Affinity: Affinity (Remastered & Expanded 4 CD 1970-2021)

 

Affinity were an English jazz-rock band, active from mid-1968 to January 1972. The origin of Affinity

was circa 1965 in the science department of the University of Sussex in Brighton, England. Three science students Lynton Naiff (keyboards), Grant Serpell (drums), and Nick Nicholas (double bass) had formed the US Jazz Trio, they played at University events and local gigs. When Serpell graduated a year later he was replaced by Mo Foster who had earlier been playing bass guitar in his school band but had now adapted to playing drums.
                          

After university Naiff and Serpell, along with members of other bands gathered from other university

bands, formed the pop group Ice. Although Ice was moderately successful commercially it only lasted for about a year before it disbanded. The auditions continued for a singer. They unanimously decided on an English teacher they had met previously, Linda Hoyle.
                                      

After obtaining a loan, which was guaranteed by Jopp's father, they bought the equipment needed to start the band. They bought Impact amplifiers, a Hammond M102 organ, a Gibson EBO bass guitar,

some microphones and a grey Ford Transit van. They then spent the summer of 1968 rehearsing, writing, and generally chilling out at a rented bungalow on the edge of Brighton. The first thing they needed to do though was invent a name for themselves, eventually they settled on "Affinity" which came from the name of Oscar Peterson's 1961 LP Affinity.
                             

Affinity played their first London show at the Revolution Club in Bruton Place in Mayfair, West End on

5 October 1968. One of the gigs they were playing at the time was broadcast on BBC Radio Jazz Club. Ronnie Scott, heard a recording of the show and subsequently agreed to manage them. He also agreed to give them regular bookings at his world-famous jazz club.
                                

From this point on they received much live work in London's discotheque and club scene and on the

college circuit. They also toured in Europe and Scandinavia and some festivals. They appeared on TV spots, including Disco 2 which was the forerunner to The Old Grey Whistle Test. They recorded the theme for a Shredded Wheat commercial series ("There are 2 men in my life..."). They released an eponymously titled album on the Vertigo label in 1970.
                             

                             
They received many rave reviews, most for the band, but some for individual members, and from Derek Jewell of The Sunday Times, who commented "Naiff is already a virtuso, soul-style, and the whole

group is probably the best new thing heard in the jazz-pop area this year." Billboard Magazine described Naiff as "a musician of great promise". Naiff and Foster had to write a second album when Hoyle announced that she'd had enough and wanted to quit both the band and the music business. Her last concert with Affinity was due to have been in Cardiff on 8 February 1971, but the show was cancelled. The actual last performance was 10 February 1971 in Bournemouth's Winter Gardens theatre.
                             

                      
Between February and June that year the remaining members, along with their new keyboard player Dave Watts, continued to play a mini tour with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band. In June 1971,

it was announced that Affinity were reforming, with original members Jopp, Foster and Serpell plus new recruits Vivienne McAuliffe on vocals and ex-Geno Washington organist Dave Watts (Naiff was by now in Abednego, and by the year's end had joined Toe Fat). A five-day tour of Holland beginning late June and work on a new album were announced. However, a few weeks later Jopp, Foster and Serpell had all been enlisted by ex-Manfred Mann singer Mike D'Abo to back him on his upcoming US tour, alongside sax/flautist Jack Lancaster.
                        

Studio albums

Affinity — (1970, Vertigo), (2002, Angel Air)
1971-1972 — (Recorded 1971-72, released 2003, Angel Air)

MEMBERS

Linda Hoyle - Vocals
Mike Jopp - Acoustic, Electric and 12-string Guitars, Percussion
Lynton Naiff - Hammond, Piano, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Harpsichord, Vibraphone, Percussion
Mo Foster - Bass, Double Bass, Percussion
Grant Serpell - Drums, Percussion
With:
John Paul Jones - Brass & String Arrangements
Chris Hughes - Brass Arrangements

              

Affinity – Affinity (Remastered & Expanded) (1970, 2021)
Released: 1970
Label: Esoteric - Cherry Red ECLEC42775
Format: CD, Reissue 19 Nov 2021
Country: UK
Genre: Jazz, Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Jazz-Rock

DISC 1. AFFINITY

                            

01. I Am And So Are You (3:31)
02. Night Flight (7:16)
03. I Wonder If I'll Care As Much (3:21)
04. Mr. Joy (5:03)
05. Three Sisters (4:59)
06. Coconut Grove (2:36)
07. All Along The Watchtower (11:40)

BONUS TRACKS

08. Eli's Coming (3:27)
09. United States Of Mind (2:45)
10. Yes Man (7:25)
11. If You Live (3:16)
12. You Met Your Match (2:59)
13. I Am The Walrus (2:55)
14. Little Lonely Man (3:58)
15. All Along The Watchtower/It's About That Time (Live, The Torrington, Finchley, 1971) (13:06)

DISC 2. LIVE INSTRUMENTALS 1969

                                      

16. Jive Samba (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (4:51)
17. Dis Here (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (5:48)
18. Comin' Home Baby (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (3:48)
19. Out Of The Storm (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (7:25)
20. Fever (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (3:15)
21. 13 Death March (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (5:42)
22. All Blues (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (4:17)
23. 81 (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (4:01)
24. A Day In The Life (Live, Ronnie Scott's Club, Soho, London, January 1969) (6:48)
25. All Blues (Live, BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, August 1968) (4:23)
26. 81 (Live, BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, August 1968) (4:35)
27. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Live, BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, August 1968) (4:45)
28. Jive Samba (Live, BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, August 1968) (3:42)
29. A Day In The Life (Live, BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, 1970) (6:51)

DISC 3. ORIGINS 1965 - 1967

                                  

30. Autumn Leaves (4:39)
31. Django (3:25)
32. My Funny Valentine (3:08)
33. I Got Plenty Of Nothing (4:46)
34. Dat Dere (6:08)
35. Lover Man (5:13)
36. Blues Etude (Training Film Version) (2:05)
37. Someday My Prince Will Come (2:27)
38. Cubano Chant (2:33)
39. Jordu (0:54)
40. My Funny Valentine (Training Film Version) (4:58)
41. Autumn Leaves (ABC TV Version) (5:31)
42. You Look Good To Me (6:05)
43. The Preacher (5:30)
44. Waltz For Debby (4:16)
45. Django (feat. The US Jazz Trio) (3:56)
46. On Green Dolphin Street (4:37)

DISC 4. AFFINITY 1971 - 1972

                           

47. Moira's Hand (5:18)
48. Grey Skies (8:38)
49. Cream On Your Face (5:19)
50. Sunshower (5:44)
51. All Along The Watchtower / It's About That Time (Demo) (7:41)
52. Rio (4:45)
53. Poor Man's Son (3:21)
54. Sarah's Wardrobe (4:18)
55. Highgate (3:56)

DISC 1   (Tracks 01-14)  

MP3 @ 320 Size: 151 MB        Flac  Size: 393 MB

 
DISC 2   (Tracks 15-26)   

MP3 @ 320 Size: 157 MB        Flac  Size: 276 MB

 
DISC 3   (Tracks 27-42) 

MP3 @ 320 Size: 155 MB        Flac  Size: 284 MB

DISC 4   (Tracks 43-55)  

MP3 @ 320 Size: 155 MB        Flac  Size: 384 MB