Yeah Jazz
Encyclopedia
Yeah Jazz were an English
rock band from Uttoxeter
, Staffordshire
formed in 1983.
), Mark "Chats" Chatfield (guitar
), Stu Ballantyne (bass guitar
), and Ian Hitchins (drums
). Their debut releases was a cassette EP
, Julie and the Sea Lions, in 1984, and over the next two years they developed a more folk
-oriented sound, before their next release, "This Is Not Love" in 1986, which featured Frank Sweeney of The June Brides
on violin
.
After a pair of further singles, yeah Jazz signed to Cherry Red
Records, and added Terry Edwards
for their debut single for the label, "Sharon", in 1987. This was followed in April 1988 by the band's debut album, Six Lane Ends. This was published only in LP and tape forms in the UK and on CD in Japan only with the bonus track "This is not love - Live". The group split up in 1989, but reformed in 1991.
Their second album, Short Stories, was released initially on cassette only. This was later released under the name Big Red Kite with a slightly different track listing (towards the end of the life of the band, a deal was struck with the German label Scout to put out the Short Stories CD. However, as some music fans were confused by the "jazz" in title, the band became "Big Red Kite"). A CD single was released from the album entitled "April". The April EP came out on Tubecroft Records in 1992 and also included "Rainbows" and live favourite "Lorraine & Duane". The line-up of the band at this point was Kev Hand -(not Kevin "Head", as reported in some listings!)(Gtr/Vocals), Chats (Gtr), Stu (Bass), Dave Blant (Accordion / keyboards) and Fred Hopwood (Drums). It was recorded at AbbeySound Studios in Rugeley
, Staffordshire and produced by Lee Beddow.
A final CD rounding up other tracks, including the song "Rain Of Crystal Spires" for a "Felt" tribute album, was released under the name of Songs From Biscuit Town (a reference to Uttoxeter's own Elkes biscuit factory) and was basically a round up of all their previously unreleased on CD tracks although a couple were missed of namely "Times Change" and "Brown Eyes Show More Feeling" which were originally featured on the Short Stories cassette. The version of "Thinking About You" is from a BBC radio session recorded at Pebble Mill instead of the one which appeared on the Short Stories cassette.
Both Short Stories and Songs From Biscuit town are still available through Smalltown Records, run by Fred Hopwood & Dave Blant. They still perform& record under various monikers based on The Vice Bishops Of Uttoxeter and their last CD included a track from Kev Hand called "Heaven's Gate".
Kevin Hand is now playing in a new band called "Radio Mary".
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock band from Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
formed in 1983.
History
The band formed in 1983 with a line-up of Kevin Hand (vocalsSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Mark "Chats" Chatfield (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Stu Ballantyne (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Ian Hitchins (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Their debut releases was a cassette EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Julie and the Sea Lions, in 1984, and over the next two years they developed a more folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
-oriented sound, before their next release, "This Is Not Love" in 1986, which featured Frank Sweeney of The June Brides
The June Brides
The June Brides were an English indie pop group, formed in London in 1983, by Phil Wilson and Simon Beesley of International Rescue. Influenced by Postcard-label bands such as Josef K and punk-era bands such as Buzzcocks, The Desperate Bicycles and The Television Personalities, their mix of guitar...
on violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
.
After a pair of further singles, yeah Jazz signed to Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
Records, and added Terry Edwards
Terry Edwards
Terry Edwards is an English musician.Edwards gained a degree in music from the University of East Anglia in 1982, where he was also a founding member of The Higsons. He produced and played on the debut album by Yeah Jazz "Six Lane Ends"...
for their debut single for the label, "Sharon", in 1987. This was followed in April 1988 by the band's debut album, Six Lane Ends. This was published only in LP and tape forms in the UK and on CD in Japan only with the bonus track "This is not love - Live". The group split up in 1989, but reformed in 1991.
Their second album, Short Stories, was released initially on cassette only. This was later released under the name Big Red Kite with a slightly different track listing (towards the end of the life of the band, a deal was struck with the German label Scout to put out the Short Stories CD. However, as some music fans were confused by the "jazz" in title, the band became "Big Red Kite"). A CD single was released from the album entitled "April". The April EP came out on Tubecroft Records in 1992 and also included "Rainbows" and live favourite "Lorraine & Duane". The line-up of the band at this point was Kev Hand -(not Kevin "Head", as reported in some listings!)(Gtr/Vocals), Chats (Gtr), Stu (Bass), Dave Blant (Accordion / keyboards) and Fred Hopwood (Drums). It was recorded at AbbeySound Studios in Rugeley
Rugeley
Rugeley is a historic market town in the county of Staffordshire, England. It lies on the northern edge of Cannock Chase, and is situated roughly midway between the towns of Stafford, Cannock, Lichfield and Uttoxeter...
, Staffordshire and produced by Lee Beddow.
A final CD rounding up other tracks, including the song "Rain Of Crystal Spires" for a "Felt" tribute album, was released under the name of Songs From Biscuit Town (a reference to Uttoxeter's own Elkes biscuit factory) and was basically a round up of all their previously unreleased on CD tracks although a couple were missed of namely "Times Change" and "Brown Eyes Show More Feeling" which were originally featured on the Short Stories cassette. The version of "Thinking About You" is from a BBC radio session recorded at Pebble Mill instead of the one which appeared on the Short Stories cassette.
Both Short Stories and Songs From Biscuit town are still available through Smalltown Records, run by Fred Hopwood & Dave Blant. They still perform& record under various monikers based on The Vice Bishops Of Uttoxeter and their last CD included a track from Kev Hand called "Heaven's Gate".
Kevin Hand is now playing in a new band called "Radio Mary".
Albums
- Six Lane Ends (1988) Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
- Sharon
- Stones
- Lee Marvin
- All of My Days
- Freeland
- Step into the Light
- Heaven
- The Girl the Years Were Kind to
- Dirty Windows
- Make a Fist
- Stranger Than Fiction
- All the Stars
- This is Not Love (bonus track Japanese CD only)
- Short Stories (1996) Scout (released under the Big Red Kite name)
- Hey Tray
- April
- Cathy Smiles
- Distant Trains
- Don't Let Me Leave
- Speak Soft
- Rainbows
- Orchids Bloom
- Home
- Polka
- Brown Eyes
- Songs From Biscuit Town
- Billy Comes of Age
- The Great Escape
- Thinking About You
- Rain of Crystal Spires
- Martha
- Our Time Will Come
- Michael Forgive Me
- Song From an Imaginary Film
- The Ballad of Lorraine and Duane
Singles
- Julie and the Sea Lions 7" EP (1984) Distinctive
- "This Is Not Love" 12" EP (1986) Upright
- "She Said" (1986) Upright (UK IndieUK Indie ChartThe UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
#34) - "Sharon" (1987) Cherry Red
- "Morning O'Grady" (1988) Cherry Red
- April EP (1993) NativeNative RecordsNative Records is a small independent record label formed in Sheffield, England.The label was founded by Kevin Donoghue in 1985, after he left RCA Records and during his time at the Music Factory studio, Rotherham , where he was a sound engineer.In January 1989, Native signed Nine Inch Nails but...