Swing Out Sister
Encyclopedia
Swing Out Sister are a British "sophisti-pop
" group best known worldwide for their 1986 song "Breakout
". Other hits include "Surrender
", "Twilight World
", "Waiting Game" and a remake of "Am I the Same Girl
?" Though album sales in the U.S. and Europe have levelled off since the early 1990s, the group continues to attract a loyal fanbase. The group is also very popular in Japan.
(keyboards) and Martin Jackson
(drums), and were later joined by Corinne Drewery
(vocals). The name came from a 1945 movie starring Arthur Treacher
, called Swing Out, Sister
, and they claim they chose the name because it was the only thing the band could agree on, in that they all hated it. Both Connell and Jackson had been playing in other bands
prior to forming SOS, while Drewery was actually a fashion designer and model before she became the band's lead vocalist.
, they signed with Mercury Records
. Prior to their first album, they released the single "Blue Mood" in the UK in November 1985. However, it did not chart.
In late 1986, the single "Breakout
" was released. It reached the number four position on the UK Singles Chart
in November 1986 and number six on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in the United States in November 1987.
Consequently, when they released their debut album, It's Better to Travel, on 11 May 1987, it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart
. The album registered with listeners for its mix of jazz and electropop, with a blend of real horns, synths (arranged subtly, to sound like strings), drums, and xylophones, scored by producer/arranger Richard Niles
. The follow-up single to the effervescent "Breakout" was the brooding "Surrender
", which featured a trumpet solo performed by John Thirkell
. It rose to number seven on the UK charts in January 1987. The next single was the more serious and jazzy "Twilight World
". This song was the subject of many remixes and was a dance club favourite worldwide. The final single "Fooled By a Smile
" returned to the upbeat pop orientation characteristic of "Breakout".
The group were subsequently nominated for two American Grammy Awards in 1988: Best New Artist
and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group or Duo ("Breakout").
In addition to long-time partner O'Duffy as well as Thirkell, Swing Out Sister also have enlisted the talents of saxophonist Gary Barnacle
(who with Thirkell also comprise the Henpecked Horns known for their work with Level 42
); percussionist Luis Jardim
; guitarist Tim Cansfield; trumpet/fluegelhorn master Jerry Hey
; and songwriter-arranger Jimmy Webb
.
. Although the liner notes give "special thanks to Martin Jackson" and his co-writing credits appear on the songs "Tainted" and "Between Strangers", they also point out that "Swing Out Sister are Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell." Drewery and Connell have been the core group on all subsequent albums. After leaving Swing Out Sister, Jackson later worked for Frank Zappa
.
Kaleidoscope World was released in May 1989, achieving critical acclaim and UK Top 10 success. Their turn away from contemporary styles towards retro musical sources on this album would establish the musical path that they would continue to follow with their subsequent albums. The duo found inspiration in Easy Listening
music, such as Burt Bacharach
, as well as songwriter Jimmy Webb, who arranged two tracks, "Forever Blue" and "Precious Words". The incorporation of an orchestra to their recordings realised their sound in a richer, fuller way than their previous effort which relied more heavily on synthesisers. Consequently, this album featured arrangements and songwriting more classical in inclination. The lead-off single "You On My Mind" featured a more sophisticated blend of musical components (the video was strongly inspired by the 1968 cult film The Thomas Crown Affair
) than their previous efforts while the upbeat tone of "Breakout" was echoed in the lead U.S. single "Waiting Game". Further singles included "Where in the World
" and "Forever Blue", which featured a sample from the John Barry
score from the film Midnight Cowboy
.
, in June 1992. With strong dance rhythms reverberating throughout the entire album, tracks draw influences from 1960s and 1970s jazz, pop, soul, and funk, including a breezy cover version
of the Barbara Acklin
classic "Am I the Same Girl
?" (which became their last US hit, reaching No.1 on the adult contemporary chart
). The album's title track, a blend of 1970s soul music
and modern pop, gained the duo heavy airplay on smooth jazz
radio and was a crossover hit, gaining airtime on adult contemporary stations as well. The musical influences of Stevie Wonder
, The Jackson 5
, and others would become evident on this album but continue on through their later releases. In line with the album theme, Drewery also grew out her hair from her trademark bob
which had become a visual signature for their early years.
, was released in September 1994. The replacement of producer Paul O'Duffy after initial studio sessions with Ray Hayden contributed to a looser, rawer feel to the songs that were often the results of studio jam sessions. Though Drewery and Connell still led Swing Out Sister, additional musicians (including former 52nd Street
bassist Derick Johnson, Pa'lante percussionist Chris Manis, Jazz Defectors drummer Myke Wilson, and trumpet player John Thirkell
) increased their group to ten members that replicate the live performances that had been captured on the Japan-only release Live at the Jazz Cafe. The album featured the single and Delfonics
cover song "La-La (Means I Love You)
", which was also included on the Four Weddings and a Funeral
soundtrack.
" (from their fifth album Shapes And Patterns, one of several released in Japan before other parts of the world) was used as the theme to a Japanese TV program, and was ranked at No.1 in the Japanese chart and received a Japanese 'Grand Prix' (the equivalent of a Grammy Award) for best international single in 1997.
Shapes and Patterns
was first released in Japan in March 1997, and then in Europe and USA the year after. Producer Paul O'Duffy, who co-wrote half of the songs, was back at the helm. As an orchestra was once again employed (led by Gavyn Wright), the lush arrangements characteristic of Kaleidoscope World resurfaced. The liner notes, written by composer/singer-songwriter Mary Edwards, point out the influences of Bacharach, Webb, and John Barry are perceptible in the string arrangements and Latin rhythms, as well as Minnie Riperton
, Rotary Connection
and The 5th Dimension.
The album included a cover of Laura Nyro
's "Stoned Soul Picnic
" as well as the original version of "Better Make It Better", which appeared in a different mix on their previous album. A pervasive longing marks songs such as "Now You're Not Here", "Somewhere in the World" (their final US chart entry to date), "You Already Know", and "Icy Cold as Winter". This album would also mark the beginning of the duo's use of Japanese musicians in their studio sessions.
, their sixth album, proved yet again that Swing Out Sister were eager to reinvent themselves. The album was released in Japan in March 1999, and it remains the only album not released in any other country. This album featured stronger jazz leanings than some of their early pop-oriented albums, and is restrained in mood. The track "Who's Been Sleeping" was promoted as a single and released with several remixes. For this record, SOS adapted to the growing popularity of hip-hop in the late '90s. "Who's Been Sleeping" kicks off the record with an aggressive beat and a few hip-hop flourishes (such as Drewery's counting and uttering "Yeah ..." in the background.) The rest of the record incorporates such sounds a bit more subtly, through the soaring retro stylings of "Closer Than the Sun" and "When Morning Comes" to the excitable lounge of the title track to the mid-tempo trip-hop of "Invisible" and scratch-laced "Sugar Free." Traditional SOS sounds are challenged successfully with the darkly dreamy "If I Had the Heart" and "Make You Stay." Background noises, from telephone conversations to child's play, also enrich the record and give the listener much more to cue in on. Drewery strays out of the usual love lyrics and colours a portrait of a darker world (as the title indicates) by singing about more urban subjects such as drugs (the eerie "Happy When You're High") and prostitution ("When Morning Comes").
All of their experimentation works surprisingly well and the result is probably the strongest SOS outing to date. Ironically, Filth and Dreams is the first SOS record not released in their native England, and is currently the most difficult CD to find.
, was recorded in France, and released in May 2001 in Japan (with subsequent release in Europe and U.S.) It was dedicated to their friend Kazuhiko Yanagida. While it is quintessential Swing Out Sister, with lush, brassy and stringy arrangements, the melodic tunes which often feature melancholic, languid, or introspective atmospherics and is more sombre in tone. Many of the tracks are instrumental, or only feature vocal harmonies without lyrics. One song even features a French spoken-word monologue. O'Duffy, who produced the album, also has co-writing credits on all the songs, and provided backing vocals along with Connell and Cansfield.
Due to declining sales, their record label Universal dropped them from their contract in America. Consequently, they signed on with Shanachie Records
.
. It was released in Japan on 28 April 2004 with the UK edition following in July. GQ Magazine
reviewed it and called it "indisputably their finest record to date". The album features a return to a rich, upbeat retro-sound that fuses jazz, soul, R&B, Latin, and easy listening music. Samples of Roger Nichols
and The Small Circle of Friends and Herbie Mann
were incorporated also into some songs.
drama The Outsiders, which featured Nigel Harman
. August 2007 saw a new single "Secret Love", co-written by Morgan Fisher
.
The new album from the band was entitled Beautiful Mess
and was released by the Japanese record company Avex on 27 February 2008. The title is taken from one of the tracks on the album. Prior to its release in late December 2007, two other tracks were made available for download: "Butterfly" and "Something Every Day". The album was released in the U.K. in August 2008 and in the U.S. in May 2009, reaching the Top 5 on the Jazz Album chart in the US.
then toured several venues in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka
, Fukuoka
and in the Philippines.
Sophisti-pop
Sophisti-pop was a sub-genre of pop that flourished in the UK between the mid-1980s and early 1990s, incorporating elements of soft rock, jazz, and blue-eyed soul. The genre made extensive use of electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and polished arrangements, particularly horn sections. Acts were...
" group best known worldwide for their 1986 song "Breakout
Breakout (Swing Out Sister song)
"Breakout" is a single from British pop act Swing Out Sister's debut album It's Better to Travel.The single reached the number four position in the UK in 1986, and rose to number six pop and number one adult contemporary in the U.S. in 1987...
". Other hits include "Surrender
Surrender (Swing Out Sister song)
"Surrender" is a 1987 single released by British pop act Swing Out Sister from their debut album, It's Better to Travel. It was issued as the follow-up to the successful single, "Breakout". The song peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1987 and logged four weeks in the top ten.Over a...
", "Twilight World
Twilight World
"Twilight World" is a song by the British pop act Swing Out Sister. The song is included on their debut album, It's Better to Travel. It was written by the members of the group at that time, Andy Connell, Corinne Drewery and Martin Jackson....
", "Waiting Game" and a remake of "Am I the Same Girl
Am I the Same Girl
"Am I the Same Girl" is a popular soul song written by Eugene Record and Sonny Sanders. First recorded in 1968 by Barbara Acklin, "Am I the Same Girl" charted most successfully in the US as a 1992 release by Swing Out Sister...
?" Though album sales in the U.S. and Europe have levelled off since the early 1990s, the group continues to attract a loyal fanbase. The group is also very popular in Japan.
History
Although Swing Out Sister is currently a duo, they began as a trio in the UK. The group were formed by Andy ConnellAndy Connell
Andrew John "Andy" Connell is an English musician and composer. Along with Corinne Drewery, he is part of the duo that makes up Swing Out Sister....
(keyboards) and Martin Jackson
Martin Jackson
Martin Jackson is a British drummer who has played with several New Wave bands from Manchester, although his most successful roles were with Magazine, in 1978 with the release of the influential Real Life album, and Swing Out Sister, in 1986, with the hit song Breakout.-Biography:His earliest work...
(drums), and were later joined by Corinne Drewery
Corinne Drewery
Corinne Drewery is the lead singer of the pop music band, Swing Out Sister.-Early life:Drewery grew up in Nottingham and the Lincolnshire village of Authorpe and went to South Reston Primary School, then Monks' Dyke High School and King Edward VI Grammar School in nearby Louth, then Lincoln College...
(vocals). The name came from a 1945 movie starring Arthur Treacher
Arthur Treacher
Arthur Veary Treacher was an English actor born in Brighton, East Sussex, England.Treacher was a veteran of World War I. After the war, he established a stage career and in 1928, he went to America as part of a musical-comedy revue called Great Temptations...
, called Swing Out, Sister
Swing Out, Sister
Swing Out, Sister is a 1945 American musical comedy film starring Rod Cameron and Billie Burke. Two people get jobs anonymously at a jazz club without telling their upper class families.The band Swing Out Sister took its name from this movie.-Cast:...
, and they claim they chose the name because it was the only thing the band could agree on, in that they all hated it. Both Connell and Jackson had been playing in other bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
prior to forming SOS, while Drewery was actually a fashion designer and model before she became the band's lead vocalist.
Beginnings & Debut Album It's Better to Travel (1985–1987)
Together with their producer, Paul Staveley O'DuffyPaul Staveley O'Duffy
Paul O’Duffy is a British record producer, composer, mixer. He is best known for producing Swing Out Sister's Grammy-nominated multi-platinum debut album, for his BMI nomination as 'Producer of the Year' in 1987, and work with John Barry and other film score producing...
, they signed with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. Prior to their first album, they released the single "Blue Mood" in the UK in November 1985. However, it did not chart.
In late 1986, the single "Breakout
Breakout (Swing Out Sister song)
"Breakout" is a single from British pop act Swing Out Sister's debut album It's Better to Travel.The single reached the number four position in the UK in 1986, and rose to number six pop and number one adult contemporary in the U.S. in 1987...
" was released. It reached the number four position on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in November 1986 and number six on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in the United States in November 1987.
Consequently, when they released their debut album, It's Better to Travel, on 11 May 1987, it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The album registered with listeners for its mix of jazz and electropop, with a blend of real horns, synths (arranged subtly, to sound like strings), drums, and xylophones, scored by producer/arranger Richard Niles
Richard Niles
Richard Niles is an American composer, arranger, producer, guitarist, broadcaster and journalist. He has lived in London since 1975. Because of his extensive work across many genres Sound on Sound magazine referred to him as "one of the most versatile men in modern music".-Early years:Niles was...
. The follow-up single to the effervescent "Breakout" was the brooding "Surrender
Surrender (Swing Out Sister song)
"Surrender" is a 1987 single released by British pop act Swing Out Sister from their debut album, It's Better to Travel. It was issued as the follow-up to the successful single, "Breakout". The song peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1987 and logged four weeks in the top ten.Over a...
", which featured a trumpet solo performed by John Thirkell
John Thirkell
John Thirkell is a British trumpet and flugelhorn player, who has appeared on hundreds of pop, rock, and jazz recordings. Through the 1980s and early 1990s he was on at least one album in the UK Charts continuously, without a break, for over 13 years...
. It rose to number seven on the UK charts in January 1987. The next single was the more serious and jazzy "Twilight World
Twilight World
"Twilight World" is a song by the British pop act Swing Out Sister. The song is included on their debut album, It's Better to Travel. It was written by the members of the group at that time, Andy Connell, Corinne Drewery and Martin Jackson....
". This song was the subject of many remixes and was a dance club favourite worldwide. The final single "Fooled By a Smile
Fooled By a Smile
"Fooled by a Smile" is a 1987 song by the British pop act Swing Out Sister. It was the final single to be taken from their debut album It's Better To Travel and reached #43 on the UK Singles Chart in July of that year....
" returned to the upbeat pop orientation characteristic of "Breakout".
The group were subsequently nominated for two American Grammy Awards in 1988: Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group or Duo ("Breakout").
In addition to long-time partner O'Duffy as well as Thirkell, Swing Out Sister also have enlisted the talents of saxophonist Gary Barnacle
Gary Barnacle
Gary Barnacle is a saxophonist/flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer and producer, primarily noted for session work, live work Gary Barnacle (born 1959, Dover, England) is a saxophonist/flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer and producer, primarily noted for session work, live work...
(who with Thirkell also comprise the Henpecked Horns known for their work with Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
); percussionist Luis Jardim
Luís Jardim
Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
; guitarist Tim Cansfield; trumpet/fluegelhorn master Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....
; and songwriter-arranger Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
.
Kaleidoscope World (1989)
Original member Jackson left the group during the making of the second album, Kaleidoscope WorldKaleidoscope World (Swing Out Sister album)
Kaleidoscope World is the second studio album by the British band Swing Out Sister. It was released in 1989 and features the singles "Where In The World?" , "You On My Mind" , "Forever Blue" , and "Waiting Game"...
. Although the liner notes give "special thanks to Martin Jackson" and his co-writing credits appear on the songs "Tainted" and "Between Strangers", they also point out that "Swing Out Sister are Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell." Drewery and Connell have been the core group on all subsequent albums. After leaving Swing Out Sister, Jackson later worked for Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
.
Kaleidoscope World was released in May 1989, achieving critical acclaim and UK Top 10 success. Their turn away from contemporary styles towards retro musical sources on this album would establish the musical path that they would continue to follow with their subsequent albums. The duo found inspiration in Easy Listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music, such as Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
, as well as songwriter Jimmy Webb, who arranged two tracks, "Forever Blue" and "Precious Words". The incorporation of an orchestra to their recordings realised their sound in a richer, fuller way than their previous effort which relied more heavily on synthesisers. Consequently, this album featured arrangements and songwriting more classical in inclination. The lead-off single "You On My Mind" featured a more sophisticated blend of musical components (the video was strongly inspired by the 1968 cult film The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968 film)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1968 film by Norman Jewison starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. It was nominated for two Academy Awards and won the Award for Best Song with Michel Legrand's "Windmills of Your Mind"...
) than their previous efforts while the upbeat tone of "Breakout" was echoed in the lead U.S. single "Waiting Game". Further singles included "Where in the World
Where In The World
Where In The World was an early evening quiz programme shown on Channel 4 in the UK. The quiz tested contestants' knowledge of geography and was produced by HTV West from about 1983 until 1985. The programme was hosted by Ray Alan...
" and "Forever Blue", which featured a sample from the John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
score from the film Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. It was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and newcomer Jon Voight in the title role. Notable smaller roles are filled by Sylvia Miles, John...
.
Get in Touch with Yourself (1992)
Now a duo of Drewery and Connell, Swing Out Sister put out their third album, Get in Touch with YourselfGet in Touch with Yourself
Get in Touch with Yourself is the title of the third studio album by the British pop group Swing Out Sister. The album was released on Fontana Records in 1992 and was produced by Paul Staveley O'Duffy.-Lineup and musical style:...
, in June 1992. With strong dance rhythms reverberating throughout the entire album, tracks draw influences from 1960s and 1970s jazz, pop, soul, and funk, including a breezy cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the Barbara Acklin
Barbara Acklin
Barbara Jean Acklin was an American soul singer and songwriter who was most successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her biggest hit as a singer was "Love Makes a Woman" in 1968...
classic "Am I the Same Girl
Am I the Same Girl
"Am I the Same Girl" is a popular soul song written by Eugene Record and Sonny Sanders. First recorded in 1968 by Barbara Acklin, "Am I the Same Girl" charted most successfully in the US as a 1992 release by Swing Out Sister...
?" (which became their last US hit, reaching No.1 on the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
). The album's title track, a blend of 1970s soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and modern pop, gained the duo heavy airplay on smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
radio and was a crossover hit, gaining airtime on adult contemporary stations as well. The musical influences of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
, and others would become evident on this album but continue on through their later releases. In line with the album theme, Drewery also grew out her hair from her trademark bob
Bob cut
A "bob cut" is a short haircut for women in which the hair is typically cut straight around the head at about jaw-level, often with a fringe at the front.-The beginning:...
which had become a visual signature for their early years.
The Living Return (1994)
Numerous changes were afoot by the time the fourth album, The Living ReturnThe Living Return
The Living Return is the title of the fourth studio album by the British pop group Swing Out Sister. It was released in September 1994 on Fontana Records.-Charts:...
, was released in September 1994. The replacement of producer Paul O'Duffy after initial studio sessions with Ray Hayden contributed to a looser, rawer feel to the songs that were often the results of studio jam sessions. Though Drewery and Connell still led Swing Out Sister, additional musicians (including former 52nd Street
52nd Street (band)
52nd Street were a British jazz-funk and R&B band formed in Manchester in late 1980, around the period in which both punk/new wave and jazz-funk rocked the club scene. Throughout the 1980s the group enjoyed success not only in the UK but also on the Billboard chart in the United States...
bassist Derick Johnson, Pa'lante percussionist Chris Manis, Jazz Defectors drummer Myke Wilson, and trumpet player John Thirkell
John Thirkell
John Thirkell is a British trumpet and flugelhorn player, who has appeared on hundreds of pop, rock, and jazz recordings. Through the 1980s and early 1990s he was on at least one album in the UK Charts continuously, without a break, for over 13 years...
) increased their group to ten members that replicate the live performances that had been captured on the Japan-only release Live at the Jazz Cafe. The album featured the single and Delfonics
The Delfonics
The Delfonics are a pioneering Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise," "I'm Sorry," and "Ready or Not Here I Come "...
cover song "La-La (Means I Love You)
La-La (Means I Love You)
"La-La " is a 1968 song originally performed by The Delfonics. It was written by Thom Bell and William Hart and produced by Bell and Stan Watson....
", which was also included on the Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British comedy film directed by Mike Newell. It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant...
soundtrack.
Shapes and Patterns (1997)
Few of the band's releases charted highly on the pop listings in Western countries after the successful debut album (though they became radio-airplay staples on jazz stations). The band, however, became extremely popular in Japan. Their song "Now You're Not HereNow You're Not Here
"Now You're Not Here" is a song from Swing Out Sister's fifth album Shapes and Patterns, was used as the theme to a Japanese TV program, and received a Japanese 'Grand Prix' for best international single in 1997....
" (from their fifth album Shapes And Patterns, one of several released in Japan before other parts of the world) was used as the theme to a Japanese TV program, and was ranked at No.1 in the Japanese chart and received a Japanese 'Grand Prix' (the equivalent of a Grammy Award) for best international single in 1997.
Shapes and Patterns
Shapes and Patterns
Shapes and Patterns is a 1997 album by the British pop group Swing Out Sister. It was first released in Japan in March 1997, and then in Europe and USA the year after. Producer Paul Staveley O'Duffy, who co-wrote half of the songs, was back at the helm...
was first released in Japan in March 1997, and then in Europe and USA the year after. Producer Paul O'Duffy, who co-wrote half of the songs, was back at the helm. As an orchestra was once again employed (led by Gavyn Wright), the lush arrangements characteristic of Kaleidoscope World resurfaced. The liner notes, written by composer/singer-songwriter Mary Edwards, point out the influences of Bacharach, Webb, and John Barry are perceptible in the string arrangements and Latin rhythms, as well as Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya...
, Rotary Connection
Rotary Connection
Rotary Connection was an American psychedelic soul band, formed in Chicago in 1966. The highly experimental band was the idea of Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records founder Leonard Chess. Marshall was the director behind a start-up label, Cadet Concept Records, and wanted to focus on music outside...
and The 5th Dimension.
The album included a cover of Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
's "Stoned Soul Picnic
Stoned Soul Picnic (song)
"Stoned Soul Picnic" was a song from 1968. The most known version of the song was recorded by The 5th Dimension, and was the first single released from their album of the same title. It was the most successful single from that album, reaching #3 on the U.S. Pop chart and #2 on the Billboard R&B chart...
" as well as the original version of "Better Make It Better", which appeared in a different mix on their previous album. A pervasive longing marks songs such as "Now You're Not Here", "Somewhere in the World" (their final US chart entry to date), "You Already Know", and "Icy Cold as Winter". This album would also mark the beginning of the duo's use of Japanese musicians in their studio sessions.
Filth and Dreams (1999)
Filth and DreamsFilth and Dreams
Swing Out Sister's sixth album, Filth and Dreams, was released in Japan in March 1999, and it remains the only album not released in any other country. This album featured stronger jazz leanings than some of their early pop-oriented albums, and is restrained in mood...
, their sixth album, proved yet again that Swing Out Sister were eager to reinvent themselves. The album was released in Japan in March 1999, and it remains the only album not released in any other country. This album featured stronger jazz leanings than some of their early pop-oriented albums, and is restrained in mood. The track "Who's Been Sleeping" was promoted as a single and released with several remixes. For this record, SOS adapted to the growing popularity of hip-hop in the late '90s. "Who's Been Sleeping" kicks off the record with an aggressive beat and a few hip-hop flourishes (such as Drewery's counting and uttering "Yeah ..." in the background.) The rest of the record incorporates such sounds a bit more subtly, through the soaring retro stylings of "Closer Than the Sun" and "When Morning Comes" to the excitable lounge of the title track to the mid-tempo trip-hop of "Invisible" and scratch-laced "Sugar Free." Traditional SOS sounds are challenged successfully with the darkly dreamy "If I Had the Heart" and "Make You Stay." Background noises, from telephone conversations to child's play, also enrich the record and give the listener much more to cue in on. Drewery strays out of the usual love lyrics and colours a portrait of a darker world (as the title indicates) by singing about more urban subjects such as drugs (the eerie "Happy When You're High") and prostitution ("When Morning Comes").
All of their experimentation works surprisingly well and the result is probably the strongest SOS outing to date. Ironically, Filth and Dreams is the first SOS record not released in their native England, and is currently the most difficult CD to find.
Somewhere Deep in the Night (2001)
A seventh album, Somewhere Deep in the NightSomewhere Deep in the Night
Somewhere Deep in the Night is the title of the seventh studio album by the British sophisti-pop group Swing Out Sister. Produced by longtime collaborator Paul Staveley O'Duffy, the album was first released in Japan in 2001, with a European and American release the following year.Since the group's...
, was recorded in France, and released in May 2001 in Japan (with subsequent release in Europe and U.S.) It was dedicated to their friend Kazuhiko Yanagida. While it is quintessential Swing Out Sister, with lush, brassy and stringy arrangements, the melodic tunes which often feature melancholic, languid, or introspective atmospherics and is more sombre in tone. Many of the tracks are instrumental, or only feature vocal harmonies without lyrics. One song even features a French spoken-word monologue. O'Duffy, who produced the album, also has co-writing credits on all the songs, and provided backing vocals along with Connell and Cansfield.
Due to declining sales, their record label Universal dropped them from their contract in America. Consequently, they signed on with Shanachie Records
Shanachie Records
Shanachie Records was founded in 1976 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. According to Harvey Pekar , it is one of the largest independent record labels in the world, and is currently distributed by E1 Music. Starting as a label that specialized in fiddle music, they began releasing work by Celtic...
.
Where Our Love Grows (2004)
Undeterred, the band bounced back with their eighth studio effort, Where Our Love GrowsWhere Our Love Grows
Where Our Love Grows is the eighth studio album by the British pop-smooth jazz group Swing Out Sister. The album was released in 2004 and was produced by Paul Staveley O'Duffy....
. It was released in Japan on 28 April 2004 with the UK edition following in July. GQ Magazine
GQ (magazine)
GQ is a monthly men's magazine focusing on fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books...
reviewed it and called it "indisputably their finest record to date". The album features a return to a rich, upbeat retro-sound that fuses jazz, soul, R&B, Latin, and easy listening music. Samples of Roger Nichols
Roger Nichols (songwriter)
Roger Nichols Roger Nichols Roger Nichols (born in Missoula, Montana, is an American composer and songwriter. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays violin, guitar, bass, and piano.-Biography:...
and The Small Circle of Friends and Herbie Mann
Herbie Mann
Herbert Jay Solomon , better known as Herbie Mann, was a Jewish American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music...
were incorporated also into some songs.
Beautiful Mess (2008)
Late 2005 saw Swing Out Sister return to their studio in London to commence recording of their new album. The band planned on making a second tour of America in 2006 however due to recording commitments this had to be cancelled . In 2006 they composed incidental music for the ITV1ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
drama The Outsiders, which featured Nigel Harman
Nigel Harman
Nigel Derek Harman is an English actor, most famous for his role as Dennis Rickman in the UK soap opera EastEnders. He has worked extensively in theatre, with the stage being described as his "first love"...
. August 2007 saw a new single "Secret Love", co-written by Morgan Fisher
Morgan Fisher
Morgan Fisher is an English keyboard player / composer, and is most known for being a member of Mott the Hoople in the early 1970s. However, his career has covered a wide range of musical activities, and he is still highly active in the music industry...
.
The new album from the band was entitled Beautiful Mess
Beautiful Mess (Swing Out Sister album)
Beautiful Mess is the title of the ninth studio album by the British pop-smooth jazz group Swing Out Sister. It was produced by group member Andy Connell, who has been with Swing Out Sister since its inception.-Release:...
and was released by the Japanese record company Avex on 27 February 2008. The title is taken from one of the tracks on the album. Prior to its release in late December 2007, two other tracks were made available for download: "Butterfly" and "Something Every Day". The album was released in the U.K. in August 2008 and in the U.S. in May 2009, reaching the Top 5 on the Jazz Album chart in the US.
2008/2009 Asia tour
In 2008 and 2009, Swing Out Sister went back on tour and appeared at the Jakarta Convention CenterJakarta Convention Center
The Jakarta Convention Center also known as Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Center is located in Bung Karno Sport Complex, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. It has a plenary hall that has 5,000 seats, JCC also has an assembly hall with an area of 3,921 m². JCC has 13 various sized meeting rooms...
then toured several venues in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
and in the Philippines.