Edward II

From its incarnation as a radical, cutting-edge roots dance band to today's finely-honed, sunshine groove machine, Edward II has found its place at the forefront of the live roots band circuit. Edward II has established itself not only as one of the hardest working live bands, but also as one of the most professional- unrelenting in its production of fine, upbeat music which is a vibrant coalition of folk and reggae roots. The band creates its crowd-pleasing sounds, electric atmospheres and wild, skanking crowds wherever it plays around the globe.

Recently, Edward II has captured that energy on the band's own label CD release, Zest. Aptly named, the disc bubbles over with the band's piquant infusion of breezy Caribbean dance rhythms and raw English country dance tunes. Massive funky brass sounds, nectar-drenched soul vocals, ringing African guitar riffs and pumping melodeon all come together in a wall of summer-breeze sound which dips its musical toes into the rural traditions of Brampton, into the black community of Moss Side, into funk, into Cajun, into rock . . .

Edward II comprises Glen Latouche on vocals, Tee Carthy on bass, Alton Zebby on drums, Simon Care on melodeons, Gavin Sharp on saxophone and keyboards, John Hart on trombone and guitar, and Jon Moore on guitar and fiddle.

This is the true multi-cultural sound and irrepressible spirit of late 1990s Britain.