The Brand New Heavies celebrate thirty-five years since the release of their debut single with Never Stop… The Best Of, a new best of compilation bringing together twenty one hits. The band will celebrate the release with three special concerts in London, Manchester and Birmingham accompanied by strings from London Concert Orchestra.
Pioneers of London’s burgeoning Acid Jazz scene of the early ‘90s, The Brand New Heavies took their love of sophisticated ‘70’s funk grooves, gave it a modern twist and enjoyed both substantial global success and an ongoing influence to this day. The band was formed in 1985 by guitarist Simon Bartholomew, bassist /keyboardist Andrew Levy, and drummer/vocalist Jason Kincaid, powering through the ‘90’s with extraordinary vocalists and collaborators such as N’Dea Davenport, Siedah Garrett and Carleen Anderson.
NEW YORK – 1994: Brand New Heavies pose for a portrait in Times Square, in 1994, in New York City, New York. (Photo by Catherine McGann/Getty Images)
As superfan Mark Ronson explains in his liner notes for the album: “The Brand New Heavies and their pitch perfect jazz-funk revival were my musical coming out party. They were my introduction to all the incredible music I would spend the next 30 years of my life DJ’ing in clubs as well as triggering my desire to think outside of the basic-ass chords I knew on the guitar and piano.”
Although their knowing throwback approach was a key aspect of their appeal, The Brand New Heavies always remained contemporary, frequently collaborating with vocalists, rappers and younger producers. This freshness was reflected throughout the first decade of success, with the band enjoying platinum sales in the UK with the Top Ten albums Brother Sister (1994) and Shelter (1997), along with 15 UK Top 40 singles, ranging from originals like You Are The Universe, Dream On Dreamer, and Sometimes, to well-selected, canny covers of 70s classics such as Don’t Let It Go to Your Head, Midnight At The Oasis, and You’ve Got a Friend.
Never Stop….The Best Of includes all their UK hit singles plus their US singles Brother Sister, Mind Trips, You Can Do It, and Bonafied Fun”, taken from their groundbreaking 1992 album Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol 1, which set a blueprint for fusing hip hop to live RnB grooves as well as introducing the world to (then) rap newcomers including The Pharcyde and Gang Starr.
The CD version of Never Stop….The Best Of also includes an additional bonus disc of remixes from such titans of dance music as Masters At Work, Dimitri From Paris and Roger Sanchez, as well as a percolating new remix of Stay This Way by Bob Sinclar.
Watch the new remix below:
Since their London Records years The Brand New Heavies have continued to create a musical legacy that is impenetrable, doubling their creative output with a slew of well-received albums and touring an in-demand live show, which takes them frequently around Europe, Asia, Australia and beyond.
This November, the group will celebrate Never Stop… The Best Of with three special concerts featuring strings from London Concert Orchestra:
Upcoming UK Tour Dates:
NOVEMBER
9th – Barbican Hall, London
11th – Symphony Hall, Birmingham
16th – he Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Tickets will go on sale in July, with a special pre-sale available to anyone who pre-orders Never Stop….The Best Of via The Brand New Heavies official store and signs up to the BNH mailing list.
For both longtime listeners and new fans, Never Stop… The Best Of is an essential guide to one of UK music’s most enduring success stories, a band whose uplifting music has introduced generations to legitimately crafted soul music with a modern punch.
Share Thing