D'Influence

D'Influence (also D-Influence and D*Influence) is a British production team and acid jazz band. Formerly of The Echo Label they founded their own label, Freakstreet Records. Original members include Kwame Kwaten, Sarah-Ann Webb, Ed Baden-Powell, and Steve Marston.[1]

Biography

D'Influence emerged in 1990 from the UK club scene. The group went on to issue their debut album entitled Good 4 We in August 1992. The album reached No. 7 on the Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart. A song called Good Lover from the LP got to No. 11 on the Blues & Soul Top British Soul Singles chart.[2][3][4]

D'Influence later issued in 1995 their sophomore studio album entitled Prayer 4 Unity. The album reached No. 17 on the UK R&B Albums chart.[5][6] A song off the album called Midnite reached No. 17 on the UK R&B Singles chart.[7][8]

The group went on to issue other hit singles such as "Hypnotise" (1997, UK No. 33) and "Rock With You" (1998, UK No. 30).[9]

In 2017, the band regrouped for one-off concerts at various top London clubs and summer festivals in the UK. Reviewing their 'generation-spanning' set at Love Supreme festival, Mike Hobart of the Financial Times praised 'the slinky, bass-heavy grooves that sustained their success in the 1990s.' He also proclaimed that D'Influence 'last played a festival 17 years ago, their current revival coming about after a promoter saw... their annual get-together jam on Instagram. The band has lost none of its sass.'[10] 2018 saw further performances given in the UK, Africa and Europe.

Other work

As a group D'Influence have produced hit singles for British R&B artists such as Mark Morrison (Return of the Mack), Shola Ama (Much Love) and Ultra Naté (New Kind of Medicine). They've also remixed tunes for the American hip hop artist Jay-Z ("Wishing on a Star", Bring It On: The Best of Jay-Z); Mick Jagger; Tom Jones and performed live with Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk (Later with Jools Holland).

Albums
  • Good 4 We (1992)
  • Prayer 4 Unity (1995)
  • London (1997) – UK No. 56[9]
  • D'Influence Presents D-Vas (2002)

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 109. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  2. Gallivan, Joseph (July 23, 1992). "British soul: the new generation". independent.co.uk. The Independent.
  3. "Top British Soul Albums". No. 621. Blues & Soul. September 22, 1992. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  4. "Top British Soul Singles". No. 616. Blues & Soul. July 14, 1992. p. 10. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  5. D' Influence: Prayer 4 Unity. EastWest Records. 1995.
  6. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". officialcharts.com. Official Charts. July 15, 1995.
  7. D' Influence: Midnite. EastWest Records. 1995.
  8. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". officialcharts.com. Official Charts. June 24, 1995.
  9. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 155. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  10. Hobart, Mike (July 3, 2017). "Generation-spanning jazz at the Love Supreme festival". Ft.com. Financial Times.


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