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Ostensibly a series of dance remixes, this release, on investigation,
turns out to be helluva lot more. A crucial and encouraging development
in modern dance music in the 80s occurred, not in the US but in
the UK under the aegis of Jazzie B, founder of the internationally
famous Soul ll Soul. The parties that this collective threw at
the Africa Centre in Covent Garden leaned towards creating a warm
vibe that wasn’t afraid of polyrhythms, real instruments,
honest musical expression or pride in the African traditions of
all modern dance music. Compare this with the numbing musical
clichés prevalent then and even more so in the very conventional
clubland of today and you’ll realize that it was quite a
revolutionary movement. Jazzie B compiled and produced “Soul
To Soul At The Africa Centre”, presenting 17 highlights
of the period and well before to emphasize their intrinsic warmth,
thoughtful basslines and flowing groove that contemporised classic
funk, real R&B and the seeds of what was soon to be marketed
as acid-jazz.
There’s some genuine classic stuff here like the NO funk
of Lee Dorsey, the Meters, James Brown’s “Don’t
Tell It” and great over-the-top sax instrumentals like Maceo
(Parker….see Blues Corner previous update) & The Macks’
“Cross The Tracks”. Unless you were comatose in the
late 80s, had blown up your radio (a good idea) and/or had kept
clear of discos (an even better one), you would have heard the
hit “Shout” by Tears For Fears until your brain bled.
Now that the synapses have healed, it comes across as a catchy,
participatory number that hasn’t aged as much as one might
have thought. Starting from track 11 Johnny Hammond’s “Tell
Me What To Do” through entries from Roy Ayers, Steve Parks,
Gary Bartz; a 3 way toasting duel between Barrington Levy, Caron
Wheeler and Shabba Ranks to Don Blackman’s “Heart’s
Desire” and the closer Faze Off’s “Ridin’
High/ The Raid” Mr B lives up to his name, parading the
music’s groovin’ loose-limbed pulse. Nothing wooden
here. Dance music for people with intact connections between the
body, brain and soul.
