Akimbo

Drummer Nick van Gelder, player and founder member of the Jamiroquai sound, met Brand New Heavies guitarist Simon J Batholomew during gigs leading up to and the recording of, the seminal 'Emergency On Planet Earth' album. They became brothers in rhyhtm as Acid Jazz was about to reach it's heights. When van Gelder was asked by a Japanese label to put together some funk tunes for a compilation, he gave Simon a call who suggested his school band mate Nick Seymour take on bass duties. With Jessica Lauren on keyboards and Kofi Kari Kari on Percussion, they headed for Falconer studios in Londons Camden. It was here they spent evening jamming, coming up with the track 'On Top'.They were relieved that after a second attempt, the first take had not been recorded over as it had captured something unrepeatable. Soon after, during recording his solo album, Simon decided to use a 2 day session to get the band back into the Acid Jazz studio in 'Tin Pan Alley', Denmark St. In one day, they jammed/wrote and recorded the tune 'Akimbo', the following day overdubbing horns and mixing the track for Totally Wired 12, an Acid Jazz records compilation. The feeling was there that a band had formed. They found themselves giging before finishing the album, the sets consisting mainly of jams, their first show getting a picture in the Evening Standard newspaper. So an album had begun and it was felt that a couple of jams could do with vocals. Marcina Arnold was given a backing track and wrote the lyrics for 'Call To Freedom' on the train from Brighton to the studio where they were recorded the same day. Horns were later added (Jim Hunts tenor sax solo being a first take wonder). 'Tickled' was sung during the mix at 5am , as the engineer wanted to go home he granted a last take which remains unedited and a rare example of a single take improvised vocal. Sometimes they would go in the Studio with something prepared, like the 'Invasion' session. When that was down 'Flight To Havana', was jammed on the spot and recorded, along with 'Return of the Lotus', Several phenomonal gigs were performed,notably Ronnie Scotts and headlining the London Jazz Festival held at Keb Darges legendary Deep Funk.