been Around The World’. I remember when that came ‘What’s the meaning, what’s the meaning on life?” on out people were saying we’ve heard your new single out repeat and getting Marci to sing ‘Elevate your mind and that one ‘Been Around The World’. (Fitzroy laughs) I said free your soul” as a bridge, I was thinking “What are that wasn’t us. The day we didn’t get that award it was you talking about?” My vision was Jazzie standing there like a living kick in the nuts for us. reeling all that off in one breath, as that is how I wrote it. That is on the 1990 ‘New Decade’ album and I wrote What was it like when Soul II Soul brought the whole a couple more tunes on that album. When we did the show out there with dancers? third album I wrote some more tunes. Then Jazzie got approached by Mr Brown to do some stuff for James. The shows totally mesmerised the audiences because Jazzie was working with his writing partner to construct there was so much going on with the dancers and the the music. Then listening to the music I conjured up band. At the height of the tours we had a personnel of something that Mr Brown might say. It started off that about seventy people. We had the dancers, the band we were doing two tracks. We got someone to do a guide with orchestra horns, violin strings, bass guitar, backing vocal/ impersonation of James Brown. This was sent singers and then all the roadies. So it was a massive to him and then the next time I heard it James brown logistical operation. Not knowing the full ins and outs was singing my shit. (Fitzroy: “Wow.”) Then it ended up but I know Jazzie fought tooth and nail to make that being four tracks required and in total I ended up writing happen after constantly being told he could do what he six tracks on his album. It was something I wanted to do wanted but he made it happen. more of and it all just came to me. I had to put my mind into what Mr Brown would be saying and clearly it made Around 1993 you gain some notable writing credits an impression. working on James Brown’s ‘Universal James’ album? thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk The two tracks that resonate with me is ‘How Long’ and fitted together and I’d written the lyrics way before I the killer one is ‘Moments’. met them and they were just sitting there waiting to be used. I’ve ticked the boxes for my two favourite male Yeah ‘Moments’ was the one that Mr Brown eluded to and female artists James Brown and The Jones Girls so was his favourite track, because it reminded him of ‘King I’ve been blessed in that respect and had the honour of Heroin’. That is exactly where I was coming from when providing lyrical content because playing an instrument I wrote it. What I was writing was not only adequate for and working on production is not my forte. I did write for him but for what I was going through myself. Kofi (the lovers rock singer). In particular I remember ‘Step By Step’ which was a promo that never got a Who better to deliver the message than James Brown? proper release. I have got other material that is sitting in the wings and maybe something could happen in the future with the right artist.

Clearly Jazzie became the driving force of the business and success of Soul II Soul and ultimately became the focus of heading the brand. With that change your role shifted into you being more of a deejay/promoter. Eventually you became part of the success regarding We Love Soul with the late Tony Houston who was a good friend since the early touring of the Soul II Soul days.

Tony and I shared a room in LA during the USA tour and we got talking. At the time the expansion of Soul II Yeah and for me that was a real wow moment as he Soul and its changes raised concerns with where I would had helped shaped my musical taste, so much so that I fit in. I had an affinity to be involved in the club world wanted to call my son James as my surname in Browne. still and it was evident that Jazzie wasn’t looking to go His Mum had other ideas though but I still got it in there back into that path. So my conversation with ‘T’ was to as it is his middle name. My only regret about that was do something in the club circuit as he had also reached that I didn’t get to meet him personally as the majority the point of not wanting to just be a dancer. So Tony of the work was done remotely and when the mastering set things up and I’d be involved in some capacity and was done it was Jazzie who flew over to do that. to be honest I was in and out for a period of time and However I got the acknowledgement from Mr Brown the scene was changing. Just before the RNB, UK garage and that acknowledgement is immortalised forever and house scene was in its infancy our first big club night in the recording. I had a similar experience with The was on a Friday at The RAW in Tottenham Court Road, Jones Girls, which was slightly freakier. The two songs Solid Ground. Then we started to do things at Bagleys in that I wrote for them I’d written off the top of my head Kings Cross and big warehouse parties. I took leave of without hearing any music. I was approached by Phillo the promoter side of things and Tony carried on. He did Nugent who was doing the album project for the groups so many things like Absolutely Gorgeous, Love Injection, resurgence. We had a meeting with Phil and Richard and Friday nights at the Gass Clubs when UK garage was at The Jones Girls, Jazzie and Q. We were trying to make a peak and Cream Of The Crop in Holborn. Ultimately a production team as Q was making rhythms and I was rather than chopping and writing lyrics. The two rhythms they chose caused The changing he started doing We Jones Girls and Phil’s crew to ask me if I could write Love Soul which he started something and I told them that I had already written at Herbal in Shoreditch with something that I believed would work. Somehow it all Bobby & Steve and I wasn’t

Page 38 - Issue 92 involved then. (Fitzroy: “I did one of those Herbal eight hours at the CFL building in Peckham and we are nights.”) I didn’t get involved until it moved to Hidden looking to do more things together. I’m also doing 51st in Tinworth Street, Vauxhall. I did a lot of the marketing State in August. As far as We Love Soul is concerned if and Facebook was at its height so we took our working it re-emerges I won’t be involved as I’m taking a back relationship in promoting a successful club night to a seat from that kind of promotion. I just want to deejay different level. I’ve seen all the different comings and and hopefully do some community work to pass on the goings with the various genres of music with jungle, knowledge to the up and coming youth making their garage, hip-hop and RNB and it has gone full circle way through this maze of events. where I’m back on the 70s and 80s vinyl gig. You recently were involved in a bike ride from London to Southend to help raise money for to help those affected by the volcanic eruption in St Vincent and The Grenadines, something close to you, as that is where your family originates ?

Yes St. Vincent is the birthplace of both my Mother and Father. Unfortunately, St. Vincent is currently suffering the after-effects from the recent La Souferie volcanic Now we are coming out of this pandemic are you getting activity, which has rendered sections of the population many bookings? homeless, needing to be evacuated from the island as it is now without essentials such as water, sanitation, Yeah I do Soul Fiesta with Simon West and I’m looking electricity and shelter. I've set up a 'St. Vincent Volcano to do stuff with Perry Louis who does a show before me Relief Fund' via https://uk.gofundme.com/ where those on Diverse FM. Being truthful it is because of him that I who wish to aid in the island's recovery can make a have gone back into playing my vinyl. (Fitzroy: “Yeah, contribution. Perry is a vinyl junkie.”) We started conversing about music and I’d been someone who was never fussed about Nice way to finish off Aitch Glad we finally got this done. what format music was on but it made me think about all the music I had on vinyl that doesn't get played. Perry Yeah, Fitz it’s been good travelling down memory lane. and I have an affinity and we played back to back for thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk “At that age I didn’t realise that there was a separate black and white music chart and that a black guy couldn’t be smooching with a white girl in the music video.”

ANDREW-Brand New Heavies- LEVY Growing up in Ealing, West London, Andrew Levy alongside his schoolmates Jan Kincaid and Simon Bartholomew had a fascinating interest in music. He co-founded The Brand New Heavies as their bass player and thirty-five years later he is still taking a ‘Ride In The Sky’ with the band’s successful career still blossoming. The BHN are one of the headline acts at the Great Yarmouth Soul Weekender at Parkdene (shouldn’t it be Vauxhall Holiday Park?) in September so we decided to explore some ‘Mind Trips’ memories ahead of their much anticipated appearance at the weekender.

You grew up in Ealing (as did I), how was family life onwards and back then coming from the Windrush generation and what was there was no restrictions your introduction to music in your pre teens? on bringing tropical food back into the UK. The My parents came over from Jamaica and I grew up in most exciting thing was sunny Ealing, which was an odd place for a Jamaican when he gave me a box of family to set down roots and I didn’t know anything 7-inch records and I would else about London. It was a lovely suburb area and my run to the gram and play parents took a lot of trips back and forth to Jamaica. all the records over and over again. I’ve been told that My Dad would bring back boxes of 7-inch records and when I was about six or seven I’d spend the whole of lots of food packed into suitcases. This around 1967 Sunday staring at the records, which I do remember,

Page 40 - Issue 92 watching them spinning round and round. At that age be based around four notes so I could just play along. I knew nothing about how records were made but I was What I didn’t realise at the time was that I was learning fascinated with the sound and the bass coming out of rhythm even though it was just two notes but those notes the speakers. My parents had a lot of parties in the had so much feel and were interlocking into the drums. It 1970s when the house was turned upside down and all was special for me as I’ve been told I’m pretty good with the furniture was moved to being stored upstairs in my my rhythm on the bass. By 1982 we are still at school parents bedroom. It was a lot of fun because as kids we and we would jam at Jan’s house, which was a nice house could mess around in the house and I used to play hide as he was a rich boy. (Fitzroy: “Are you aware that I and seek with my Sister in amongst all the furniture. The went to Ealing Green and that his Father Donald was front room and the kitchen would be packed with friends my head master?”) Oh yes, yes, everything comes full and fellow West Indians and there would be lots of food circle. His Father is a really, really lovely guy, very warm including the curry goat. I remember standing next and open and always encouraged us to use his recording to the massive speakers and feeling the bass go right equipment and going to Jan’s house at any time was fun. through me, which may explain why I picked up playing There was lots of equipment and we had access to his the bass. I guess all that music was going into my head Brother Per’s records and the three of us, Jan, Simon and and it was later extracted in the studio when I became a I would jam and emulate the Head Hunter’s and James musician. My parents were obsessed with music. I guess Brown grooves and for years we did that every Sunday. it was a reach out to how life was in the Caribbean. I remember that we recorded a song called ‘Catch That Beat’ on Jan’s Father’s very expensive Sony microphone. How did this love of music continue when you attended (Fitzroy: “Yes Simon mentioned that in his interview.”) school? When we listened back to it I thought it sounded so good like a proper record recording. After spending I met the drummer and co-founder of The Brand New many years of listening to a lot of music in my parents Heavies, Jan Kincaid and guitarist Simon Bartholomew front room I could tell the quality of the sound was up at our high school Drayton Manor in Ealing. I remember to scratch. Jan will tell you it was he but I remember meeting Jan on the first day and I sat next to him and me taking the track to Cat In The Hat every week and remember looking down and noticing he was wearing standing at the deejay booth and handing Barrie Sharpe these really cool penny loafer shoes. This would have the cassette. He showed no emotion, as I’m sure you can been around 1978. Jan and I bonded over clothes, imagine knowing Barrie, but he took it from me and even at that age and we used to just love listening to I just hoped he would play it. So we went off back to music. We would put our pocket money together and mingling on the dance floor and dancing then suddenly buy 12-inch singles. I remember the first one we bought we heard the track come on full blast. He must have together was ‘Le Freak’ by Chic and we would take turns listened to it in his headphones and decided it was worth keeping it for alternate weeks at each other’s homes. spinning. We couldn’t believe how amazing it sounded We were very close friends and started doing drumming and we looked around and everyone continued dancing, lessons together at school with an army or military they had no idea we had only recorded this a few weeks trained drum teacher, Mr Leask. Disco was blowing up prior. A light bulb went off in our heads as we’d never and we loved Earth Wind & Fire. I remember being given imagined doing anything major and we realised we could a bass by Jan’s brother Per (pronounced Pear) who is be on to something. At the end of the night Barrie asked an absolutely brilliant and incredible bassist, alongside if we had a singer and we said no and Barrie basically an amp, which was an amazing thing for him to do. I moved himself into the band as a percussionist with his think he was upgrading his bass hence why I was given deejay partner and friend Lascelles and later Diana it. I’m not sure how I learnt to play it as I didn’t have Brown turned up at a rehearsal. We started rehearsing any lessons but I would copy a lot of the James Brown with them after that and we were known at one time as grooves and the Latin fusion baselines. They seemed to The Brothers International but more formally as Diana

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk Brown & The Brothers. We got lots of gigs and our first Give’. Tunji Williams (Femi’s Brother) took it to Danny D gig was at Cat In The Hat in Leicester Square. I’d never at Cooltempo Records in Bond Street and it was signed. played in front of anyone before and I didn’t know what It was the ‘Summer of love’ and cool to have the track I was doing so I basically stood with my back to the out but I don’t think the record company knew what to audience. (Fitzroy: “Simon did say that.”) I just wanted do with us so we got dropped. Then Acid Jazz signed us to be able to concentrate as funk is about the bass and and that summer of 1988 we started recording the very the drums in terms of dance, so I focused on that and did first blue album. We ran out of money and my girlfriend my thing and it went really well. at the time had a few quid so she put in a grand and we got the album finished. A USA label Delicious Vinyl You recorded cover versions of ‘Yes It’s You’ and ‘Hot picked us up after seeing our album in Tower Records Pants’ with Diana Brown & The Brothers on Dez Parkes’ in New York. ‘Never Stop’ ended up being a number TUF label in 1987? three hit in the R&B charts and we were half way up the billboard charts, which is the main pop chart in the USA. Yes, that was later but all these things happened really So everyone including Warner Brothers started getting quickly. Jan had left the band when we recorded that but excited and we got signed to London Records. We did we had done The Astoria in 1988 which is actually on You ‘Brother Sister’ and then the ‘Shelter’ album which was Tube and it’s quite terrifying to watch but it’s an amazing during our hey day up until 1996. piece of footage (even though the sound quality isn’t that great). The bass line on ‘Yes It’s You’ was quite Just going back a bit I remember getting given the 7-inch complicated especially when you’ve not been playing of ‘Got to Give’ on the mocked up Phantasy label. The that long. There was no looping back then and we just underground funk scene was changing because the Rare recorded straight on to the two-inch tape. It was the first Groove and Funk gigs were starting to die out and the time I’d ever recorded on to tape other than a four-track new music was coming through with you guys helping demo. Then we got signed as The Brand New Heavies to to lead the way for a continuance of that, but with a Cooltempo after Jan had written the track called ‘Got To new contemporary sound. It was a good bridge of the

Page 42 - Issue 92 old sound fusing with the current music. I was naturally the USA with the knowledge that we are considered the proud of you guys coming from our manor of Ealing. For poor second cousins to them especially when it comes to the benefit of those who may not have seen the Soul music, as a multicultural band, how did you find their II Soul documentary on Sky Arts, how did you become reception to the Brand New heavies ethos when you involved in another significant musical change playing played at SOBs? bass on Soul II Soul’s ‘Fair Play”? It was a lot of fun and pure excitement. I remember We had done a few gigs at The African Centre where waking up the next morning after that night and thinking Soul II Soul were resident and I had a lot of contact with do they actually think we are that good? It gave us a lot Jazzie. One day after a show at The African Centre he of confidence being accepted there. I remember our PR said he was going to call me about doing something. He girl Lisa Barbaris phoned our hotel and said, “Andrew, asked me to come to the studio to play bass on this ‘Fair Q-Tip from Tribe Called Quest is on the phone asking if Play’ beat that Nellee Hooper had programmed and it’s okay if he comes down tonight.” I couldn’t believe there was no music at that point just the beats. I hadn’t what I was hearing and everybody came down including been playing that long and just plugged my bass into the Caron Wheeler and I think Naomi Campbell was in town amp and that is what came out. They really loved it. It for that too. Being very naive we were just wowed with wasn’t a reggae vibe, which I knew Jazzie was into but the response and the timing was of the essence. We had it was more of a blues and funk groove. I think Marco a such a good publicity team that anyone that wanted to Nelson was due to come down and play the keyboard contact us could. We were very, very nervous as we only part but I just played a simple keyboard vibe that locked had six songs that we could play and we just jammed in with the bass and that is the one they ended up using by making grooves up. We’ve always been very good at although I didn’t get credited on the album. doing that. Jan would start with a drum beat and within a few bars of him starting I’d bring in the bass and I think Although you mentioned it wasn’t a reggae bass line it the audience experiencing us doing that spontaneous does have that West Indian UK feel about it where we jamming blew them away as well. They were used to have that dirt under our fingernails and make gritty hearing that stuff on vinyl but to hear it live from this music and to be honest it’s just rough rugged and raw. multicultural UK band probably freaked them out but they gave us a lot of love. At that age I didn’t realise that Exactly and I don’t see the bass as a solo instrument there was a separate black and white music chart and in the way that I play, I see it as the moat behind the that a black guy couldn’t be smooching with a white girl drums to give some flavour to the drums. When you’re in the music video. We did a video for ‘Sometimes’ and young and naive like I was, it sounded and felt good we had to choose from an array of beautiful models to at the time. I can’t believe how incredible how sonically act out the roles with and I chose a white girl. The record balanced and brilliant that Soul II Soul Club classics company said “Errr what about this girl?” and I ended album is, even today, with the production of thirty two up with a beautiful Hispanic girl. It was only later that years ago it still holds up. ‘Keep On Moving’ was a big it dawned on me it wouldn’t have read properly to the influence on ‘Never Stop’(Fitzroy: “Ok.”) I remember mass market. This was 1995. going over to Jan’s house when he told me he wanted to play me something, which was the basics of ‘Never Stop’. That is really interesting that you say that especially ‘Keep On Movin’’ was number one at the time so I’m sure with the advent of the Tony Sewell denial of there is we listened to it and we took some cues from that epic no institutional racism and the BLM presence over the track. It’s very organically put together but it just works. last year. I don’t think people quite get how things transcended almost thirty years ago and when we I’ve asked Jan and Simon about this but I’m going for the critique racism, they take it for granted that everything hat trick in getting your perspective. When you went to previously has been plane sailing.

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk It’s certainly more of James Brown period. Before that I was listening to jazz an American thing, as through Jan’s brother who was heavily into that and he growing up in Ealing would make me tapes. So we are talking going into the I was one of eight fusion stuff learning the bass listening to Paul Jackson, non-white people in Larry Graham and Jaco Pastorious, whose sounds I our school and I just really loved. Bernard Edwards ahead of Bootsy Collins accepted that because is a main influence because I actually knew it was we did things together him at the time and the way I play is more his style. I like play football remember writing the bass line on ‘Dream On Dreamer’ and sports etc. The and the short notes are very much in the vein of Bernard segregation levels are Edwards. We actually met Chic when we were in New still there. I ended up York. marrying an American girl and researching USA history going back to the What about UK bass players? sixteenth century where the term black and white was coined then. Initially it was for different reasons and I was into Light Of The World and remember the Round nothing to do with race because they had slaves coming Trip album so ‘Tubbs' is certainly up there. I was always from all over Europe and not just Africa and because taking my toys apart as a kid and building something they were treated so badly the slaves of all colours came and I actually made a turntable. Jan will remember this together to try and overthrow the regime and get better because I bought an Amstrad amp for £25 and bought treatment and conditions. What the owners did was to all the parts from the electrical shops in Edgware Road. divide and conquer the slaves by calling one set white The first album I played on this home made turntable and the other black and that is where it all manifested was the Level 42 Lost tapes album and I played it over from. (Fitzroy: “I learnt something new today.”) It’s and over again listening to Mark King plus Jan and I fascinating that a word can just destroy and create this went to see them at Hammersmith Odeon. whole thing we are living in now. It didn’t affect me but it was a bit of a shock with the segregation. So the band transcended to what you are now for the best part of thirty five years and you’ve had a few The one thing about The Brand New Heavies in their early personnel changes, mostly singers and in recent years years was that as a multicultural band the image and the Jan left, so how have you found that moving forward? music transcended race. I remember as a multicultural band, especially when N’Dea became the lead vocalist, It happened over a long period of time with each singer as by then there were two black and two white members being in the band for about three years on average and with that new age peace loving 90s hippie style and when they departed it was over a few months of fashion you wore, (Andrew laughs) you looked like you either them or us feeling uncomfortable so there was were promoting peace and love. no shock. Our resilience is unbelievable because when those changes came we would just start recording new That’s true and it wasn’t contrived, so the stars must music material. I think it was because we started as have really aligned themselves. an instrumental band just jamming and that is what kept things tight. The record companies used to freak Once you picked up the bass who did you admire as bass out when the lead singer left but we would send them players? material reassuring them that things were under control. N’Dea was a real find through Mike Ross and I doubt At the time I didn’t realise it was Bootsy Collins but most if we’d have conquered America without her. She had definitely him during the late 1960s and early 1970s the perfect voice and front person we needed to get into

Page 44 - Issue 92 the African American market and I’m not sure we would What would you say was some of your personal favourite have achieved that with a UK singer. That was actually moments during the Brand New Heavies journey? a shock to me as I’ve just only got used to the fact that she is no longer on stage with us as there was something I remember ‘Dream Come True’ when Lascelles was in quite spiritual when she was part of the band. As soon the band and it was weird having two rhythm guitars in N’Dea walked on stage the crowd would go crazy. Our the band but it worked. We were in a studio recording in songs are so strong. When Jan left that was a freaky Hackney at Terminal Studios and he came up with the situation because I never thought he would leave or was guitar lick and I dropped the bass line, Jan kicked in serious about leaving. In fact I think he was probably with the drums and Simon came in with his melody. I expecting Simon and I to try and persuade him not to remember thinking wow we’ve just made this incredible leave and drag him back in. When Jan left it was in quite thing and inside of me I knew it was going to be a a terrible way he actually left us on the ledge as we powerful song. Linda Muriel wrote the words and put the were due to do this big tour. We’d already been paid lyrics down and recorded them and I remember every and Jan decided to leave with his girlfriend Dawn. My single detail about that session and how that song was second child was just born that week and we were faced put together and there are three or four versions of it. with having to cancel the tour. Then the promoter called It was a revelation that we could make new music with us and said we can’t cancel as it would ruin his career in the funky rare groove beats as current music. We never Sweden and he was prepared to fly in N’Dea. Basically wanted to be a covers band and we didn’t like doing we ended up doing the gig in Stockholm and recorded covers but of course ‘Midnight At The Oasis’ is one of it and then I managed to work with N’Dea on a tour in our biggest tracks but the record company wanted us to the USA, which was an ambition of mine, and we’ve just have a radio hit. I remember. ‘Stay This Way’ which was carried on and we’re doing okay. written by Jim Wellman our saxophonist at the time, that thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk was such an incredible song and I remember the first memories as it was written way back in 1987 and there time I heard it back, I got tingles. It was a bit lumpy and is a video of that with Jan, Barrie Sharp and I on You bumpy when Jim first presented it to us but once Jan and Tube as well. I got hold of it, it becomes what you hear now. After all the period of lock down how much are you Your bass playing on that track is so warm especially looking forward to doing the forthcoming weekender if you listen to the David Morales mix, (Andrew: “Yes.) in Great Yarmouth and getting back out into the live personally it’s the best song that N’Dea sang with BNH. performing? I’ve got the original version which features Jay Ella Ruth and I liked it then but that 12-inch mix just blew me Yes I am looking forward to that and we have a total away. of forty-four shows that we have booked up between now and September. It’s going to be really nice and I’m That’s N’Dea she can sing out of a phone book and the looking forward to the camaraderie we have with the way she writes her lyrics and melodies are incredible. band as it’s like a second family. You kind of get good memories when you’re told the song is going to be a single and it’s going to be on MTV Andrew thanks for your time. and the video will be filmed in Negril, Jamaica. That’s what happened with ‘Dream On Dreamer’ and we were Cheers, Fitzroy. up for an MTV award for that song and it was a big song for us. That song was written by N’Dea and Dallas Austin who worked with TLC. ‘Never Stop’ holds personal

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