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Brand New Heavies at Coastival, Friday 14th February 2014
Seemingly out of nowhere, a crowd comes into being, staking its claim on the dancefloor under the galleries and balconies of the Spa Grand Hall. Jazz-infused afrobeat support act Nubiyan Twist have teased and tantalised us, and a starfield glimmers under a mist-shrouded stage; there is a palpable air of expectancy. Acid jazz pioneers Brand New Heavies are the headline act of Coastival 2014, and come with a reputation of an energised live experience. The core group of Jan Kincaid (drums), Simon Bartholomew (guitar) and Andrew Levy (bass) are usually fronted by American N’Dea Davenport, but relative newcomer Dawn Joseph takes lead vocal duties both here and on their recent album release.
Along with session musicians on keyboard, sax and trumpet, the group make their way onto stage to enthusiastic applause, immediately setting the audience at ease as Levy, his green-rimmed sunglasses sparkling, wryly apologises for their “slightly tardy stage entrance”. The band then make an effortlessly confident start with a surprising choice – a funky cover of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Sledgehammer’ – before opening up with some of their old favourites, ‘Back to Love’ and ‘Never Stop’. Like Nubiyan Twist before them, this is a band with loads going on – at any moment Bartholomew’s sleazy waa-waa guitar could yield to a frenzy of keys, sax or trumpet blasts amid Kincaid’s volley of drums.
“Don’t peak too soon!” Joseph calls coquettishly, “I’m only just getting started on you!” Sporting black feathers and Valentine’s flowers, the charming Joseph’s vocal is flawless and strong. She leaps up and down to the more frenzied numbers, hands in the air. Only a focused Kincaid maintains a certain detachment, whilst the other band-members seem to visibly enjoy the proceedings (particularly effusive Nigel Tufnel-lookalike guitarist Bartholomew). Proclaiming they are “back on the road for the first gig of the new year,” BNH are a band that seem to genuinely enjoy getting an audience on their feet and swaying, creating an instant rapport with songs that have a summery, optimistic vibe.
Big-hitters ‘Dream on Dreamer’ and – surely a mainstay of every BNH performance – ‘Midnight at the Oasis’ are up next, enlivened by a great sax solo from the baseball-capped session player with the characteristic pinched face of a saxophonist, eyes squeezed shut as he plays.
The bands’ most recent album is 2013’s ‘Forward’, and they test the Spa waters with its single release ‘Sunlight’, a typically beatific piece of disco funk with a Chic-like guitar line. A slight breather for Joseph as she “towels herself down and drinks brandy”, while the band moves on to the memorably melodious ‘Heaven’, also from the new album, allowing Kincaid to join in on vocals, deftly singing despite the continuous flow of his drumming. With this, Joseph departs the stage to allow the band to luxuriate in an extended instrumental, giving Bartholomew the chance to unleash a rare guitar solo, even despite a self-described “ceramic knife injury”.
He then hands over to virtuoso keyboardist Matt Steel, who tosses his flowing, dishevelled locks as he claws feverishly at the keys, clearly lost in his own musical world. It’s an unhurried number, but the band rise to the challenge of evolving the sound and keeping interest on the boil.
With the funk engine steaming, Dawn Joseph returns to the stage for 1997’s ‘Sometimes’; the crowd responds with a mild roar of approval when she asks how they are sounding. She remains a relaxed and welcoming presence as they head toward the end of their almost two hour set with ‘Addicted’, ‘Stay This Way’ (“this one’s for all the lovers here tonight”), and ‘ Are the Universe’ from the ‘Shelter’ album. After the requisite so-called “last song of the night” is out of the way, Joseph calls for further stamina in an extended encore which, amusingly enough, includes a brief and funky version of ‘Scarborough Fair’.
And so we reach the end of the gig beaming and breathless. Gathering for a curtain call, Brand New Heavies have lived up to the promise of ’90s acid jazz nostalgia fused with ’70s disco funk, with a lemon-twist of newbie songs added to their roster. Nearly midnight, but we leave the Victorian grandeur of the hall with a feeling of sunlight on our faces.
