JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF SOUL AND FUNK
‘BULLEIT ORIGINALS’ AT THE ARCHES
LIVE ON STAGE; LEGENDARY JAMES BROWN REVUE VOCALIST MARTHA HIGH, SOUL 2 SOUL SOUNDSYSTEM, AND THE UK’S MODERN SOUL STAR BEN WESTBEECH.
Whiskey brand Bulleit Bourbon® returns to Glasgow with its series of live music events - Bulleit Originals, which showcase the extraordinary talent of pioneering musicians alongside their contemporary peers. The events take the audience on a musical journey demonstrating how much of the music we listen to today is inspired by original pioneering musical genres.
The first Bulleit Originals event, on Friday 7th November, will track the influential journey of Soul and Funk. From the classic Soul of the 60’s and the 70’s funk explosion, to the sample heavy Hip Hop years complemented by a heavy dose of the Funky Dred! The evening will feature performances from groundbreaking UK band Soul 2 Soul (playing a Soundsystem set) alongside one of the pioneering legends of classic soul, Martha High. DJ support comes in the form of current Gilles Peterson favourite, Ben Westbeech.
Soul music originated in The States in the 50’s and has since spawned many subgenres via a mutation of Rhythm and Blues, Gospel and Funk. Rhythmic grooves and emotional vocal performances characterise the Soul / Funk movements, and are also intrinsically linked to the development of 1970s Disco scene. Names such as James Brown, Otis Redding, Ray Charles and Al Green feature heavily in the sample led world of House Music and Hip Hop to date, with funk’s influence clearly evident in new wave, and the post punk revolution.
In the pioneering spirit of Bulleit Bourbon, original vocalist from James Brown’s Revue, Martha High, will illustrate the links between modern popular music and the Soul movement. You are likely to recognise Martha’s unforgettable vocals and raw funk on much of James Brown’s material, including “Payback”, “Bodyheat” and “Doin It to Death”. On top of a 30 year career with the Godfather of Soul, Martha can also lay claim to a share of the stage with Soul and Funk legends Lyn Collins, Little Richard, Maceo Parker, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder to name a few.
With Soul playing no small part in the development of modern music as we hear it today, Soul II Soul, a 2-time Grammy winning Soul act, as a notorious product of the contemporary Soul movement. Founded by Jazzie B and featuring a changing roster of other musicians, Soul II Soul's experiments in music-making of their own resulted in huge hits in 1989 with the singles "Keep on Movin'" and "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)", with these songs setting the tone for early 90s mainstream soul / dance music in the UK. The unmistakeable heartbeat of Soul 2 Soul, Jazzie B (OBE) has also become well known for his production talents remixing for artists like James Brown, Cheryl Lynn, Family Stand and Alyson Williams.
To complete the line-up, Bulleit Originals will also host a performance from Ben Westbeech, a male DJ, singer and producer originating from Bristol and currently signed to Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label. Trained as cellist and vocalist, with influences including Soul, Funk, Punk, Jazz and Hip Hop means you’ll never forget a Ben Westbeech DJ set.
Whilst enjoying the night at The Arches, guests will have the chance to sample a glass of smoky-smooth Bulleit Bourbon served over ice, with cola or ginger ale.
8pm - 2am, The Arches, Argyle Street, Glasgow
Tickets: Arches Box Office, £8 + b.f. in adv / £10 on door
Contact: www.thearches.co.uk, tel. 0141 556 1000
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