Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band, founded in 1980.
Shakatak sco… Read Full Bio ↴Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band, founded in 1980.
Shakatak scored a number of chart entries, including two Top Ten hits in the UK Singles Chart, "Night Birds" (1982) and "Down on the Street" (1984), plus a further 12 entries in the Guinness book of British Hit Singles. The group are still active and popular throughout the world, particularly in Japan and the Far East, and generally produce a new album every two years on JVC Records.
From their first release in August 1980, (the Bill Sharpe composition "Steppin'" on the Polydor record label), and their first album, Drivin' Hard, the band's singles and albums have entered the charts regularly.
It was the release of "Easier Said Than Done" that gave the band the radio exposure needed for their first top-twenty hit. This record introduced their instrumental-unison vocal sound to a much wider audience, and the track stayed in the UK chart for seventeen weeks. The follow-up, "Night Birds", was their first single to reach the top ten, and the album of the same name gave Shakatak their first gold album, entering at number four and remaining in the charts for twenty-eight weeks. By now a major international act, the success of the release gave them the number-one jazz album slot in Japan, and attracted interest across Europe and South America. Night Birds was used in the feature film "Away We Go" directed by Sam Mendes and was used as the demonstration song on many Casio Piano Keyboards such as the Casio CT-460.
Two more albums β Invitations and Out of This World β were recorded in 1982 and 1983, resulting in several more chart hits, and paving the way for the next major breakthrough in the band's career. With a subtle change in musical direction, yet still retaining the band's identity, Jill Saward (formerly of Fusion Orchestra, Brandy and Citizen Gang) became their lead singer to make Shakatak's fifth album, Down on the Street. The resulting single releases "Down on the Street" and "Watching You" had great success, and brought them attention in new parts of the world. The following year saw the release of the group's first live album, which was recorded in both Tokyo and London.
The seventh album, Day by Day, saw the development of songwriting by all of the band members. In 1986 Saward announced that she was expecting a baby later the same year. This news allowed the band to ease their hectic touring schedule for a while, and enabled them to concentrate purely on recording for a brief period. The band were in the top five foreign acts in Japan, and after winning the coveted Silver Award in the Tokyo International Song Festival, Shakatak were asked to produce an extra album each year exclusively for the Japanese market. By this time they had two extra albums released there entitled Into the Blue and Golden Wings. Both sold well, the latter winning the "Best Instrumental Album 1987" at the Japanese Phonograph Record Association Awards.
However, following this success the band felt it was time that they re-directed their efforts back to singles, and an album for release to the rest of the world. The result was Something Special, closely followed by the night club and chart hit "Mr Manic & Sister Cool" from their next LP, Manic and Cool.
In the 1990s, the band had success in the US when they had two albums that went to No 1 in the contemporary jazz charts, and were also awarded the Japanese grammy for best international instrumental album six years running.
Shakatak continue to appear regularly throughout the world with recent festival performances at Jakjazz, the Jakata International Jazz Festival, Bangkok, Hua Hin and the Bratislava Jazz Day and they make annual appearances at the Billboard Clubs in Japan and the Pizza Express Jazz Room in London plus numerous other concert and club performances.
The band celebrated their thirtieth anniversary year in 2010.
Bassist George Anderson is to release his second solo album 'Expressions' on the 3rd September 2012 through Secret Records. Coming three years after his first album 'Positivity', this album again sees George writing, arranging and producing all of the tracks on it.
Keyboardist Bill Sharpe worked with American jazz pianist Don Grusin on a joint project called Geography released in 2007. Sharpe's second collaboration with Grusin, Trans Atlantica has been completed and is to be released on the 3rd September 2012. This is to be released through London label Secret Records and will also include their first album Geography as a special 2-CD package.
Shakatak sco… Read Full Bio ↴Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band, founded in 1980.
Shakatak scored a number of chart entries, including two Top Ten hits in the UK Singles Chart, "Night Birds" (1982) and "Down on the Street" (1984), plus a further 12 entries in the Guinness book of British Hit Singles. The group are still active and popular throughout the world, particularly in Japan and the Far East, and generally produce a new album every two years on JVC Records.
From their first release in August 1980, (the Bill Sharpe composition "Steppin'" on the Polydor record label), and their first album, Drivin' Hard, the band's singles and albums have entered the charts regularly.
It was the release of "Easier Said Than Done" that gave the band the radio exposure needed for their first top-twenty hit. This record introduced their instrumental-unison vocal sound to a much wider audience, and the track stayed in the UK chart for seventeen weeks. The follow-up, "Night Birds", was their first single to reach the top ten, and the album of the same name gave Shakatak their first gold album, entering at number four and remaining in the charts for twenty-eight weeks. By now a major international act, the success of the release gave them the number-one jazz album slot in Japan, and attracted interest across Europe and South America. Night Birds was used in the feature film "Away We Go" directed by Sam Mendes and was used as the demonstration song on many Casio Piano Keyboards such as the Casio CT-460.
Two more albums β Invitations and Out of This World β were recorded in 1982 and 1983, resulting in several more chart hits, and paving the way for the next major breakthrough in the band's career. With a subtle change in musical direction, yet still retaining the band's identity, Jill Saward (formerly of Fusion Orchestra, Brandy and Citizen Gang) became their lead singer to make Shakatak's fifth album, Down on the Street. The resulting single releases "Down on the Street" and "Watching You" had great success, and brought them attention in new parts of the world. The following year saw the release of the group's first live album, which was recorded in both Tokyo and London.
The seventh album, Day by Day, saw the development of songwriting by all of the band members. In 1986 Saward announced that she was expecting a baby later the same year. This news allowed the band to ease their hectic touring schedule for a while, and enabled them to concentrate purely on recording for a brief period. The band were in the top five foreign acts in Japan, and after winning the coveted Silver Award in the Tokyo International Song Festival, Shakatak were asked to produce an extra album each year exclusively for the Japanese market. By this time they had two extra albums released there entitled Into the Blue and Golden Wings. Both sold well, the latter winning the "Best Instrumental Album 1987" at the Japanese Phonograph Record Association Awards.
However, following this success the band felt it was time that they re-directed their efforts back to singles, and an album for release to the rest of the world. The result was Something Special, closely followed by the night club and chart hit "Mr Manic & Sister Cool" from their next LP, Manic and Cool.
In the 1990s, the band had success in the US when they had two albums that went to No 1 in the contemporary jazz charts, and were also awarded the Japanese grammy for best international instrumental album six years running.
Shakatak continue to appear regularly throughout the world with recent festival performances at Jakjazz, the Jakata International Jazz Festival, Bangkok, Hua Hin and the Bratislava Jazz Day and they make annual appearances at the Billboard Clubs in Japan and the Pizza Express Jazz Room in London plus numerous other concert and club performances.
The band celebrated their thirtieth anniversary year in 2010.
Bassist George Anderson is to release his second solo album 'Expressions' on the 3rd September 2012 through Secret Records. Coming three years after his first album 'Positivity', this album again sees George writing, arranging and producing all of the tracks on it.
Keyboardist Bill Sharpe worked with American jazz pianist Don Grusin on a joint project called Geography released in 2007. Sharpe's second collaboration with Grusin, Trans Atlantica has been completed and is to be released on the 3rd September 2012. This is to be released through London label Secret Records and will also include their first album Geography as a special 2-CD package.
Bitch to the Boys
Shakatak Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Shakatak:
Africa Thereβ²s a story from a time long ago Told to children…
Change Your Mind Why don''t you ever listen It''s you I''m talking to This ti…
Changes How do I sleep at night Knowing you are coming to…
City Rhythm City rhythm dancing in my head We can feel the (sight) Cit…
Dark Is The Night Dark is the night Dark is the night Where is the star…
Day by Day Day by day I'm falling more in love with you And…
Deja Vu You appeared in a cold morning sky On warm summer breezes…
Don't Blame It On Love Don't blame it on love, don't blame it on love Don't…
Down On The Street Down Down Down Down Down Down Down Down. Down on the street…
Down on the street 2001 Down Down Down Down Down Down Down Down. Down on the street…
Easier Said Than Done So I don't miss you everyday don't need you…
Empty Skies Summer has gone Nights are so cold And the secret you left…
Fire Dance In the cool night When she goes out dancinβ² Starlight When s…
Footprints In the Sand You walked with me Footprints in the sand And helped me unde…
Goodbye Mickey Mouse In the afterglow Of a clouded sunset Shadows fade in her eye…
IN MY HEART Lost in a dream My life wasn't clear You came in my…
Invitations With a fleeting smile below the lazy eyes And the face…
Island Girl He's out all along doesn't get too far Spends the night…
Lady I hear from a voice Out of history That lived The sound of…
Let's Get Together Just take the time to find out who It is you…
Light on My Life You turned the light on my life You brought the sun…
Lonely Afternoon An old man walks along the path it isnΒ΄t raining anymore t…
Lose Myself DancinΒ΄ through the night, next to you close up and so…
Love of All Time I want you, I need you and nothing can change…
M.O.N.E.Y. Everybody wants to take your money Leave it the bank, lock…
Mr. Manic & Sister Cool (Mr. Manic and Sister Cool Mr. Manic Mr. Manic and Sister Co…
Mr. Manic and Sister Cool Mister Manic And sister cool You canβ²t plan it Mister Manic …
Never Stop Your Love Never stop your love Cause I need your love And I just Can't…
Night Birds Flying through the night Floating on the wings …
Night Moves flyin through the night floating on a wind to the city light…
Nightbirds Flying through the night Floating on the wings Through th…
Nobody Holds Me (Quite the Way You Do) Hey, you There's a magic in your eyes Turn the music really…
On Nights Like Tonight Lovers are dreamers Lost on the way to our star We'll get…
Once Upon a Time Music in my ear Sound of your summer song Floats across the…
Out of This World Sleep softly through a dream see how it might have been tw…
Physical Attraction Oh, yeah, well, Gold Digger took my money Dipped my heart…
Secret You were secret You were magic Music to my mind Like no othe…
Shadow A face in the shadow Is it someone I know? Who…
Slip Away Chances are That Iβ²ll never find All I need In your heart an…
Slow Dancing The night draws in a coat of darkness A candle flickers…
Something Special Tonight seems so far away All dressed up for you I can…
Soul Destination Soul destination I'm comin' home (repeat) I've been away to…
Stranger Dayne Taylor Soul Dancing Dance With A Stranger (Mark S. …
Street Walkin I'm walking around on the street on the again Thinking it…
Streetwalkin' I'm walking around on the street on the again …
Takin' Off Aerosmith Nine Lives Falling Off (Perry, Tyler, Frederiksen)…
The Christmas Song Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at you…
Time of My Life Under a spell Waiting there beside you When the drkness fell…
Watching You You stand in the crowd, just watchin' them all I know…
You'll Never Know Look at what you have gone and done You fool, the…
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jeanie1900
this reminds me of my best friend Renate, who sadly passed away last year at the age of 46 from breast cancer. In 1982, she was a big Led Zeppelin fan and I was heavily into soul/funk music. The only album she possessed of this genre was this one and when I stayed with her one weekend we played this particular track to death! Thanks for posting :)
yogbarog
@jeanie1900 I see you also made a similar comment 2 years before this one. Keep coming back for the memories. RIP Renate.
jeanie1900
I've only just seen this. Thank you so much, xx
BRENDOWNED
jeanie1900 that's beautiful
R.I.P. Renate
Kara Murphee
I remember when DJ's were real hesitant to play this - at least where I lived. This is so mild compared to what is sung these days.
revistaespejonet
Me encanta la parte en que se hace un silencio y regresa el tema principal. Β‘FantΓ‘stico!
JEAN-ERIC TATEΓA
π₯°
juan mtz
Me too
Karel Mori
revistaespejonet its magic!!
Robin Curson
such an underrated band! great real musicians.