Smoove & Turrell [The Singles Tour]

Smoove had met keyboardist Mike Porter through the local music scene in Newcastle and recruited him for his ‘Smoove Live’ project for the label Acid Jazz. Around Mike’s house one day they overheard a neighbour singing sublime melodies in his garage with friends which turned out to be none other than a young John Turrell practicing in a band called ‘The Stevies’. After a couple of further sessions ‘scouting’ him they finally knocked on the door and had a chat and hit it off straight away.

Their first track was the now classic ‘I Can’t Give You Up’ recorded at Mike Porter’s house as his Hammond Organ was immovably wedged in his utility room. It was in fellow soul head Craig Charles that they found their first radio champion as he supported them heavily on ‘The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show’ which was a kick-starter for their assault on national radio eventually landing Radio 2 record of the week.

The band’s 6th studio album “Stratos Bleu” scored their first official UK charts Number 1 (Dance Album Chart) as well as making a healthy dent in the Overall album Top 40. Alongside this they were given an Album of the Day accolade at BBC 6 music, cementing the fact that 6 albums in, their brand of gritty realism doused in dancefloor euphoria is more relevant than ever. A delayed but relentless tour schedule for “Stratos Bleu” meant that it wasn’t until the middle of 2022 that they could get back to writing, delivering their 7th album “Red Ellen” (named after a female labour politician who was instrumental in shaping post war attitudes to social justice) which was released in October 2023. Less electronic an odyssey than “Stratos Bleu”, but still firmly centred on the dancefloor and with an overwhelmingly optimistic message of love and compassion, “Red Ellen” is tempered as always with the reality of working class life in the North East of England.