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Brand New Heavies
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
The Brand New Heavies is an English band formed in 1985 by Simon Bartholomew, Jan Kincaid and Andrew Levy, at first under the name Brother International. A demo went down well in a London club, and in 1987 they opened for James Brown at Wembley Arena. Shortly afterwards they chose their new name, inspired by a nickname of Brown's, Minister of New Super Heavy Funk. In 1988 the single Got to Give was released, and in 1989 they moved to Eddie Piller's Acid Jazz Records, where they helped to shape a new genre: acid jazz.
Music and breakthrough
Their debut album was released in 1990. A reissue in 1991 had new vocals by the American N'Dea Davenport, who had joined the group. The singles Never Stop, Dream Come True and Don't Let It Go to Your Head were a success. The breakthrough album was Brother Sister from 1994, with Dream On Dreamer. Later Davenport left, Siedah Garrett came in for the album Shelter in 1997, and Davenport returned in 2006 for Get Used to It.
Influence
Acid jazz mixes jazz, funk and soul with dance rhythms. The band plays real instruments, with a tight rhythm section and a female singer up front. It is regarded as one of the most important groups of the genre and shows how James Brown's funk found new life in London.
Listening
Never Stop · Brand New Heavies, 1991
Discography
Studio albums
- 1990The Brand New Heavies
- 1992Heavy Rhyme Experience, Volume 1
- 1994Brother Sister
- 1997Shelter
- 2003We Won't Stop
- 2004Allabouthefunk
- 2006Get Used to It
- 2012Dunk Your Trunk
- 2013Forward
- 2014Sweet Freaks
- 2015Presents The Elephant In The Room
- 2019TBNH
In School of Rock
The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.
- After Hours: Session 4NL Reader
Mentioned in other articles
- Acid jazz Genre
Around those labels bands formed that played real instruments in the spirit of the old records: The Brand New Heavies, Galliano, Young Disciples, Incognito and Jamiroquai, whose first single appeared on Acid Jazz in 1992.