The Brit Funk Association

Featuring members of Beggar & co, Hi-Tension and Central Line

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Last Show: Wednesday 20 th December 2023

PizzaExpress Live (Holborn)

The Brit-Funk Association features a 10 piece collective of musicians from Beggar & Co, Central Line, Hi-Tension and ex-members of Light of the World and Incognito. They perform from each of the band's back catalogue tracks such as 'Time', 'Somebody (Help Me Out)', 'Walking Into Sunshine', 'Hi-Tension', 'British Hustle', 'There's a Reason', 'I'm So Happy', 'London Town', 'Nature Boy', 'Everyday' and some of the great music that inspired them. The new album from BFA will be released in the New Year on Expansion Records.

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The Brit-Funk genre started in the late 1970's and was a catch-all phrase  to describe the distinctive mix of jazz-fusion-funk-disco music being made by UK bands such as Level 42, Light of the World, Freeez, Shakatak, Central Line, Hi-Tension, Morrissey / Mullen, Second Image, Direct Drive, Linx and Incognito.

Hi Tension became recognised as the pioneers of British dance music, opening doors for other bands like Light Of the World, Central Line, and Lynx, to name a few. Young up and coming musicians such as Courtney Pine learned their trade and cut their teeth touring with the band. It was a time of excitement and experimentation. A new era. No turning Back. No compromise. Hi Tension kicked open the doors to the UK dance, and made the industry jump and the dance floors shake! The Groove lives on 'Bless The Funk'.

As members of Beggar & Co and Light Of The World (the group they first founded) they have had many club hits and four singles in the national charts during the 80’s as well as the National chart album by Light of the World ‘Round Trip” recently released for the first time on CD by EMI Records. National chart hits include Somebody Help Me Out, Time/I’m So Happy, Mule Chant No 2 and I Shot The Sheriff as well as being heralded for classic tracks from the Round Trip album like ‘London Town’ and ‘Pete’s Crusade’. Known for their talent as musicians, the brass section were also featured on hit records by many artists including the hits Chant No 1 and Paint Me Down by Spandau Ballet.

Central Line recorded three albums for Mercury Records in the 1980s, and had two hit singles in the United States, as well as  a number jazz funk hits in the UK.

 

Kenny Wellington (Trumpet)
Peter Hinds (Keyboards)
Steve Salvari (Keyboards)
Patrick Mclean (Saxophone)
David 'Baps' Baptiste (Saxophone)
Paul Mclean (Guitar)
Neville 'Breeze' McKrieth (Guitar)
Billy Osborne (Drums)
Ernie McKone (Bass)
Harry Brown (Trombone)
Jerome Harper (Trombone)