British Funk is a genre that will always be in style. It incorporates Soul, Funk, Jazz and Blues with a British base. Artists like Incognito, The Brand New Heavies, and if you really want to kick it old school, Soul II Soul will immediately come to mind, but there are others out there that also hold it down.
A new band has hit the scene with the British Funk sound. They are not really new, as they have been a mainstay in the underground scene for several years. They are called Jersey Street, and they are led by led by vocalist Dawn Zee and multi-instrumentalist producers Neil Reid and Matt Steele.
By the way, Steele was a member of The Brand New Heavies for several years.
The album is called Love Rising Up, so let's see what it is all about.
Review - 'Love Rising Up' by Jersey Street
The set begins with the title track, Love Rising Up. The piano will hit you from the start, and the live drums really fuel that anticipation as you look forward "to that brand new day". Dawn Zee does a great job with her nonchalant style. We get some horns toward the end to close out the track.
No One Can Take Your Place has more of a jazz base, like being at a smoky club on a Saturday night. The bass, the keys and the drums take center stage, and you get about six and a half minutes of cool. Check out the video below.
Carnival is up next. This is one of those tracks that take you back a few decades as far as the style is concerned. It is a smooth groove, but the drums give it a little more energy. The vocals are tight, especially the backing vocals. About half way through you get some stellar horn play. This should be a mainstay on your 'chilled out' playlist.
In Nightingale, the strings take center stage, especially at the outset. They really go well with the lead vocal arrangement. As it progresses, the song actually feels like a jam session, with each instrument getting their opportunity to shine.
Open Your Mind is up next. We like how the horns compliment the vocals and the keyboard parts really complete the song.
They pick up the pace with The Way We Are. This is classic British Funk with the rolling bassline, the rhythm guitar and the melodic horn play. The song continually builds up, and at the end you can really feel the band's energy.
In Sunflower, you get a track that will go well on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Once again the layered backing vocals add to the track, and Zee delivers a performance that will leave you wanting more...Quite a feat since the song is a robust eight minutes long.
The album concludes with Love Will Be Our Guide. It has a 70's disco feel, and Zee's vocals seem to glide on top of the groove. It will definitely leave you with some good vibes.
Jersey Street really came with the goods with this effort. It is classic British Funk with some soul, jazz and disco elements. Everything you need to keep the party going! You can start streaming the album now.