Soul II Soul

by Stephen Thomas ErlewineLed by producer/vocalist/songwriter Jazzie B., Soul II Soul were one of the most innovative dance/R&B outfits of the late 80s, creating a seductive, deep R&B that borrowed from Philly soul, disco, reggae, and 80s hip-hop. Originally featuring Jazzie B., producer/arranger Nellee Hooper, and instrumentalist Philip Daddae Harvey, the musical collective came together in the late 80s. The group had a residency at the Africa Centre in Londons Covent Garden, which led to a record contract with 10, a subsidiary of Virgin. Two singles, Fairplay and Feel Free, began to attract attention both in clubs and in the press.Featuring the vocals of Caron Wheeler, Soul II Souls third single, Keep on Movin, reached the U.K. Top Ten in March of 1989. Released in the summer of 1989, Back to Life also featured Wheeler and became another Top Ten hit. Soul II Soul released their debut album, Club Classics, Vol. 1, shortly afterward. The album was released in America under the title Keep on Movin; both Keep on Movin and Get a Life became substantial hits, propelling the album to double platinum status.Wheeler left the group before the recording of the groups second album, Vol. II: 1990 - A New Decade. The album debuted at number one in the U.K., yet it caught the group in a holding pattern. Hooper soon left the collective, leaving Jazzie B. to soldier on alone. Hooper went on to work with several of the most influential and popular acts of the early 90s, including Massive Attack (Blue Lines), Björk (Debut and Post), Madonna (Bedtime Stories), and U2 (Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me). In 1992, Soul II Soul released Vol. III: Just Right, to both lukewarm reviews and sales. After the compilation Vol. IV: The Classic Singles, the groups next studio album, Vol. V: Believe, appeared in 1995.