| The Brand New Heavies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Genre | Acid jazz | |||
| Label | Acid Jazz Records | |||
| Producer | The Brand New Heavies | |||
| The Brand New Heavies chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | (favorable) [3] |
The Brand New Heavies is the debut album by British acid jazz and funk group The Brand New Heavies.
| The Brand New Heavies (Original UK only release) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 16 April 1990 [4] |
| Label | Acid Jazz Records |
| Singles from The Brand New Heavies | |
| |
After signing with Acid Jazz, the band released "People Get Ready" as a vinyl single backed with "Gimme One Of Those". Their next release, in 1990, was the single "Dream Come True" featuring Jay Williamson, then known as Jay Ella Ruth, on vocals. The same year, the band released their self-titled debut on Acid Jazz Records in a largely instrumental version. An expanded edition of this version of the album was released through BGP Records in 2007, [6] featuring tracks previously included on “Original Flava”.
| No. | Title | Vocalist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "BNH" | 5:55 | |
| 2. | "Gimmie One of Those" | 3:43 | |
| 3. | "Dream Come True" | Jay Ella Ruth | 4:53 |
| 4. | "Put the Funk Back in It" | 3:26 | |
| 5. | "People Get Ready" | 3:47 | |
| 6. | "Ride in the Sky" | Jay Ella Ruth | 3:20 |
| 7. | "Sphynx" | 6:14 | |
| 8. | "Stay This Way" | Jay Ella Ruth | 4:14 |
| 9. | "Shake Down" | 4:20 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Never Stop (featuring N'Dea Davenport)" | 4:11 |
| 11. | "Rest of Me" | 4:22 |
| 12. | "Reality" | 3:54 |
| 13. | "Mother's Tongue" | 4:35 |
| 14. | "A Day at the Seaside" | 3:36 |
| 15. | "Country Funkin'" | 4:45 |
| 16. | "Never Stop (Jan Kincaid Version)" | 4:44 |
| 17. | "Dream Come True" (Original 1988 Version) | 5:22 |
| The Brand New Heavies (North American version) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 1991 |
| Label | Delicious Vinyl Records (1991) |
| Singles from The Brand New Heavies (North American version) | |
The 1991 US release of The Brand New Heavies on Delicious Vinyl Records reached #17 on the Billboard R&B Album charts. [9] The release brought the band to prominence with the success of the singles "Never Stop" and "Dream Come True." The former of the two reached #3 on the US Billboard R&B singles chart. [9] Much of their success was due in part to singer N'Dea Davenport's charismatic vocal performance and stage presence. Davenport's version of "Stay This Way" was also released as a single and reached #19 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. [9]
| No. | Title | Vocalist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "BNH" | 5:55 | |
| 2. | "Dream Come True" | N'Dea Davenport | 4:53 |
| 3. | "People Get Ready" | N'Dea Davenport | 3:47 |
| 4. | "Never Stop" | N'Dea Davenport | 4:13 |
| 5. | "Put the Funk Back in It" | 3:19 | |
| 6. | "Gimme One of Those" | 3:42 | |
| 7. | "Ride in the Sky" | N'Dea Davenport | 3:24 |
| 8. | "Sphynx" | 4:47 | |
| 9. | "Stay This Way" | N'Dea Davenport | 5:43 |
| 10. | "Shake Down" | 4:19 |
| The Brand New Heavies (International version) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 2 March 1992 [10] |
| Label | FFRR |
| Singles from The Brand New Heavies (International version) | |
In 1992 the album was released in Europe and re-released in the UK. This version of the album is a modified version of the US version, likewise with N'Dea Davenport on vocals. It opens with a new, long mix of "Dream Come True". The Heavies' own remixes of "Stay This Way" and "Ride In The Sky" replace the US versions. The David Morales remix of "Never Stop", taken from the US single, is also included. The remix was released as single also in Europe on Acid Jazz, during the transition the Heavies moved from Acid Jazz to FFRR. The first fully FFRR Heavies release was "Ultimate Trunk Funk - The EP", with the same Morales mix of "Never Stop" as the lead track.
Though the instrumental "Shake Down" is left off, this version adds a cover of the 1978 Philly soul gem by Jean Carne, [16] "Don't Let It Go To Your Head", also released as single in Europe. A new version of the Heavies' debut single "Got To Give" with new vocals by Davenport and Jan Kincaid closes the album. Though N'Dea was not originally a member of the group, by the time of this 1992 re-release she was shown on the cover of the album with the band and her own feature credit.
| No. | Title | Vocalist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dream Come True" | N'Dea Davenport | 7:47 |
| 2. | "Stay This Way" (The Heavy 7") | N'Dea Davenport | 4:10 |
| 3. | "People Get Ready" | N'Dea Davenport | 3:47 |
| 4. | "Never Stop" (Morales Remix Single Edit) | N'Dea Davenport | 3:55 |
| 5. | "Put the Funk Back in It" | 3:20 | |
| 6. | "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" | N'Dea Davenport | 3:49 |
| 7. | "B.N.H." | 4:28 | |
| 8. | "Ride in the Sky" | N'Dea Davenport | 3:43 |
| 9. | "Gimme One of Those" | 3:43 | |
| 10. | "Sphynx" | 6:11 | |
| 11. | "Got to Give" | N'Dea Davenport, Jan Kincaid | 4:26 |
The Brand New Heavies
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.
Acid jazz is a music genre that combines elements of funk, soul, and hip hop, as well as jazz and disco. Acid jazz originated in clubs in London during the 1980s with the rare groove movement and spread to the United States, Japan, Eastern Europe, and Brazil. Acts included The Brand New Heavies, D'Influence, Incognito, Us3, and Jamiroquai from the UK and Buckshot LeFonque and Digable Planets from the U.S. The rise of electronic club music in the middle to late 1990s led to a decline in interest, and in the twenty-first century, the movement became indistinct as a genre. Many acts that might have been defined as acid jazz are seen as jazz-funk, neo soul, or jazz rap.
"You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer-songwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor from his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. His was released as a single in 1971, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.
N'Dea Davenport is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and producer. She was the lead vocalist in the UK acid jazz band the Brand New Heavies and made pioneering contributions to the genre of acid jazz.
"Midnight at the Oasis" is a song written by David Nichtern. It was recorded in 1973 by American folk and blues singer Maria Muldaur for her self-titled album (1973) and is her best-known recording; it peaked at #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #21 in the UK Singles Chart in the spring of 1974. Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song for 1974. It was also nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, held in 1975. In Canada, the song reached #2 in the RPM magazine singles charts and #45 in the year-end chart.
"Ride Like the Wind" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross. It was released in February 1980 as the lead single from his Grammy-winning 1979 self-titled debut album. It reached number two on the US charts for four consecutive weeks, behind "Call Me" by Blondie. On the album's inner sleeve, Christopher Cross dedicated this song to Lowell George, formerly of the band Little Feat, who had died in 1979. It features backing vocals by Michael McDonald and a guitar solo by Cross.
Delicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles, California.
"When You Gonna Learn" is a song by British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released as their debut single. It was originally released in 1992 by Acid Jazz Records before being re-released on Sony Records in 1993 as the lead single from the band's debut studio album, Emergency on Planet Earth (1993). The lyrical themes, like many of Jamiroquai's early songs, speak of environmental awareness and unfettered capitalism.
"Emergency on Planet Earth" is a song by British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released as the fourth and final single from their debut studio album of the same name (1993). The song was written by Jay Kay, and has an environmentalist tone, urging the listener to "stop modernisation going on." The track peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and at number four on the US Dance Chart.
"Half the Man" is a song by British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released in November 1994 as a single from their second studio album, The Return of the Space Cowboy (1994). The single peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart. "Half the Man" is in the key of D major.
"Blow Your Mind" is the third overall single to be released from British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai's debut studio album, Emergency on Planet Earth (1993). It was released on 24 May 1993 through Sony Soho Square in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
Brother Sister is an album by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies, released on March 22, 1994 by Delicious Vinyl. It spawned several singles, including "Spend Some Time" which spent two weeks at number two on the American dance charts. A cover of Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis" became popular in the UK, but was not included in the US version of the album.
Get Used to It is a funk album by the Brand New Heavies released 27 June 2006 via Starbucks and more traditional music retail outlets.
Following a 10-year tenure with their record labels, funk band the Brand New Heavies released two greatest hits albums titled Trunk Funk, a wordplay on the band's long standing elephant logo.
"Sometimes" is a song by British acid jazz group Brand New Heavies, released in March 1997 as the lead single from their fourth album, Shelter (1997). The lead vocal is performed by American singer Siedah Garrett, who also co-wrote it. As one of their most successful songs, it charted at number 11 in the UK and number 88 in the US. It also peaked at number 16 in Scotland, number 20 in Iceland, number 57 in Sweden and number 83 in the Netherlands. The single was certified silver in the UK. The accompanying music video is a spoof of US TV-shows like Playboy's Penthouse and Playboy After Dark, and shows the band with Garrett performing at one of these TV-shows. It also features some small clips of Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner.
"You Are the Universe" is a song by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies, released in June 1997. The composition was issued as the third single taken from their fourth album, Shelter (1997), which remains the only Brand New Heavies album recorded with American singer Siedah Garrett, who afterwards left the group to concentrate on her own songwriting. The song charted at number twenty-one in UK, and at number eleven within the British Chart-Track.
"Do You Want It Right Now" is a song by American singer Siedah Garrett from the 1985 film Fast Forward. It was a bigger hit for Degrees of Motion in 1991. It has also been recorded by Taylor Dayne for her debut studio album, Tell It to My Heart (1988). A lyric sample of it was also used in Gat Decor's song "Passion", as well as in Armand Van Helden's 2007 hit "I Want Your Soul".
"Dream On Dreamer" is a song by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies, released in March 1994 as the lead single from their third album, Brother Sister (1994). The song is also featured on the group's remix album, Excursions: Remixes & Rare Grooves (1995), that was released in the US. It remains one of their most successful hits, peaking at number 15 in the UK and number 19 in Scotland. In the US, it reached number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100, while in Canada, it hit number 47 on the RPM Top Singles chart.
"Apparently Nothin" is a song by British/American acid jazz band Young Disciples. It features singer Carleen Anderson, who also co-wrote it and was released in 1991 as the second single from their only album, Road to Freedom (1991). The song samples "Here I Am Baby" by the Marvelettes and is inspired by the Gulf War. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, but on the UK Dance Singles Chart, it was a even more successful, peaking at number two. Additionally, it was a top 20 hit in Luxembourg and a top 40 hit in the Netherlands. The band performed the song in the British music chart television programme Top of the Pops. It remains their biggest hit and is now widely considered as a classic of its genre.
This is the discography documenting albums and singles released by American singer N'Dea Davenport.
