Smoove & Turrell are a British group hailing from Gateshead in the North East of England. They play a style of music they describe as "Northern Funk" - a contemporary fusion of funk, soul, northern soul, hip-hop and electronica.
The band is composed of Jonathan Scott Watson (known as Smoove) and singer / songwriter John Turrell. The studio and touring band also includes founder member Mike Porter (Keyboards), Lloyd Wright (Guitar), Neil Harland (Bass) and Oscar Cassidy (Drums). Previous members include Athol Cassidy (Guitar), Andy Champion (Bass), Lloyd Croft (Drums), Dave Wilde (Sax) and Tim McVicar (Bass).
They have released six studio albums: Antique Soul (Jalapeno Records, 2009), Eccentric Audio (Jalapeno Records, 2011),[1]Broken Toys (Jalapeno Records, 2014), Crown Posada (Jalapeno Records, 2016), Mount Pleasant (Jalapeno Records, 2018) and Stratos Bleu (Jalapeno Records, 2020).
History
The story of Smoove & Turrell began in the post millennium North East of England with a group of working class lads and a shared passion for soul. Smoove had met keyboardist Mike Porter through the local music scene in Newcastle and recruited him for his ‘Smoove Live’ project for the label Acid Jazz. Around Mike’s house one day they overheard a neighbour singing sublime melodies in his garage with friends which turned out to be none other than a young John Turrell practising in a band called ‘The Stevies’. After a couple of further sessions ‘scouting’ him they finally knocked on the door and had a chat and hit it off straight away.
A man of many facets, John Turrell was a skilled carpenter, working and teaching the trade to apprentices at a local college as well as his musical endeavours. After the trio performed several gigs together with various other guest musicians it was agreed they would create some new material and so they started to write and arrange a clutch of tracks that Smoove would record and produce.
The first Smoove & Turrell release was a limited edition 7" single called "I Can't Give You Up",[2] issued in 2007 on German record label Club Tikka as a double A-side shared with "Curry Rice (Instrumental)" by Torpedo Boyz. It was recorded at Mike Porter’s house as his Hammond Organ, which features prominently on the track, was immovably wedged in his utility room! It gained underground popularity, particularly on Mod and Northern Soul forums and all 500 pressings of the record sold out. The resultant lack of supply started a notable bidding war for one copies on auction site eBay - one of which sold for £166. Upon completing the recording of their first album, the band's Live agent sent a copy to Jalapeno Records, who offered the band a deal within an hour of listening to it.
Ahead of the release of the debut album Antique Soul (2009), Jalapeño reissued the single "I Can't Give You Up". "You Don't Know" and "Beggarman" completed a trio of singles, taken from the album, that collectively earned two 'Record Of The Week' accolades on BBC Radio 2 and were playlisted on BBC Radio 6 Music. The band toured extensively to support the album, including an appearance at the Big Chill Festival.
It was in fellow soul head DJ Craig Charles that they found their first radio champion as he supported them heavily on ‘The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show’ which was a kick-starter for their assault on national radio eventually landing Radio 2 record of the week twice and a playlist on BBC 6 Music.
In 2011, the band released its second album Eccentric Audio (also on Jalapeno Records). The first single to be taken from the album "Slow Down" reached number 1 in the iTunes Soul chart and was playlisted across national radio stations in the UK and Europe. The follow-up single "Hard Work" was also playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and played by Chris Evans and Graham Norton. The track also appeared on a TV commercial for Rust-Oleum. "Gabriel" was the final single to be taken from the album.
Smoove & Turrell tracks were used on US TV shows, feature films and an ABC network primetime advertising campaign, as well as in video games such as 'The Crew'. KCRW in LA put 'Hard Work' in their coveted Today’s Top Tune slot further exposing the band to west coast tastemakers and the boys becoming unlikely darlings of the US sync business.
The band capped off 2011 with live appearances on BBC Radio 2 on Christmas Eve and BBC Radio 6 Music on New Year's Eve.
In 2014 the band released its third album on Jalapeño, entitled Broken Toys. Its release was preceded by the release of the single "Lay It On Me" and followed by "Will You Be Mine" and "Now or Never". The band formally launched the album at a gig at The Jazz Cafe in London. Following the album launch, the band embarked on a UK and European promotional tour - The Broken Toys tour - to support its release.
Respected DJ / label boss and producer Gilles Peterson played the title track on his BBC 6 Music show.
One notable show on 13 March 2015 saw the band play a secret acoustic gig at the North East Of England Institute Of Mining. The secret was the location of the gig, which was only revealed two days prior to the performance, in front of an audience of 100 fans. The band continued to tour in 2015.
By 2016 their extensive touring and appeal across borders was recognised by the BPI and the band were awarded Music for Export Growth Scheme funding to assist with an extended touring schedule. The band were invited to play Canadian Music Week and crowdfunded the necessary costs to take them there in just two days.
Album number four 'Crown Posada' was released in 2016, with the whole band involved in the writing process. An album which infused their northern soul and funk style with early electronica influences, rock, pop, disco and jazz whilst still maintaining the signature Smoove & Turrell sound.
Socially conscious lyrics are very much a centre piece of the themes explored by the band. Highlighting the divide between the rich and the poor and offering an insider’s look at what it’s like to grow up, live and raise a family in the North East of England. '50 days Of Winter' in particular offers a bleak picture of the isolation that can strike when life on the road stops and real life kicks in.
As always though with Smoove & Turrell the highs and the lows of life are represented and the hard times realism of some of the lyrics is tempered by the irrepressible dancefloor euphoria of others. The album opener 'You Could Have Been A Lady' – a cover of the Hot Chocolate classic – being a prime example. The track was playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music and championed by DJ Chris Evans.
'Mount Pleasant' LP cover, Jalapeño Records (2018)
Never ones to rest for long, the Geordie soul crew returned in 2018 with a stunning fifth album 'Mount Pleasant', after the success of Crown Posada , which gave the band multiple BBC Radio 2 playlists and 6 music spins. An album which, true to the band's style, draws on subject matters which are aimed to make us stop and think, with songs such as the politically charged ‘Hate Seeking Missile’ , balanced fittingly with uplifting stompers, such as ‘There For Me’. The lead single 'You're Gone', a duet featuring John Turrell and Jalapeño Records stablemate, Izo Fitzroy, was again picked up by Gilles Peterson and played extensively by Craig Charles on BBC Radio 2. The follow-up single 'I Feel Alive' was released in June 2016. The euphoric track, which recalls a hedonistic night John Turrell spent in Paris, is backed with the On the B side is ‘Mr Hyde’ - a beast of a track that opens with energetic live drums and a standout organ riff, played by Mike Porter on his vintage Farfisa.
In May 2018 the band embarked on the 'Mount Pleasant Tour' to support the album, playing at venues throughout the UK and Europe.
Since April 2020, the duo present The Northern Coal Experience on Brighton based community radio station 1BTN.
Band members
Smoove
Smoove (Jonathan Scott Watson) originally started out as a professional DJ in 1990, when he worked in bars and clubs, mainly in the Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland areas. In 1991 he began to make his own music - based on a blend of hip-hop, soul and funk - and released a single under the band name Ashbrooke All Stars entitled "Dubbin' Up The Pieces",[3] on East West Records (a Warner Brothers imprint). The track, which was based on the Average White Band classic "Pick Up the Pieces" reached number 16 on the UK Dance Chart.[4] In the years leading up to the formation of Smoove & Turrell his DJ career flourished, he presented a radio show - called Ultravibe - on Sunderland's Wear FM, fronted a Newcastle upon Tyne funk and hip hop band named Rubberneck and remixed music for other artists. A notable early remix of 'No Nose Job' by hip-hop band Digital Underground was commissioned by the Big Life record label.
Smoove's debut single "He Won't Get Far" was released on the Atomic Hi-Fi label as 12" picture disc, designed to resemble dusty, scratched vinyl. In 2004 he signed a deal with Acid Jazz records, releasing two albums Dead Men's Shirts (2005)[5] and Gravy (2007).[6] Outside of Smoove & Turrell he runs two record labels - Wack Records and Wass Records - and works as a music producer, remixer and DJ. His Wack label releases vinyl and digital EPs featuring mashups created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs. Smoove appears as his alter-ego S.M.O.V. on releases issued on the Wack label. The Wass Records label provides a platform for original music based around jazz, hip-hop and funk - but with a contemporary flavour. The label has released singles and albums by Renegades Of Jazz and Daytoner in both vinyl and digital formats.
In 2012, Smoove released First Class (on Jalapeno Records), his second compilation album of remixes he has produced for other artists (Gravy being the first).
John Turrell
John Turrell is a vocalist and songwriter. He is also a skilled carpenter and a former lecturer at Newcastle College. He was lead vocalist of a band called The Stevies, prior to meeting Jonathan Watson and forming Smoove and Turrell. In 2010 listeners of The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 Music voted for their Fantasy Funk Band and he was voted best funk male vocalist. Craig Charles subsequently got this funk dream team together to perform at the BBC's Maida Vale studios] for a radio broadcast.
Since the formation of Smoove & Turrell, he has collaborated with a number of artists on their own recordings, among these are The James Taylor Quartet, Kraak & Smaak, Ashley Beedle's, Mavis Project,[7] and Fab Samperi.
He released his debut solo album, The Kingmaker, in 2013 on the Big Chill label. The album was reissued by Jalapeño Records and two digital-only EPs, 'The Kingmaker Remixed - parts 1 & 2' were released to support it.
Live band
Smoove & Turrell have performed live throughout the world since 2009. They appear either as a duo (with John Turrell on live vocals and Smoove on decks and samples) or as a full live band. Keyboardist Mike Porter, as well as being one of the band's founders, is also its longest serving touring member.
The band has played many festivals including Glastonbury in 2010. They have recorded many live radio sessions on UK and European stations including BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and BBC Radio Newcastle.
Discography
Singles and EPs
"I Can't Give You Up" (2007) (AA side 7" single shared with Torpedo Boyz) - issued as 'Club Tikka 45 Vol. 1' (Muto Records, MUTO008, Germany) - limited edition of 500 pressings.[2]
"I Can't Give You Up" (2009) (Jalapeno Records, JAL 72, 12" single and download)
"You Don't Know" (2009) (Jalapeno Records, JAL 78, 12" single and download)[8]
"In Deep" (2012) Jalapeno Records, JAL 122, 12" single and download)[14]
"Lay It On Me" (2014) Jalapeño Records
"Will You Be Mine EP" (2014) Jalapeño Records
"Now Or Never" (2014) Jalapeño Records
"You Could Have Been A Lady" (2016) Jalapeño Records
"No Point In Trying" (2016) Jalapeño Records
"You're Gone (feat. Izo Fitzroy" (2018) Jalapeño Records
"I Feel Alive" (2018) Jalapeño Records
Albums
Antique Soul (2009) (Jalapeno Records, vinyl JAL 75V, CD JAL75CD and download JAL75)[15]
Eccentric Audio (2011) (Jalapeno Records, vinyl JAL112V, CD JAL112CD and download JAL112)[16]
Broken Toys (2014) (Jalapeno Records, vinyl JAL178V, CD JAL178CD and download JAL178)[17]
Crown Posada (2016) (Jalapeno Records)
Mount Pleasant (2018) (Jalapeno Records)
Solid Brass: Ten Years Of Northern Funk (2019) (Jalapeno Records)
Stratos Bleu (2020) (Jalapeno Records)
Related Research Articles
The Brand New Heavies is an acid jazz and funk group formed in 1985 in Ealing in west London. Centered around songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Simon Bartholomew and Andrew Levy, the core members of the group since its founding, Brand New Heavies are best known for a string of successful singles in the early 1990s featuring N'Dea Davenport as lead vocalist.
Faithless are an English band that formed in 1995, with its core members being Rollo, Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz. Their first album, Reverence, was released in 1996 and their most recent, All Blessed, in 2020. They have sold millions of physical records, and their catalogue was uploaded to streaming sites in 2018. They average almost 3 million streams a month. Faithless' records have charted at #1 in numerous countries and they were voted the 4th greatest dance band of all time by Mixmag.
A Certain Ratio are an English post-punk band formed in Flixton, Greater Manchester in 1977 by Peter Terrell and Simon Topping, Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Donald Johnson (drums), and Martha Tilson (vocals) joining soon after.
I Am Kloot were an English rock band, formed in Manchester in 1999. The band was composed of vocalist/guitarist John Bramwell, bassist Peter Jobson and drummer Andy Hargreaves.
Acid Jazz Records is a record label based in East London formed by Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller in 1987. The label is the namesake of the acid-jazz subgenre of jazz music for which it is most famously known for producing.
Skint & Demoralised are a British alternative indie/pop act, fronted by lyricist Matt Abbott from Wakefield, West Yorkshire and produced by David Gledhill from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Formed in 2007, the band released several records and toured the UK between 2007 and 2013. After spending six years pursuing individual projects, Skint & Demoralised announced a new single, which was released on Fierce Panda in spring 2019.
Kraak & Smaak is a musical production trio from the town of Leiden, Netherlands, consisting of Oscar de Jong, Mark Kneppers and Wim Plug. The three began recording in 2003. Their first album, titled Boogie Angst, was released in the UK 2006, and they began performing at music festivals and at clubs in the US and UK. Their songs were played on the radio and were used in television shows. Their second album, released in 2008, was titled Plastic People. They won an EBBA. Their third album, Electric Hustle, was released in 2011.
Dan Webb, is an Australian musician, entrepreneur, music journalist and critic.
Ronika is an English singer-songwriter, producer and DJ. Born in Nottingham but currently living in London, she writes, sings and produces her own music.
"Cuddly Toy" is a song by British band Roachford. It was the second single taken from their self-titled debut studio album, and was their first chart hit single. It was recorded at CBS Recording Studios, Whitfield Street, London over a three-day period between Saturday 19 March and Monday 21 March 1988. The drums were recorded in Studio 1, with the rest of the instruments recorded in Studio 2. The studio engineer was Richard Hollywood. The song was produced by Michael H. Brauer, Andrew Roachford and Fayney. It was mixed at a later date by Michael H. Brauer.
Nick Pride and the Pimptones are a funk/jazz/soul band based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Pimptones were formed in 2007 by guitarist, composer, and arranger Nick Pride. Their record label Record Kicks describes them as "a deep funk/jazz-dance outfit playing original music in the style of The Meters, JTQ and Charlie Hunter. The group is equally at home in a noisy nightclub or intimate jazz setting, and is most likely to bring the roof of either down with their heavy dancefloor grooves, big breaks and sophisticated jazz numbers."
The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show is a British radio programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music on Saturdays, between 6 pm and 9 pm, and from 2016 until 2022 between 10 pm and 12 midnight on BBC Radio 2. The Radio 6 Music show is presented live by Craig Charles and produced by Simon Hodge, Ben Appleyard and Ellen Orchard for TBI Media. All varieties of funk and soul music are played, from classic tracks to contemporary releases. It is the longest-running show on BBC Radio 6 Music.
Laura Mvula is a British singer. A native of Birmingham, England, Mvula has gained experience as a young member or leader of a cappella, jazz/neo-soul and gospel groups and choirs. She was classically trained. In 2012, she signed with RCA Records and released an extended play, She, to critical acclaim.
King Bee is a jazz-funk band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne UK in 2011. Its members consist of Dave Wilde, Chris Jelly (Vibraphone), Dan Brady (Bass), Martin Douglas (Drums), Richard Burns (Trumpet), Steve Glendinning (Guitar).
Alexia Coley is a West London-based soul singer-songwriter recording on the Jalapeno Records label. She is the daughter of Ethel Coley and previously fronted The Rotten Hill Gang big band.
Diane Shaw from Manchester, England is a British soul singer, who has been touring and performing for 20 years. In that time Shaw has gained a considerable following around the UK, particularly on the British Modern soul and Northern soul scene.
Surprise is the first album released by Lynsey de Paul on the MAM record label in 1973. In Australia, the album name was changed to Sugar Me, after de Paul's first hit single. All of the songs on the album were written or co-written by de Paul, who was accompanied by some of the UK's leading session musicians including Terry Cox, Ralph McTell, Ray Cooper, Jeff Daly, John Gustafson, Chris Rae, Danny Thompson, Gary Boyle, Barry de Souza, Dick Katz, Robert Kirby, Francis Monkman, John Richardson and violinist Johnny Van Derrick. The album front cover is a portrait photo of de Paul photographed by Clive Arrowsmith, and a gatefold sleeve with illustrations provided by de Paul, a nod to her previous career of designing album sleeves and song lyrics.
The Sonic Dawn is a psychedelic rock band, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. They are known as a prolific live act, having toured the European continent numerous times, and have released four full-length albums internationally. The Sonic Dawn describe their sound as "a psychedelic mixture of styles, from jazzy sitar pop to heavy acid rock." They have recently appeared alongside artists such as Graveyard and Brant Bjork.
"You Don't Know" is a song by Smoove & Turrell, released both as a CD and 12 inch single, including remixes by Kraak & Smaak as well as Featurecast, on Jalapeño Records in 2009. It was also released as a track on the Smoove & Turrell 2009 album Antique Soul, as well as on the compilation album, Wavemusic: Soul Ya 3. "You Don't Know" was written by Jonathan Scott Watson, John Turrell, Lynsey de Paul and Barry Blue, and sampled the track "Water" from de Paul's debut album, Surprise.
"Water" is a song written by the British female singer-songwriter Lynsey de Paul and Barry Blue, who was credited as Barry Green. It was first released as a track on De Paul's debut album Surprise in March 1973. Shortly afterwards, a live version that de Paul recorded for the BBC, appearing on the BBC Transcription Services album number 443 in April 1973. It was released as a single later that year in Peru with the title "Agua" but the song was not released as a single in Europe, Japan and the USA. It has since appeared on a number of de Paul compilation albums such as Greatest Hits, The Best of Lynsey de Paul and the Sugar and Beyond anthology.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
