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As a guiding force of the '90s global club movement, the Epic recording act has consistently won critical praise for their ability to infuse elements of old-school funk and R&B into the youth-driven house music idiom. Whether it's within the party-down atmosphere of the turntable classic "One Night In Heaven," or inside the thumpy, "I Will Survive"-esque confines of "Movin' On Up," comrades Heather Small, Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, and Shovell have always strived to inject an ample splash of history into modern club grooves.

"Paying respect to the original soul players has always been of the utmost importance to us," says Pickering. "The bottom line is that without them, we couldn't be here."

Such reverence can be strongly felt throughout the sterling new collection Testify. Not only does it show the band flexing its rhythm muscle to maximum effect, the project also shows them making an occasional detour down a more languid, overtly R&B path. It's a move that suits Small's honey-soaked alto vocal range extraordinarily well.

"I've always enjoyed performing softer, more introspective songs," she says. "It allows me to use my voice in ways that a dance beat doesn't allow--not that I don't love to cut loose on an uptempo dance track, because it's great fun. I'm just so pleased to have the opportunity to explore every color on the palette, if you will."

Small is particularly potent on the acoustic-framed shuffler "Just For You," as well as on the smooth and inspirational "Testify"--though there's no denying that she is in full diva effect on the earthy, disco-inflected gems "Fantasy Island" and "Angel Street."

The rich sound of Testify makes sense, given the history of M People. Their roots can be traced back to Manchester, England--home of such notables as Simply Red and Joy Division, a personal favorite of Pickering's. In fact, he was once a Joy Division roadie, then a chef, then a roadie again (for Kraftwerk and Julio Iglesias, among others), then a window-washer.

Ultimately, Pickering found a stable home behind the turntable decks at the legendary Manchester nightclub, The Hacienda. "It was a brilliant time," he recalls. "I must say there was something magical about that room."

Along the way, he honed his musical skills by playing sax with Factory Records band Quando Quango and with T-Coy, one of the first UK house outfits. As a Factory A&R man, he was instrumental in the signing of both Happy Mondays and James.

In 1991, as rave was setting dance floors ablaze, Pickering began what he viewed as his true musical mission: "To bring dance music back to the song, like Motown, Stax or the Philly International era. A classic song is the foundation of any kind of music."

Mike's mission took on a solid shape after he enlisted the talent of Paul Heard, a trained musician who had played bass for the U.K. groups Working Week, Strawberry Switchblade, and Orange Juice. One of the first songs the two composed was written with one particular chanteuse in mind: Heather Small, a demure, but passionate singer of West Indian descent who had gained a substantial following with London-based soul band Hot! House.

The three entered the studio and started to weave the tunes that would eventually become their first album, Northern Soul. Featuring several singers in addition to Small, the album was indicative of the initial M People plan of showcasing a wide range of singers. However, something unusual happened during Heard and Pickering's sessions with Small. "It was obvious as we were recording that what we had musically was much more than just a one off thing," Pickering recalls. "It had turned into something really coherent. We never went back to rotating vocalists."

Northern Soul was issued in the UK in 1992, and featured the top 10 singles "Colour My Life" and "How Can I Love You More." M People's second album, Elegant Slumming, appeared in 1993 to even greater acclaim, reaching #2 on the UK album chart and spinning off three more Top 10 hits: "Moving On Up," "One Night In Heaven," and the group's impassioned rendition of the Dennis Edwards classic "Don't Look Any Further."

"From that point, we knew that were growing into more than a studio concoction," Heard says. "We assembled a full band and hit the road. It was amazing to hear the songs take shape in a live venue."

"People say, 'Isn't it strange for a dance band to play live?'" adds Pickering. "Don't they remember? That's the way it always was."

Before Elegant Slumming was done, M People had evolved into one of Europe's top concert draws, playing sold-out stadiums and arenas. In the 1993 Brit Awards--the UK equivalent of the Grammys. Elegant Slumming was named Album Of The Year, and M People were voted Best Dance Act for the second consecutive year. The best tracks from both British albums were combined for the US Epic release of Elegant Slumming, which was issued Stateside in June, 1994, powered by the unforgettable single "Movin' On Up." By the spring of '95, M People had earned a total of nine Top Ten UK singles.

Needless to say, the 1996 follow-up Bizarre Fruit and 1997's U.K.-only release Fresco met with similar success, spawning the collective pop smashes "Sight For Sore Eyes," "Search For The Hero," and "Just For You"--all of which appear on Testify.

"It's been such a fantastic ride so far," Small says. "We never dreamed that we'd make it even half as far as we already have. That actually gives us the courage to be adventurous and try lots of new ideas."M People have always been proud to wear their soul on their sleeves.

As a guiding force of the '90s global club movement, the Epic recording act has consistently won critical praise for their ability to infuse elements of old-school funk and R&B into the youth-driven house music idiom. Whether it's within the party-down atmosphere of the turntable classic "One Night In Heaven," or inside the thumpy, "I Will Survive"-esque confines of "Movin' On Up," comrades Heather Small, Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, and Shovell have always strived to inject an ample splash of history into modern club grooves.

"Paying respect to the original soul players has always been of the utmost importance to us," says Pickering. "The bottom line is that without them, we couldn't be here."

Such reverence can be strongly felt throughout the sterling new collection Testify. Not only does it show the band flexing its rhythm muscle to maximum effect, the project also shows them making an occasional detour down a more languid, overtly R&B path. It's a move that suits Small's honey-soaked alto vocal range extraordinarily well.

"I've always enjoyed performing softer, more introspective songs," she says. "It allows me to use my voice in ways that a dance beat doesn't allow--not that I don't love to cut loose on an uptempo dance track, because it's great fun. I'm just so pleased to have the opportunity to explore every color on the palette, if you will."

Small is particularly potent on the acoustic-framed shuffler "Just For You," as well as on the smooth and inspirational "Testify"--though there's no denying that she is in full diva effect on the earthy, disco-inflected gems "Fantasy Island" and "Angel Street."

The rich sound of Testify makes sense, given the history of M People. Their roots can be traced back to Manchester, England--home of such notables as Simply Red and Joy Division, a personal favorite of Pickering's. In fact, he was once a Joy Division roadie, then a chef, then a roadie again (for Kraftwerk and Julio Iglesias, among others), then a window-washer.

Ultimately, Pickering found a stable home behind the turntable decks at the legendary Manchester nightclub, The Hacienda. "It was a brilliant time," he recalls. "I must say there was something magical about that room."

Along the way, he honed his musical skills by playing sax with Factory Records band Quando Quango and with T-Coy, one of the first UK house outfits. As a Factory A&R man, he was instrumental in the signing of both Happy Mondays and James.

In 1991, as rave was setting dance floors ablaze, Pickering began what he viewed as his true musical mission: "To bring dance music back to the song, like Motown, Stax or the Philly International era. A classic song is the foundation of any kind of music."

Mike's mission took on a solid shape after he enlisted the talent of Paul Heard, a trained musician who had played bass for the U.K. groups Working Week, Strawberry Switchblade, and Orange Juice. One of the first songs the two composed was written with one particular chanteuse in mind: Heather Small, a demure, but passionate singer of West Indian descent who had gained a substantial following with London-based soul band Hot! House.

The three entered the studio and started to weave the tunes that would eventually become their first album, Northern Soul. Featuring several singers in addition to Small, the album was indicative of the initial M People plan of showcasing a wide range of singers. However, something unusual happened during Heard and Pickering's sessions with Small. "It was obvious as we were recording that what we had musically was much more than just a one off thing," Pickering recalls. "It had turned into something really coherent. We never went back to rotating vocalists."

Northern Soul was issued in the UK in 1992, and featured the top 10 singles "Colour My Life" and "How Can I Love You More." M People's second album, Elegant Slumming, appeared in 1993 to even greater acclaim, reaching #2 on the UK album chart and spinning off three more Top 10 hits: "Moving On Up," "One Night In Heaven," and the group's impassioned rendition of the Dennis Edwards classic "Don't Look Any Further."

"From that point, we knew that were growing into more than a studio concoction," Heard says. "We assembled a full band and hit the road. It was amazing to hear the songs take shape in a live venue."

"People say, 'Isn't it strange for a dance band to play live?'" adds Pickering. "Don't they remember? That's the way it always was."

Before Elegant Slumming was done, M People had evolved into one of Europe's top concert draws, playing sold-out stadiums and arenas. In the 1993 Brit Awards--the UK equivalent of the Grammys. Elegant Slumming was named Album Of The Year, and M People were voted Best Dance Act for the second consecutive year. The best tracks from both British albums were combined for the US Epic release of Elegant Slumming, which was issued Stateside in June, 1994, powered by the unforgettable single "Movin' On Up." By the spring of '95, M People had earned a total of nine Top Ten UK singles.

Needless to say, the 1996 follow-up Bizarre Fruit and 1997's U.K.-only release Fresco met with similar success, spawning the collective pop smashes "Sight For Sore Eyes," "Search For The Hero," and "Just For You"--all of which appear on Testify.

"It's been such a fantastic ride so far," Small says. "We never dreamed that we'd make it even half as far as we already have. That actually gives us the courage to be adventurous and try lots of new ideas."

And, thus, the glorious, genre-bending Testify_an album equally suitable for working up a dance floor sweat or chilling with a loved one.M People have always been proud to wear their soul on their sleeves.

As a guiding force of the '90s global club movement, the Epic recording act has consistently won critical praise for their ability to infuse elements of old-school funk and R&B into the youth-driven house music idiom. Whether it's within the party-down atmosphere of the turntable classic "One Night In Heaven," or inside the thumpy, "I Will Survive"-esque confines of "Movin' On Up," comrades Heather Small, Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, and Shovell have always strived to inject an ample splash of history into modern club grooves.

"Paying respect to the original soul players has always been of the utmost importance to us," says Pickering. "The bottom line is that without them, we couldn't be here."

Such reverence can be strongly felt throughout the sterling new collection Testify. Not only does it show the band flexing its rhythm muscle to maximum effect, the project also shows them making an occasional detour down a more languid, overtly R&B path. It's a move that suits Small's honey-soaked alto vocal range extraordinarily well.

"I've always enjoyed performing softer, more introspective songs," she says. "It allows me to use my voice in ways that a dance beat doesn't allow--not that I don't love to cut loose on an uptempo dance track, because it's great fun. I'm just so pleased to have the opportunity to explore every color on the palette, if you will."

Small is particularly potent on the acoustic-framed shuffler "Just For You," as well as on the smooth and inspirational "Testify"--though there's no denying that she is in full diva effect on the earthy, disco-inflected gems "Fantasy Island" and "Angel Street."

The rich sound of Testify makes sense, given the history of M People. Their roots can be traced back to Manchester, England--home of such notables as Simply Red and Joy Division, a personal favorite of Pickering's. In fact, he was once a Joy Division roadie, then a chef, then a roadie again (for Kraftwerk and Julio Iglesias, among others), then a window-washer.

Ultimately, Pickering found a stable home behind the turntable decks at the legendary Manchester nightclub, The Hacienda. "It was a brilliant time," he recalls. "I must say there was something magical about that room."

Along the way, he honed his musical skills by playing sax with Factory Records band Quando Quango and with T-Coy, one of the first UK house outfits. As a Factory A&R man, he was instrumental in the signing of both Happy Mondays and James.

In 1991, as rave was setting dance floors ablaze, Pickering began what he viewed as his true musical mission: "To bring dance music back to the song, like Motown, Stax or the Philly International era. A classic song is the foundation of any kind of music."

Mike's mission took on a solid shape after he enlisted the talent of Paul Heard, a trained musician who had played bass for the U.K. groups Working Week, Strawberry Switchblade, and Orange Juice. One of the first songs the two composed was written with one particular chanteuse in mind: Heather Small, a demure, but passionate singer of West Indian descent who had gained a substantial following with London-based soul band Hot! House.

The three entered the studio and started to weave the tunes that would eventually become their first album, Northern Soul. Featuring several singers in addition to Small, the album was indicative of the initial M People plan of showcasing a wide range of singers. However, something unusual happened during Heard and Pickering's sessions with Small. "It was obvious as we were recording that what we had musically was much more than just a one off thing," Pickering recalls. "It had turned into something really coherent. We never went back to rotating vocalists."

Northern Soul was issued in the UK in 1992, and featured the top 10 singles "Colour My Life" and "How Can I Love You More." M People's second album, Elegant Slumming, appeared in 1993 to even greater acclaim, reaching #2 on the UK album chart and spinning off three more Top 10 hits: "Moving On Up," "One Night In Heaven," and the group's impassioned rendition of the Dennis Edwards classic "Don't Look Any Further."

"From that point, we knew that were growing into more than a studio concoction," Heard says. "We assembled a full band and hit the road. It was amazing to hear the songs take shape in a live venue."

"People say, 'Isn't it strange for a dance band to play live?'" adds Pickering. "Don't they remember? That's the way it always was."

Before Elegant Slumming was done, M People had evolved into one of Europe's top concert draws, playing sold-out stadiums and arenas. In the 1993 Brit Awards--the UK equivalent of the Grammys. Elegant Slumming was named Album Of The Year, and M People were voted Best Dance Act for the second consecutive year. The best tracks from both British albums were combined for the US Epic release of Elegant Slumming, which was issued Stateside in June, 1994, powered by the unforgettable single "Movin' On Up." By the spring of '95, M People had earned a total of nine Top Ten UK singles.

Needless to say, the 1996 follow-up Bizarre Fruit and 1997's U.K.-only release Fresco met with similar success, spawning the collective pop smashes "Sight For Sore Eyes," "Search For The Hero," and "Just For You"--all of which appear on Testify.

"It's been such a fantastic ride so far," Small says. "We never dreamed that we'd make it even half as far as we already have. That actually gives us the courage to be adventurous and try lots of new ideas."

And, thus, the glorious, genre-bending Testify an album equally suitable for working up a dance floor sweat or chilling with a loved one.

05/07/1999 05:55 -by- Tim

Reference: (http://www.epiccenter.com)