Beggar and Co and The Original Members of Light of the World Featuring The Funk Jazz Collective
| MAJOR
Music
Press
26 London Town Light Of The World
Summery black Brit-funk anthem from 1980, as popularised by Tony Blackburn’s seminal Radio London soul show
‘Light Of The World were one of a clutch of British funk bands who emerged in the late ’70s and early ’80s, along with Funkapolitan, Central Line, Beggar & Co, Hi Tension. They were putting a definite London accent to the soul music we all loved – a touch of reggae, a bit of rock. “London Town” was a cute and funky tune, something I was still playing well into the ’80s. DJs like Chris Hill and Robbie Vincent were the voices on the underground, but me and Steve Walsh were taking it to a bigger audience. We wanted housewives to hear this stuff, not just guys at the Soul Weekenders. It was what I played on my Radio London show between1982 and 1988 – it went out from 9am to 12noon and those phone calls got pretty X-rated at the time! Ha ha! This was the sound of London, not the kind of thing that you usually heard on Radio 1 at the time.’ Tony Blackburn - Time Out - London
I was at a reunion-special gig the other night at the Jazz Cafe involving a few British funk bands - long-forgotten but much-missed by London club cognoscenti - called Light of the World, Beggar and Co and Freeez.
Without them, there would have been no Soul II Soul and the UK soul-dance scene would have been even poorer and more lacking in gritty invention than it already is. But I digress. The bands in question got a rapturous reception from the Caister generation, but one song in particular got everyone excited: I'm So Happy, a lovely ballad and a B-side from 1981 to which the crowd knew every word. This got me wondering: how come so many great songs have ended up as B-sides or extra tracks on CDs? What constitutes a great B-side? And what are the best B-sides of all time?
Read more at
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/12/what_are_the_best_bsides_of_al.html - Guardian Newspaper
Discography
LIGHT OF THE WORLD - ROUNDTRIP + BEGGAR & CO FEAT THE FUNK JAZZ COLLECTIVE [Bonus Tracks - EMI GOLD]
Released 15th Sept 2008 UK 17t rack CD album comprising the classic 'Round Trip' album [previously unreleased on CD] including the hits 'London Town', 'I Shot The Sheriff', 'I'm So Happy' & 'Time'; plus 7 Bonus Tracks by Beggar & Co recorded live at London's Jazz Cafe; comes complete with a picture booklet containing extensive sleevenotes written by by Light of the World and Beggar & Co founder Kenny Wellington).
Light Of The World:
1. Time
2. London Town
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. I'm So Happy
5. More Of Myself
6. Visualise Yourself (And Your Mind)
7. Painted Lady
8. Pete's Crusade
9. I Walk The Streets Alone
10. Something For Nothing
Bonus Recordings - Beggar & Co Featuring The Funk Jazz Collective [Live at The Jazz Cafe]:
11. Cosmic Lust
12. Pete's Crusade
13. Bahia De Palma
14. I'm So Happy
15. Time
16. Movin'
17. (Somebody) Help Me Out
BRASS,STRINGS N'THINGS (MBJ RECORDS 2007
MBJ2)
1.Evolution
2.Cosmic Lust
3.I Like It
4.Pete's Crusade
5.Throw Down
6.Bahia De Palma
7.I'm So Happy
8.Nature Boy
9.Time
10.London Town
11.Movin'
12.(Somebody) Help Me Out
13.Going Home To See My Baby-Part 2
14.Time (Remix)
INNER VOICES (1999 Sanctuary CD ARTS 01)
1. I Like (The Way U Make Me Feel)
2. City Life
3. Back 2 Back
4. The Power
5. Blue Sky Day
6. Out Of Many One People (Interlude)
7. Slow Down
8. Bahia
9. Some People Say (Some People Do)
10. Part-Time Lover
11. Mind Games
12. Searchin' For El Co Co (Interlude)
THE BEST OF LIGHT OF THE WORLD (1994 Music Club Int. MCCD 189)
1. Swingin'
2. Midnight Groovin'
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. Visualise Yourself (And Your Mind)
5. I'm So Happy
6. Time
7. London Town
8. Pete's Crusade
9. The Boys In Blue
10. Painted Lady
11. Something For Nothing
12. Mirror Of My Soul
13. I Walk The Streets Alone
14. Dreams
The Very Best of Light of the World
THE BEST OF LIGHT OF THE WORLD (1994 Music Club Int. MCCD 189)
1. Swingin'
2. Midnight Groovin'
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. Visualise Yourself (And Your Mind)
5. I'm So Happy
6. Time
7. London Town
8. Pete's Crusade
9. The Boys In Blue
10. Painted Lady
11. Something For Nothing
12. Mirror Of My Soul
13. I Walk The Streets Alone
14. Dreams
CHECK US OUT (1982 EMI EMC 3410)
1. Famous Faces
2. I Can't Stop
3. Don't Run
4. Check Us Out
5. Tubbs In The Caribean
6. Soho
7. No.1 Girl
8. (Everybody) Move
9. Easy Things To Say
REMIXED... (1981 Mercury 6359 062)
1. London Town
2. The Boys In Blue
3. Swingin'
4. I Shot The Sheriff
5. We Can Dance
6. Time
7. Midnight Groovin'
LIGHT OF THE WORLD (1979 Ensign ENVY 7)
1. Swingin'
2. Dreams
3. Who Are You (Who do you think you are?)
4.Midnight Groovin'
5. Aspects
6. Mirror Of My Soul7. Liv Togevver (The Greater London Funkathon)
ROUND TRIP (1980 Ensign ENVY 14)
1. Time
2. London Town
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. I'm So Happy
5. More Of Myself
6. Visualise Yourself (And Your Mind)
7. Painted Lady
8. Pete's Crusade
9. I Walk The Streets Alone
10. Something For Nothing
LIGHT OF THE WORLD (US version) US (1980 Mercury SRM 1-3819)
1. Swingin'
2. Dreams
3. Who Are You (Who do you think you are?)
4. Emergency
5. Aspects
6. Mirror Of My Soul
7. Liv Togevver (The Greater London Funkathon)
8. I'll Aways Love You
SINGLES
A. Swingin'
B. The World Is Out 1979 Ensign ENY 22.12
A. Midnight Groovin' 1979 Ensign ENY 291
B. Emergency
A. The Boys In Blue/This Is This 1980 Ensign ENY 3612
B. The Boys In Blue
A. London Town (Full Length Version) 1980 Ensign ENY 4312
B. Pete's Crusade
A. I Shot The Sheriff (Extended Mix) 1980 Ensign ENY 4612
B. Painted Lady/New Soft Song
A. Time (Remix) 1980 Mercury MERX 64
B. I'm So Happy
A. Ride The Love Train (12" Mix) 1981 EMI 5242
B. Ride The Love Train/Instrumental
A. Check Us Out 1982 EMI 5294
B. I Can't Stop
A. No. 1 Girl 1982 12EMI 5319
B. Don't Run
A. Famous Faces 1982 12EMI 5324
B. Get On Board
A. Jealous Lover (Extended Version) 1983 12 EMI 5403
B. Stranger/Jealous Lover (Instumental)
A. London Town'85 1985 Ensign 12 ENY 518
B. Beggar & Co -(Somebody) Help Me Out
A. London Town'85 1989 Old Gold OG 4095
B. Time
A. One Destination 1990 Cool Tempo COOLCD 209
B. One Destination (Nomad In Tune/Goldmine Mix)
A. Keep The Dream Alive 1991 Cool Tempo COOLX 232
B. Keep The Dream Alive Part2 /Groove Buster
A. Expansions 1992 Cool Tempo COOLCD
A. Got To Get Your Own 1992 Cool Tempo COOLCD
OTHER RELEASE
Releases: (Somebody) Help Me Out (12") Ensign Records 1981 (Somebody) Help Me Out (7") Ensign Records 1981 Monument (LP) RCA 1981 Mule (Chant No. 2) (12") RCA 1981 Mule (Chant No. 2) (7") RCA 1981 Got To Get Away / We All Work Out (12") RCA 1982 Anybody See My Trial (12") Polydor (UK) 1983 P
Photos
Bio
FUNKJAZZ, SOUL & BRITFUNK WITH SOME OF
THE UK'S FINEST.
Enjoy the chart hits of this great collective as well other classic tracks from the jazzfunk/soul genre.
With a 10 piece core band, The Funk Jazz Collective formed by The members of Beggar & Co and The Original members of Light Of The World and former members of Incognito horn men Kevin Robinson and Fayyaz Virji and other great UK based musicians including Jean Paul Maunick when available. The show includes special guest vocalists performing their own hit recordings.
Guests have included Junior Giscombe, Leee John and Central Line.
The show includes all the Top 20 recordings of the artists
'Somebody Help Me Out' Beggar & Co
'Nature Boy' Central Line
'Southern Freeze' Ingrid Mansfield Allman Of Freeeze
'Mama Used To Say' Junior Giscombe
The band also of course play the jazzier and funkier cuts from the compositions written as the founder members of Light Of The World, particularly from the now classic album 'Round Trip' ,'London Town', Pete's Crusade and 'The hit single 'Time' remaining ever popular.
This is a popular revue of Brifunk and Soul as evidenced by the recent sold out shows at The Jazz Cafe.
About Beggar & Co feat The Funk Jazz Collective
Beggar & Co was formed by the founder and original members of the UK pioneers of Britfunk, Light Of The World, Trumpeter Kenny Wellington, guitarist Breeze McKrieth and saxphonist David Baptiste.
After recording the seminal Light Of The World album 'Round Trip' various members of Light Of The World began a series of other projects. Other key LOTW members Jean Paul 'Bluey' Maunick, Paul Williams had already begun the first of many recordings by the now internationally acclaimed Incognito. The first two releases by Beggar & Co were the Top Thirty national chart hits 'Somebody Help Me Out' and Mule (Chant No 2) an idea which came about after Beggar & Co were asked to work with Spandau Ballet on their second album and had contributed much to the success of Chant No 1 which had charted at No3 nationally. Beggar & Co then toured under the Beggar & Co/ Light Of The World umbrella much like Parliament and Funkadelic.
Around this time the term Britfunk started to be used for the homegrown UK funk bands who had joined the greats of the USA as part of the dancefloor movement. This was the age of the soulboy.
The chart success of these singles combined with the acclaimed work of the 'Round Trip' album enabled the band to play in much bigger venues as well as places like the Caister and Purley Alldayers. 'Round Trip' was produced was produced by Augie Johnson founder member and producer of Side Effect and The LA Boppers. The production duties were shared with founder member of LOTW Breeze McKrieth credited as executive producer after contributing much in the studio.Wellington, Baptiste and McKrieth were the writers of much LOTW material' tunes such as 'Time', 'I'm So Happy', 'The Boys In Blue' as well as their major contribution to songs like 'London Town' for which Kenny Wellington wrote the lyrics at Utopia studios London, with David Baptiste providing a memorable and catchy melody, this from an Idea from Augie Johnson who had hummed the bass line to Paul Williams.
These tracks were all included on various compilation albums which sold over 100,000 copies and earned the writers gold records but more importantly put them on record alongside major influences like Kool And The Gang, Brass Construction, Earth Wind & Fire which ensured the band were being heard by the people into this genre of music. There is also something ironic about the Beggar & Co singles becoming the national chart hits that they were in the UK and a number of European territories.
Despite all of the sophistication of the 'Round Trip' album, with it's lush arrangements and excellent use of some of the most outstanding players around, Kenny, Baps and Breeze simply went into the studio called Paul Williams to put down some bass and added a joint vocal over energetic brass lines and funky guitars and keyboards and watched the record outsell any of their previous records. It is ironic that even the follow up record also did the same. This doesn't detract from the excellence of tunes like 'London Town' and others but it is one of those surprising things that happen.
Original Light Of The World
Breeze McKrieth Guitar
Kenny Wellington Trumpet
David Baptiste Saxophone
Jean Paul Maunick Guitar
Peter Hinds Keyboards
Chris Etienne Percussion
Everton McCalla Drums
Paul 'Tubbs' Williams Bass
This was the original band for the first LOTW album simply entitled Light Of The World.
After Chris Etienne was killed in a tragic accident when the band were hit by an articulated lorry a new percussionist joined the band just as the album was set for release. A fourth percussionist, Ganiyu, joined the band. When the band first began rehearsing in Ickburgh Road, Clapton at the home of then drummer Junior King perc
Links
