If you saw the recent BBC 4 documentary on the origins of Jazz Funk then this will be familar ground for you. Newcastle DJ Stewart Birch is very much the spiritual heir of those late 70s early 80s acts. Despite the fact that his influences are more the US House and Garage scenes.
I’m a sucker for a good bass line and ‘ Can’t Live Without Me’ has a fine one. On first listen the House Mix is the funkier version, driven along on an insistent Conga beat, and discreet Rhodes and strings to add to the Jazz Funk feel. The slightly more relaxed 110 BPM orginal version takes a bit more time to worm its way into your brain. Guitar is more visible than on the Houe mix, and the groove is that bit more relaxed. In the end the original is the version that’s going on the Ben More bar playlist, alongside Quantic Soul Orchestra, Wilbert Longmire and recent new favs Men I Trust.
Having found Stewart on Bandcamp I tried his earlier releases. ‘Heaven’ has Car Wash handclaps and a bassline straight out of Giorgio Moroder. ‘Sweat’ very cleverly pitches the two different electric piano sounds of the Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer EP200, think Supertramp and Joe Zawinul for the latter’s unique sound, and if you don’t know what a Rhodes sounds like we should talk. Stewart’s other release available on Bandcamp is another Jazzy house piece called ‘Dreams Don’t Work’. ” Dream’s don’t work unless you do. See your future, build your future. Touch the Sky!”
The whole lot will only cost you a fiver, although you can give him a bit more. While they are available lots of places remember that he earns more from Bandcamp.
New news! Stewart seems to be putting out a track a week at the moment. Upgrade is the latest and keeps up the standrd of his previous songs. Still like ‘Sweat’ best though. Try that first and then get the rest.
