the story so far...

Having met on the London jamming scene of the late 80s, a hot bed of talent which was to produce much of the best funky action of the next few years, John Wallace and William South soon became firm friends and started to work on demos which would eventually lead, via a couple of low key singles, to their first album, 'Unchain Your Mind' which was a worldwide hit on its release in 1994.

Top Hits

The lead track '90 in the Shade' went top three in the USA, Jazz FM pronounced it their album of the year and a world tour swiftly followed.

The next album, the critically acclaimed 'The Last Picture Show' sold less well - perhaps due to the bands refusal to stand still creatively - but the title track found its way on to the seminal chill out album series 'Café del Mar' and brought the band many new converts as a consequence.

Heavy Shift - forward into 2000

After a couple of years of relative inactivity - both Wallace and South were engaged in extracurricular musical activities - Heavy Shift re-emerged in 2000 with 'Say Hello to Teddy' on Jazz FM's Onion label.

This more straight forward live funk outing sold very well in the UK and its American release (retitled 'The Conversation' on Instinct Records) is still enjoying healthy airplay today, as is '90 in the Shade' which is now regarded as a classic of the genre.

Again looking for the creative rather than fiscal way forward, the band slimmed down in 2003 to a power trio (South handling bass duties with his left hand, Doors style) only retaining the services of loyal drummer Julian Fenton, now an integral part of the band sound.

Increasingly distracted by other calls on their

 individual time - writing TV/film music/adverts for

 South, touring his various retro jazz/r 'n b projects

for Wallace and being the regular drummer for

80s legends ABC for Fenton - Heavy Shift have

been less active

for the past couple of years.

Jazz Gigs & Festivals

However when they do play - whether at a private

 party or at a jazz gig/festival they burn like molten

lead as their increasingly swing orientated

grooves manipulate the audience like a snake

charmer and his prey.

Exuding the sort of effortless improvised funky

class which increasingly seems to be going out

of fashion in this era of the rigidly programmed

set list and tightly scripted radio playlist, Heavy

Shift really are shockingly good live and while

this incarnation is sounding perhaps more

futuristic than any of its predecessors it also

harks back to previous eras when live

musicianship could cast a real spell, a funky

voodoo unrivalled by any machine led groove.

Combining the experience of over eighteen years

of playing, writing, recording and touring together

with a huge amount of other top end musical work

(far too much to list here) Heavy Shift have become

a cult to those in the know and the best kept

musical secret to those unlucky enough not to

have sampled their talents.

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