Put together by Kaidi Tatham (Bugz In the Attic, Misa Negra and lots more) and Dego (4-Hero and even more aliases than Kaidi) the self-titled album on Ether got great support from jocks Gilles Peterson, Trevor Nelson, Patrick Forge and Benji B. Wide-ranging appeal then if they cover that quartet.

Another reason the project was a great success was that whilst Bembé Segué was helping out on writing lyrics and providing lyrics, the lead vocals were taken by friend of FLY, Deborah Jordan (also Robert Mitchell’s Panacea and shortly Abstract Blue Recordings). Perhaps, it is the female influence that gave the production more of a soulful feel than you would have thought.

As new tour dates have just been announced, it’s a good opportunity to look again at the album.

The opener ‘Whose In Charge’ is a bit of an anthem together with the single that was released, ‘Spread That’. Not only that, ‘Spread That’ got in the top ten of Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards for 2005.

‘Pain’ is a stuttering jazz lounge with minimal keys from Kaidi whilst ‘Time Waits For No One’ takes the same mood down into funky basement beats with some distorted guitar (provided by guest, Somatik who has worked with Mark de Clive-Lowe in the past).

Along with the brokenness, there are also minimal beats, Amp Fiddler flavas, mellow Break Reformisms and all sorts of goodness; particularly ‘They Can’t Tell Us’. There’s even a touch of 80s soul girl on ‘Just A Little More’.

If you haven’t heard them, you must check out their myspace web site or (even better in my view) “Welkom bij North Sea Jazz 2005” and watch the Paulus Potterhall performance from last year online; a bit of a slow start but stick with it (see links below).

Now that looks like a great night out to me. Tell us what you think.

Tour Dates:
Sat 11th March : The Drum, BIRMINGHAM, U.K
Sat 18th March : La Palma Club, ROME, ITALY
Thurs 23rd March : San Sebastian, SPAIN
Weds 29th March : The Birdland, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Thu 30th March : Sub Club, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA [TO BE CONFIRMED]
22nd April : Fat City, MANCHESTER, UK [TO BE CONFIRMED]
24th April : Scene la Bastille, PARIS, FRANCE
11th May : FUSE Festival at Hi Fi Club, LEEDS, UK

Reviewed: Silhouette Brown - Silhouette Brown (Ether) Cat. No ETHLP 004 (2xLP) Release date: 28 Feb 2005 Credits: Co-producers - Dego & Kaidi Tatham, Vocals - Deborah Jordan. Licensed from 2000 Black.
Tracklisting:
A1 Whose In Charge (Backing Vocals - Bembé Segué)
A2 Looking Back
B1 Pain (It’s Gonna Come Heavier)
B2 Time Waits For Nothing
B3 Spread That
C1 Check It (Calling You)
C2 They Can’t Tell Us
C3 Looking Back (Reprise)
D1 Monday’s Coming
D2. Just A Little More

Links:
www.myspace.com/silhouettebrown
www.ethermusic.net
www.2000black.com
www.somatik.co.uk
North Sea Jazz Festival - Silhouette Brown Live Friday 8 July 2005