Soul II Soul
Highly succesful rap, soul and R&B group primarily consisting of Jazzie B (b. Beresford Romeo, 26 January 1963, London, England; rapper), Nellee Hooper (musical arrangement) and Philip ‘Daddae’ Harvey (multi instrumentalist). The name Soul II Soul originally described Jazzie B and Harvey's company supplying DJs and PA systems to dance acts. They also held a number of warehouse raves, particularly at Paddington Dome, near Kings Cross, before setting up their own venue. There they met Hooper, formerly of the Wild Bunch and currently a member of Massive Attack. Joining forces, they took up a residency at Covent Garden's African Centre before signing to Virgin subsidiary Ten. Following the release of two singles, Fairplay and Feel Free, the band's profile grew with the aid of fashion T-shirts, two shops and Jazzie B's slot on the then pirate Kiss-FM radio station. However, their next release would break not only them but vocalist Caron Wheeler (b. 19 January 1963) as Keep On Movin reached number 5 in the UK charts. The follow-up, Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) once more featured Wheeler, and was taken from their debut CLUB CLASSICS VOLUME ONE. The ranks of the Soul II Soul collective had swelled to incorporate a myriad of musicians, whose input was evident in the variety of styles employed. Wheeler soon left to take up a solo career, but the band's momentum was kept intact by Keep On Movin penetrating the US clubs and the album scaling the top of the UK charts. Get A Life was a further expansion on the influential stuttering rhythms which the band had previously employed on singles, but Jazzie B and Hooper's arrangement of Sinead O'Conners UK number 1 Nothing Compares To You was a poignant contrast. Other artists who sought their services included Fine Young Cannibals and Neneh Cherry. The early part of 1990 was spent in what amounted to business expansion, with a film company, a talent agency and an embryonic record label all branching out from the Soul II Soul organisation. The band's second album duly arrived half way through the year, incorporating Courtney Pine and Kym Mazelle amongst a star studded cast. However, despite entering the charts at number 1 it was given a frosty reception by some critics who saw it as comparitively conservative. Mazelle would also feature on the single Missing You, as Jazzie B unveiled the (ill-fated) new label Funki Dred, backed by Motown. As for a definition of what Soul II Soul are, Jazzie B is uncomplicated: ‘Its a sound system . . . an organisation (which) came together to build upon making careers for people who had been less fortunate within the musical and artistic realms’.