Soul Diva BETTY WRIGHT plays two nights in February 15 - 17th
Venue: Islington Assembly Hall
- Date Fri, 15/02/2013 19:00
- Betty Wright hails from Miami in Florida.Betty is a former member of her family gospel group, the Echoes Of Joy (whom she joined at the age of three years old), Wright's first recordings were as a backing singer.She then moved into a more secular style of singing after being overheard, at the age of 11, working in a local record store, by fellow Miami musical entrepreneurs, Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke.Reid and Clarke utilised Betty, initially, as a background vocalist for their Deep City imprint.By 1967, Betty had relocated to the Solid Soul label, releasing the songs 'Good Lovin' and 'Mr Lucky'.Betty scored a minor hit with 'Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do' in 1968 for the emerging Alston imprint.1970 and 1971 saw the respective releases 'Pure Love' and 'I Love The Way You Love'.'Clean Up Woman' followed in 1972, a U.S. R & B number 2 / pop number 6 hit established a more powerful side to her musical delivery, that later releases, 'Baby Sitter' (from 1972) and 'Let Me Be Your Lovemaker' (from 1973), confirmed.'Clean Up Woman', on reaching the number 2 slot, became a Gold record, which Betty was presented with on her 18th birthday.Although 'Shoorah Shoorah' and 'Where Is The Love?' (further Alston releases) reached the U.K. Top 30 in 1975.'Slip And Do It', 'If I Ever Do You Wrong' and 'Life' followed in 1976.By this time Betty became more involved with the production side of proceedings, writing much of her material as highlighted by the release of the excellent 'Explosion' album a year later.In 1977, Betty released the album 'This Time For Real', an album containing the popular modern dancer 'That Man Of Mine'.Betty continued recording into the 80's and furthered a career as a U.S. television talk show hostess.She released a self titled album in 1981, which contained the sought after 'Make Me Love The Rain', along with Betty's take on the Richard Dimples Fields song, 'I Like Your Lovin'.In 1986, Betty released, what is considered by many pundits to be one of the soul albums of the Eighties, 'Sevens' on First String Records.Bobby Caldwell contributed to the recording.Her voice can also be heard on Percy Larkins excellent duet 'I Need To See You Again'.In 2001/2 Betty returned to the soul scene with a new album entitled 'Fit For A King' on her own Ms B label.Working in December 2006, Betty was to be found working with the artists Beyonce, Scarey Spice, and Broke Hogan.
Lover's Rock Valentine's Day JANET KAY & CARROLL THOMPSON
Lover's Rock Valentine's Day JANET KAY & CARROLL THOMPSON
- Venue:
- Islington Assembly Hall
- Date:
- Thu, 14/02/2013 19:00
-
Lover's Rock Valentine's Day Special featuring
The Queens of Lover’s Rock
Janet Kay & Carroll Thompson - Live in Concert with full band
Janet Kay best known in the UK for her hit single ‘Silly Games’ first released in 1979 making her the first British Black Female Reggae Artist to top the UK British pop charts. Janet is also best remembered for her role as ‘Angel’ in the cult hit TV Channel 4sit com from the 80’s, ‘No Problem’. In 1991 Janet Kay had a massive hit in Japan with her version of Minnie Ripperton’s ‘Loving You’ and was signed to Sony Music Japan for over 12 years and recorded 6 albums. Janet is affectionally known as the ‘Queen of Lover’s Rock’ and is presently recording her new album.
Carroll Thompson's voice was nurtured while singing in school and church choirs, and encouraged to sing by her church owning family, Carroll subsequently embarked on a singing career and by 1981 she had topped the reggae chart twice, with "I'm Sorry" and "Simply In Love" In 1982 she scooped two accolades at the GLR Reggae Awards. She was voted best female performer and "Hopelessly In Love" was deemed the best song. Her prolific career continued, and in 1983 she secured further awards, including a citation from the Voice, and was voted top female vocalist for the second time by GLR listeners. She also recorded duets with Sugar Minott ("Make It With You") and Trevor Walters ("Love Won't Let Us Wait"). Her solo hits include "Honest I Do", "Give Me A Chance" and "You Make It Heaven".
Byron Wallen Quartet in concert 1st February 2013
Byron Wallen live in concert
Part of St. James Studio Jazz and Roots Friday
Having studied trumpet with Jimmy Owens, Danald Byrd and Jon Faddis,
Byron Wallen has become one of the most dynamic and versatile jazz
voices currently on the British scene, Byron has performed with rap
outfits such as The Roots, Digable Planets and Us3. Byron is firmly
rooted in the jazz tradition, he has toured with David Murray, Andrew
Hill and Butch Morris, and he has also performed with Ralph Moore, Billy
Higgins, Eddie Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Herlin Riley and Freddie
Hubbard. The past 2 years have seen Byron tour and record with immense
Jazz legends : Sam Rivers 2006, Andrew Hill tours 2006 – 2007, Jack
Dejohnette 2007, McCoy Tyner 2007.
Byron is widely recognised as a seminal figure in world jazz. He
collaborated with Talvin Singh on his Mercury prize award-winning album
‘OK’ for Island records, and recorded on Courtney Pine’s project ‘Back
in the day’. Byron appeared in the Wind rush Gala Concert in 2001,which
was staged as a culmination of a remarkable season of programmes by the
BBC. Byron has also appeared onscreen many times, playing a jazz
trumpeter in The Talented Mr Ripley and also making appearances in
Stephen Fry’s film Fine Young Things and D’Lovely, the Cole Porter
Story. In this year, Byron also recorded on Jean Toussaint’s latest
album “Street above the underground”, and toured with his Nazaire group.
Featuring Byron Wallen – Trumpet, Flute, Shells, Oren Marshall – Tuba, Neil Charles – Bass, Tom Skinner – Drum
BOOK TICKETS
LEON WARE - in Concert at Islington Assembly Hall 1st February 2013
+ Hannah Williams & the Tastemakers
+ Linda Muriel's Afro-Symphony
+ Keep the Faith DJ's Paul Aaaron & K15.
LEON WARE BAND LINE UP:
Leon Ware - Vocals
Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick - Guitar
Matt Cooper - Drums / MD
Francis Hylton - Bass
Dan Goldman - Keys
Vanessa Haynes - Vocals
Leon Ware is a legendary soul music singer, songwriter and producer.
His most famous album was I Want You, written for friend and Motown icon Marvin Gaye in 1976.
He also wrote the Top 5 R&B single, "I Wanna Be Where You Are", for a young Michael Jackson in 1972, and created the Body Heat album along with Quincy Jones.
He wrote "Inside my Love" for Minnie Ripperton, "If i ever love this heaven" for the Average White Band & "Sumthin' Sumthin" for Maxwell.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Leon Ware released six albums on various different labels including "Musical Massage", "Rockin' you eternally", "Inside is Love".
1982's "Why I came to California", recorded with Janis Siegel, was a huge smash during the London Rare Groove years and is arguably his most loved song.
Leon Ware has worked with Smokey Robinson, Bobby Womack, Steviw Wonder, The Isley Brothers, Ike & Tina Turner, Isaac Hayes, The Miracles, Donny Hathaway & the Jackson 5.
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