The Brand New Heavies on stage at York Barbican. Picture: Paul Rhodes
WHAT do you do after the hit has gone? For the Brand New Heavies, who flew near the top of the Acid Jazz movement in the late-1990s, the answer has been to keep on playing. Now one of many acts riding the mature audience gravy train, this talented group are definitely not resting on their laurels.
This reviewer last saw The Brand New Heavies nearly 30 years ago, and the good feeling they generate feels no different three decades on.
Founding members guitarist Simon Bartholomew (perhaps wearing one of Prince’s slinky outfits, with his rock star locks) and bassist Andrew Levy (getting jiggy in tight sequined trousers) remain the focal points, and their love of improvisation helps to keep the music fresh. All of the nine-strong band members were listening closely to one another and enjoying being on stage.
N’Dea Davenport has been gone from the line-up for ten years. In her stead since 2018, Angela Ricci’s poise and vocals were flawless. There’s a lot of repetition in their tunes, but she never wavered and made for a poised contrast with Bartholomew’s showboating.
The hits were all present and correct, Midnight At The Oasis, You Are The Universe and Dream On Dreamer neatly spread throughout the set, leaving space for funky jams and a smattering of more recent numbers. At their best, the sound of The Brand New Heavies is like a light sunny breeze on your face.
The Brand New Heavies’ Andrew Levy, left, Angela Ricci and Simon Bartholomew
Their most loved songs are rightly regarded as feel-good anthems, tunes that will lighten the spirit. Music snobs may consider them inoffensive and superficial, but that would be to do them something of a disservice.
Their influences are in impeccable, classic soul and funk – and they work hard on the chops and the stage craft. The hip-hop influences in their later albums were downplayed.
In this they were the opposite of openers Galliano. Despite being a musical footnote, they provided a surprisingly good opening set, which was fun, funky, and had a lot of rapping.
Theirs was also a study of contrasts, the elegance of Valerie Etienne (despite her face being invisible beneath a golf visor) with Rob Gallagher’s latter-day Alf Garnett dancing (even if it is hard to imagine Garnett singing Everything Is Going to Get Better to Elsie…). Their set was much enriched by Ski Oakenfull’s keyboards and the propulsive bass of Erne McKone that never let up.
As the daffodils danced on the city walls outside, inside the crowd were definitely moved by these two fine bands, as welcome as Spring.
Review by Paul Rhodes