Winston
<balfourth@logica.com>
----------
From: Mark Allerton
To: 'Acid Jazz Mailing List'
Subject: Re: First Albums/ ACR query
Date: Saturday, 24 May, 1997 01:18
J. Mikel Ellcessor wrote:
> It's kind of uncanny how similar my own '80's commercial/progressive
>
> path was like Elson's, but a band that I haven't encountered on the
> list
>
> yet as an inspiration is A Certain Ratio.
>
Yeah... I was really into ACR around the same time - though in my case I
got into them _because_ I was into funk, rather than the other way
around. Though they came out of that whole Factory scene, they were
seriously funk & latin influenced - and not just lightweights at it
either. I reckon "Sextet" and "I'd Like To See You Again" count as their
best albums - the latter LP is _almost_ straight jazz-funk. They put out
some great 12s as well - "Knife Slits Water", "Waterline", "I Need
Someone Tonite" (good cover of Stevie's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing"
on the flip - waay before it was fashionable to do Stevie covers.) Used
to catch them live a lot too - know what you mean about the latin
workouts.
ACR are still around - though they did gradually move away from the
funk/latin thing. I think they had something out recently - but I don't
follow them too closely these days.
Donald Johnson from ACR (who played just about every damn thing) was
also involved in producing the early singles from brit-funksters 52nd
Street. Andy Connell (who played keyboards) went on to become one third
of Swing Out Sister. Martin Moscrop (another one of ACRs
multi-instrumentalists) was also part of The Swamp Children, who went on
to become Kalima - along with Ceri Evans (of Sunship fame.)
..Mark..