Raw Stylus - Use Me 1993

Acid Jazz JAZID 69CD

The original Raw Stylus was Class-A Sound System Soul. The main players are Jules Brookes & Ron Aslan, initially with Deborah Ffrench who was replaced by Donna Gardier when she left, shortly before the big breakthrough, ouch!

There have been many musicians, here are some of them:
Drums: Andrew Missingham, Perry Melius
Bass: Yolanda Charles, Jerry Brown, John MacKenzie
Guitar: Nemo Jones
Keys: Rikki Reid, Ski Oakenfull.
Backup vocals: Angela Murrell, Lucy Vandi, Sam Brown, Shannon
Brass: Andy Ross, Neil Yates, Matt Coleman, Micky Ball.

Use Me was an underground Acid Jazz favourite, written by the legendary Bill Withers (Lovely Day) other singles were: Bright Lights, Big cities, Pushing Against The Flow, Many Ways (Mo' Wax), Change and US Billboard dance music No.1 single, Believe In Me. Geffen in the US, were busy promoting Beck and Wu-Tang Clan and didnt really take much notice of Raw Stylus. They called it a day after touring until the end of '98. Donna went on to join Sting's back up band, Jules is MD of a successful music college and marketing company, Point Blank, whilst Ron relocated to Thailand to run a design company, Cha Cha Supermarket.

• 7" Edit
• Main Mix
• 12" Remix
• Boom

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Raw Stylus Use Me.rar Filesize: 28 MB

Raw Stylus - Pushing Against The Flow 1996

Wired Recordings WIRED 224

Raw Stylus was 'Class-A Sound System Soul'. Ron Aslan and Jules Brookes, released white label vinyl records into the funky London club scene which bloomed post Soul II Soul in the early 90's. The best known Raw Stylus track this side of the pond, would be Pushing Against The Flow which was originally spread about on white label, as early as 1992. At that time Debbie Ffrench was on vocal duty. When the band travelled to the US, to record with Gary Katz, Donna Gardier had replaced her. I assume the 1995 versions have retained the Ffrench vocal.
Pushing... was a big underground tune and eventually became the title track of the album. Giles Petersen named it his track of the year and Paul Weller (Jam, Style Council) claimed it 'should have been a No.1 record' in The Face. Other early singles were: Bright Lights, Big cities (White Label), Many Ways (Mo' Wax) & Use Me (Acid Jazz).

A plethora of very healthy mixes to suit almost any occassion, bloody aggravating isn't it. Dave Lee, in his Joey Negro alter-ego. turns out another disco house happy clapper in a very Jamiroquai sort of style. Alvin Speight slows things down to a swagger for a soulful funk, gate that snare baby. Yes Tosh, the Frankie Foncett Funk 12" is a superb R'n'B grind with a gangsta lean, I love the dialogue on the intro. A funky groove but ruff with what sounds like a goose punctuating every line? Personally, I still favour the Raw Stylus mixes, the Original White Label just taking the prize. The Raw Stylus Dark Mix is, without doubt, a killa groove! Sliding in with an accapella intro, it drops with a noise that sounds like a jet about to take off just prior to the baddest bass line knocks the cobwebs outta your woofers. You know when you been tango'ed! ;-)

• 7" Edit
• Raw Stylus Dark Mix
• Original White Label
• Joey Negro Extended Mix
• Alvin Speights Main 12" Mix
• Fronkie Foncett Funk 12"

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Raw Stylus Pushing.rar Filesize: 52.42 MB

Raw Stylus - Believe In Me 1995

Wired Recordings WIRED 220

Raw Stylus recorded an album in the US on Geffen Records who insisted that Steely Dan producer Gary Katz got involved. The music became more live orientated and they turned out a great, timeless but not particularly commercial album. It is filled with musical talent like Bernard Purdie, Donald Fagen, Randy Brecker as well as many cool players from the 90's London and New York Acid Jazz scenes. This US Billboard No.1 single, Believe In Me came off that album. They were signed to Geffen in the US who were busy promoting Beck and Wu-Tang Clan and didn't really take much notice of them.

The Album Version is still my favourite but check out the Antonio Fargasm Mix, eight minutes of R'n'B grind, waaaay cool! For the house heads, E-Smoove on the Essence Mix and Eric Kupper on the 12" Groove but none of them equal the Album Version. I'd be very interested in hearing the Kupper Old Skool & Vision Lorimer remixes if anyone has them?

• Radio Edit
• Essence Mix
• 12" Grrove
• Flava Mix
• Antonio Fargasm Mix
• Lion's Roar Mix
• Album Version

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Raw Stylus Believe.rar Filesize: 54.94 MB

Raw Stylus - Change 1996

M&G Recordings WIRED 228

Raw Stylus kicked off in London, a funk/soul/jazz outfit featuring Donna Gardier, Jules Brookes and Ron Aslan. Dominic 'Ski' Oakenfull was also in the band for a time. after leaving K-Creative. Donna Gardier replaced Deborah French who left in 1993. Originally, Raw Stylus released white label vinyl records into the London club scene in the early 90's. 1992's Pushing Against the Flow was a popular underground song and later became the title track of their album. Other singles from the same period were Bright Lights, Big Cities (White Label), Many Ways (Mo' Wax) and Use Me (Acid Jazz).

The album was recorded Stateside with Steely Dan producer Gary Katz and an array of musical talent including cameos from Donald Fagen, Bernard Purdie and the cream of New York and London Acid Jazz. The group toured as a nine piece until they split at the end of 1999. Head for Paul Waller's Mix and then search for the album.
Raw Stylus

• Radio Edit
• Album Version
• Joey Negro Vocal
• Paul Waller East Coast Mix
• Bone Krusher Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Raw Stylus Change.rar
Filesize: 40.95 MB