| The B-Funk | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 November 1995 | |||
| Genre | R&B, British soul, pop | |||
| Length | 65:01 | |||
| Label | Dome | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Beverley Knight chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The B-Funk | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| The Guardian | [2] |
| Muzik | [3] |
The B-Funk is the debut studio album by the British R&B and soul singer-songwriter Beverley Knight. It was released on 26 November 1995 by independent record label Dome Records.
The B-Funk was released in November 1995 on independent record label Dome Records. It received wide critical acclaim by the urban media in Britain with Echoes magazine labelling it "the best British soul album ever" and Billboard magazine stating that "this lady is on her way to becoming an international star." [4] The album was also named Album of the Year by Blues & Soul in 1996, also earning Knight R&B Act of the Year at the 1996 Black Music Awards in London. However, the commercial success of the album did not match its critical acclaim, peaking at number 145 on the UK Albums Chart. In total, six singles were released from the album, including two releases of "Flavour of the Old School" and a limited edition international release of "Cast All Your Cares."
The album was the only LP released by Knight on Dome Records. After creative differences with the label, Knight decided to leave and sign a new contract with Parlophone Records in 1997. To capitalise on Knight's increased success at the label, Dome have subsequently re-released The B-Funk several times—the first being on 31 May 1999, after Knight won two awards at the MOBO Awards, and then again on 8 May 2006, after the top 10 success of her hits collection, Voice - The Best of Beverley Knight . On both occasions, the album was re-released with bonus remixes of the singles.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The B-Funk" | Knight | 2B3 Productions | 1:10 |
| 2. | "Moving on Up (On the Right Side)" |
| Ethnic Boyz | 5:09 |
| 3. | "Mutual Feeling" |
|
| 4:53 |
| 4. | "Flavour of the Old School" |
| 2B3 Productions | 4:46 |
| 5. | "Remedy" |
|
| 4:07 |
| 6. | "Down for the One" |
| 2B3 Productions | 5:16 |
| 7. | "Steppin' On My Shoes" |
|
| 4:43 |
| 8. | "Promise You Forever" |
| 2B3 Productions | 5:52 |
| 9. | "It's Your Time" |
| 2B3 Productions | 4:26 |
| 10. | "So Happy" |
| 2B3 Productions | 4:34 |
| 11. | "Cast All Your Cares" |
| 2B3 Productions | 5:15 |
| 12. | "U've Got It" |
|
| 4:36 |
| 13. | "In Time" |
| 2B3 Productions | 4:49 |
| 14. | "Goodbye Innocence" | Knight | 2B3 Productions | 5:11 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Flavour of the Old School" (Club Remix) | 4:58 |
| 16. | "Moving on Up" (Ethnic Boyz Remix) | 5:14 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Flavour of the Old School" (Club Remix) | 4:58 |
| 2. | "Down for the One" (2B3 Retro Mix) | 5:15 |
| 3. | "Moving on Up" (Ethnic Boyz Remix) | 5:14 |
| 4. | "Moving on Up" (Ee Bee's Rap Remix) | 5:38 |
| 5. | "Mutual Feeling" (Monroe's Remix) | 5:12 |
| 6. | "Mutual Feeling" (D-Lux Remix) | 5:05 |
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) [5] | 145 |
| UK R&B Albums (OCC) [6] | 20 |
Michael Eugene Archer, better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" for R&B supergroup Black Men United. His debut studio album, Brown Sugar (1995), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received widespread acclaim from music critics, who have credited the album for ushering in the neo soul movement. His third single, "Lady", reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Pharcyde is an American hip hop group, formed in 1989, from South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani, Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, and Fatlip. DJ Mark Luv was the group's first disc jockey (DJ), followed by producer J-Swift.
The Brand New Heavies are an English band formed in 1985, consisting of Simon Bartholomew, Andrew Levy, and Jan Kincaid. After the addition of N'Dea Davenport in 1990, the group experienced mainstream success and pioneered a new genre called acid jazz.
James Edward Carr was an American R&B and soul singer, described as "one of the greatest pure vocalists that deep Southern soul ever produced".
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a single in September 1967. It went to number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and number two on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and shortly became the biggest selling Motown single up to that time.
Jody Vanessa Watley is an American singer, songwriter and producer whose music crosses genres including pop, R&B, jazz, dance and electronic soul. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, she was a member of the R&B/funk band Shalamar, who scored many hits, notably in the UK. In 1988, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and has been nominated for three Grammy awards.
For Real is an American R&B and soul quartet, that formed in 1990. In the latter part of that decade they were nominated for a Billboard Music Award and a Soul Train Music Award. The ladies have now reunited and are touring.
Maurice White was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.
"I Want You" is a song written by Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross and performed by American singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye. It was released as a single in 1976 on his fourteenth studio album of the same name (1976) on his Tamla label. The song introduced a change in musical styles for Gaye, who before then had been recording songs with a funk edge. "I Want You", among other similar songs, gave him a disco audience. Ware, who produced the song alongside Gaye, also was attributed with the single's success.
Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album is the soundtrack for the film of the same name, released on November 14, 1995, by Arista Records. Produced by Babyface, the soundtrack features appearances by several prominent R&B artists, including Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, TLC, Brandy, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Faith Evans, Patti LaBelle, SWV and Mary J. Blige.
Prodigal Sista is the second studio album by British R&B singer-songwriter Beverley Knight. It was released by Parlophone on 17 August 1998 in the United Kingdom. The album was the first to be released by Knight under her new contract with label, with whom she had signed a four album deal with in 1997 after leaving her previous label, Dome Records. The lyrics on the album were written entirely by Knight, as was the creation of melodies and vocal arrangements.
Oliver Cheatham was an American contemporary R&B singer who is best remembered for his 1983 hit "Get Down Saturday Night". The song was sampled by Italian DJ Room 5 on his 2003 single "Make Luv", which reached number one on the UK charts, as well as by British DJ Michael Gray on his 2004 single "The Weekend".
Beverley Knight is an English singer, songwriter, actress and radio personality. She released her first album, The B-Funk, in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released nine studio albums. Widely regarded as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Get Up!", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", "Come as You Are" and "Keep This Fire Burning".
"Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in the United States.
"Made It Back" is a song by Beverley Knight, released as the first single from her second studio album, Prodigal Sista. It was also the first single Knight released on EMI controlled Parlophone Records after she signed a four album deal with the label in 1997 after disagreements with her previous label, Dome Records. The release instantly proved that Knight had made the right decision after it entered the UK Singles Chart at #21 – her highest charting single up to that point. Featuring US rap star Redman, the song was nominated for Best Single at the 1998 MOBO Awards in London, which Knight lost out on to Another Level's "Freak Me". However, Knight went on to win Best R&B Act.
Tamia is the debut studio album by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was released on April 14, 1998, on Quincy Jones's Qwest Records, while distribution was handled through Warner Bros. Recorded after the release of her Grammy Award-nominated collaborations with Jones and the single "Missing You", her contribution to the soundtrack of the 1996 motion picture Set It Off, Tamia worked with a plethora of producers on her debut, including Jermaine Dupri, Tim & Bob, Mario Winans, J-Dub, Keith Crouch, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, many of which would become frequent producers on subsequent projects.
Carl Carlton is an American R&B, soul, and funk singer-songwriter, best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama ".
A Nu Day is the second studio album by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was released by Elektra Records on October 10, 2000, following her transition from Qwest Records. A less ballad-driven collection of songs and more progressive approach than her debut effort, Tamia worked with a smaller number of songwriters and producers on the album, including Dallas Austin, Shep Crawford, Missy Elliott, Bink!, Errol "Poppi" McCalla, and Jazz Nixon, some of whom would become frequent collaborators on subsequent albums. As with Tamia, a cover version, DeBarge's 1983 single "Love Me in a Special Way", was also recorded for the album.
"Sweet Thing" is a song performed by American funk and R&B band Rufus with vocals by band member Chaka Khan. As a single, it peaked number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. Mary J. Blige recorded her version, which charted in the United States and New Zealand in 1993.
Dome Records is a British record label which has existed since 1992, specialising in soul and contemporary R&B music.
