Label head honcho and all round music don Claudio Passavanti unleashes his enormous new album, 'Britannia Shing-A-Ling'. Recorded live at Studio Miloco Studios, London, Claudio enlisted 25 musicians and vocalists (A MASSIVE BAND!) to take part in this phenomenal album project, using no more technology than that was available in the early 1970's. The result is a joyous celebration of Northern Soul, Rare Groove, The Boogaloo and Rhumba classics all served with that hot signature Sunlightsquare Latin twist!
'Britannia Shing-A-Ling' has already spawned 2 big single releases: a cover of Wilson Pickett's 1966 'Land Of 1000 Dances', and the Cuban Latin jazz percussionist Mongo Santamaria's 1976 smash 'O Mi Shango'. Other popular songs featured on the album include favourites such as Marlena Shaw's 'California Soul', Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 'Nowhere To Run' and Jimmy Rivers' 'Up, Up and Away'.
The whole album was recorded live, using the same technique typical of Fania/Motown/Staxx sounds, where all parts were written and performed all at once with just strings overdubbing and no editing whatsoever! This took a painstaking 6 month process of re-arranging, re-orchestrating and remixing prior to recording.
Sunlightsquare set out to identify the common afro-cuban link uniting all Soul, Blues and Latin Music. Together the band re-create the classics, basing all rhythms around the Clave - the core rhythmic pattern of most Cuban and Latin grooves. Boasting an all star line-up the band includes: Ernesto Simpson, Giovanni Imparato, Dave Patman, Vicky Jassey, Emanuele Brignola, Tasita DʼMour, Sharlene Hector, Vanessa Freeman, Kevin Mark Trail, Rene Alvarez, Brendan Reilly, Gareth Lockrane, Quentin Collins, Massimo Creco, Donato Sensini, Brandon Allen, Tony Kofi, Trevor Mires, Nichol Thomson, Jim Hart, The Solis String Quartet and of course, Claudio Passavanti himself.
