New Jazz Wave Funk

Freeez - Southern Freeez [BEGA 22 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC]

On the inner gatefold of this 1981 Beggars Banquet pressing, the label proudly declare Freeez as "new wave jazz funk". You can never be sure if they are trying to sell the band as the new wave of jazz-funk, or the label's highly regarded new wave, post-punk attitude. When you realise that this is actually a repress of the the band's self-released 1980 debut, you delve deeper into what Freeez were about.

In reality, the original incarnation of Freeez dressed in a close cropped, Fred Perry-styling closer associated with the mod or ska scenes ....in fact they were bloody cool. Whereas the jazz-funk tag may be enough to scare away any post-punkster, it's the latter's attitude rather than the dull genre which shines through here. 

This is the cool groove which A Certain Ratio attempted (and possibly failed) in 1982-1983, this is the style and virtuosity which Level 42 abandoned in search of mainstream popularity. This is not Mezzoforte! 

Yes, this album contains one huge hit single, however take that out of context, listen closer and then re-tag this album as you see fit. These are four lads from London in their late teens/early twenties doing their thing, especially chief protagonist and bass maestro, Peter Maas whose superb bass plucking & slapping pushes the whole album along.

Freeez were to return three years later with something very different......

A1 Mariposa
A2 Caribbean Winter
A3 Easy On The Onions
A4 Sunset
B1 Flying High
B2 Southern Freeez
B3 Roller Chase
B4 First Love
B5 Finale