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Southern Freeez / Variations on a Theeem
Artist
Freeez & John Rocca
ReleaseProduct
Southern Freeez / Variations on a Theeem
Label
Beggars Banquet
Catalogue Number
BBQ2166DA
Release Date
June 18, 2020

  • Vinyl 2×LP, Limited Coloured

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    Blue marbled and transparent splatter vinyl

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    BBQ2166LP

    • Gatefold double LP

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Press Release

Beggars Arkive reissue the classic Freeez debut album ‘Southern Freeez’. Accompanied by a second LP containing seven brand new tracks from the band’s leader John Rocca. Freeez were a legendary group from London, known as one of the UK’s main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s. Led by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally with Rocca and others including Andy Stennet (keyboards), Peter Maas (bass guitar) and Paul Morgan. Their debut album ‘Southern Freeez’ was released in 1981 and contains the hit song ‘Southern Freeez’, which included guest vocals by Ingrid Mansfield Allman. John Rocca initially released the album it on his own Pink Rythm label before being signed to Beggars Banquet. A few years later, they had even more hits. Their biggest, ‘IOU’, was a #1 club single and was written and produced by renowned producer Arthur Baker with lyric contributions and lead vocals by John Rocca and remixed by Jellybean Benitez and Baker. It was a hit in the US in addition to the UK and was used in the legendary breakdancing movie Beat Street. ‘Pop Goes My Love’ was another hit. Rocca also had a hit as a solo artist in 1984 with ‘I Want It To Be Real’. While they may not be a household name, if you know, you know. They have been sampled many times, by artists including Jamie xx, Coolio, Brandy, Madlib and more. Nearly 40 years after the original release of ‘Southern Freeez’, after being contacted by Beggars Arkive about a reissue, John was inspired to go back to his roots. He pulled together some of the work that he had been experimenting with over the years and enlisted some musicians (including his nephews) to play on the tracks, saying that doing so “was a nice reflection of the past meeting the present.” “The melancholic suburban soul of ‘Southern Freeez’ never gets tired for me... an album that has remained at the top of my Brit Funk pile!” - Gilles Peterson

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Digital Tracklist

Disc 1

  1. 1 Mariposa (Remastered) Freeez 5:39 Buy

    Mariposa (Remastered)

  2. 2 Caribbean Winter (Remastered) Freeez 5:15 Buy

    Caribbean Winter (Remastered)

  3. 3 Easy on the Onions (Remastered) Freeez 2:38 Buy

    Easy on the Onions (Remastered)

  4. 4 Sunset (Remastered) Freeez 4:40 Buy

    Sunset (Remastered)

  5. 5 Flying High (Remastered) Freeez 5:29 Buy

    Flying High (Remastered)

  6. 6 Southern Freeez (Remastered) Freeez 5:42 Buy

    Southern Freeez (Remastered)

  7. 7 Roller Chase (Remastered) Freeez 5:07 Buy

    Roller Chase (Remastered)

  8. 8 First Love (Remastered) Freeez 4:22 Buy

    First Love (Remastered)

  9. 9 Finale Freeez 1:54 Buy

    Finale

Disc 2

  1. 1 Southern Freeez 20+20 John Rocca 7:48 Buy

    Southern Freeez 20+20

  2. 2 Feeel the Music John Rocca 5:28 Buy

    Feeel the Music

  3. 3 Simple Breeez John Rocca 6:27 Buy

    Simple Breeez

  4. 4 My Name is Love (Part 1 & Part 2) John Rocca 9:07 Buy

    My Name is Love (Part 1 & Part 2)

  5. 5 Slow Down (Ordinary Dawn) John Rocca 5:07 Buy

    Slow Down (Ordinary Dawn)

  6. 6 Rain John Rocca 5:17 Buy

    Rain

Freeez & John Rocca

Beggars Banquet

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