How a nightclub demo and a James Brown title gave acid jazz its name

In 1985 Simon Bartholomew, Jan Kincaid and Andrew Levy formed a band called Brother International. Their demo got played at a nightclub called The Cat in the Hat, and the positive reaction there got them booked to perform. In 1987 they opened for James Brown at Wembley Arena. Soon afterwards they took a new name from one of Brown’s honorific titles, Minister of New Super Heavy Funk, and became The Brand New Heavies.

“Got to Give” appeared on Cooltempo Records in 1988. The following year the group moved to Eddie Piller’s Acid Jazz Records, and the label’s name became the label for a whole new sound. A second single, “People Get Ready”, came in mid-1989. A female vocalist, Jaye Ella Ruth, joined for the debut album, released in June 1990, but left soon after the first single. On the advice of their record label, the band added the American singer N’Dea Davenport.

With Davenport on lead vocals, the band re-recorded and reissued the debut in 1991. It peaked at number 24 on the UK albums chart, and the singles “Dream Come True”, “Stay This Way” and “Don’t Let It Go to Your Head” all reached the UK top forty. Appearances on Soul Train, Showtime at the Apollo and Top of the Pops followed. The real breakthrough came in 1994 with Brother Sister, which reached number 4 in the UK and went platinum, led by “Dream On Dreamer”.

Singers came and went after that. Siedah Garrett replaced Davenport and sang on Shelter in 1997, another platinum album, and Carleen Anderson took over from her in 1998. After Anderson left in 2000 the group fronted a string of session singers until Davenport returned in 2006. Later came Dawn Joseph, then Sulene Fleming and Angela Ricci. Through all the changes, the band has sold over 2.5 million records worldwide and remains known as a leading name in acid jazz.