Light of the World

Light of the World

Light of the World is a British jazz-funk group from the United Kingdom, active from 1979 to the present. The band forms in North London and builds its sound around funk, soul, jazz and jazz-funk, with a brass-led line-up that gives it a strong live character.

History

The group begins in 1974, when Breeze McKrieth invites Kenny Wellington to rehearse with other young musicians in London. The band later takes the name Light of the World, inspired by Kool and the Gang’s Light of Worlds. Early influences include Kool and the Gang and The Kay Gees, and the band develops its style around the club and import-record culture of London in the 1970s.

The original line-up includes Breeze McKrieth, Kenny Wellington, David Baptiste, Paul Williams, Norman Walker, Roger Thomas, Junior King, Earl Appleton, Jean Paul Maunick and Everton McCalla. Over time, several members leave, while the band continues to record and perform in changing configurations.

Recordings and key releases

Light of the World gains a big live following and moderate chart success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its best-known tracks include “London Town” and the long-form “Time”. Other notable songs from the period include “Swingin’”, “Midnight Groovin’”, “Who Are You”, “I’m So Happy” and “Pete’s Crusade”.

The album Round Trip becomes the band’s key early recording, with writing contributions from McKrieth, Wellington, Baptiste, Williams and Hinds. It includes “London Town”, “Time”, “I’m So Happy” and “Pete’s Crusade”, and remains central to the band’s reputation. Several of these tracks also appear on compilation albums that sell over 100,000 copies, bringing the band gold records for their contribution.

In 1999, the group releases Inner Voices, recorded with the participation of founder members McKrieth, Wellington and Baptiste. That album includes 12 new compositions and songs such as “Bahia”, “I Like”, “City Life” and “Back 2 Back”. It is followed by anthology release Addicted to Funk, which surveys the group’s catalogue but does not include tracks from Inner Voices.

Related projects and members

Several Light of the World members also record under other names. Kenny Wellington, David Baptiste and Neville McKrieth record as Beggar & Co, a project that produces two top forty hits: “Somebody Help Me Out” and “Mule (Chant No 2)”. The Beggar & Co recordings also feed material back into the Light of the World repertoire.

Paul Williams and Jean Paul Maunick also help form Incognito during their time with the band. Incognito becomes the most commercially successful of the related projects. Light of the World also works in other configurations over the years, including recordings linked to The Team and collaborations involving musicians such as Peter Hinds, Nat Augustin, Ganiyu Bello, Frank Felix, Simon Law, Phil Fearon and Galaxy, Stevie V, Billy Osborne, Fayyaz Virji, Kevin Robinson, Orphy Robinson and Toby Baker.

Performances and later activity

The group earns a reputation as a strong live act, with appearances in London, the home counties and on the club circuit. It also appears on television, including Soul Train. The band continues to perform and record in various line-ups, with later activity centred on jazz-funk material from its catalogue.

Personnel

Light of the World’s core members listed in the supplied facts are David Baptiste, Everton McCalla and Paul “Tubbs” Williams. Earlier and associated members named in the group’s history include Breeze McKrieth, Kenny Wellington, Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, Peter Hinds, Chris Etienne, Nat Augustin, Ganiyu Bello, Frank Felix and others connected to the band’s long-running line-up changes.