Harlesden is an area of North West London that is synonymous with great, British black music. The Jet Star organisation that distributes reggae all around the UK is based there, the reggae label Hawkeye has a shop there too, and venues the Apollo and the Coliseum were two of the first in the UK to showcase black British acts.
Harlesden is home to many musicians, singers, DJs and sound systems. In 1985, one hundred-yard stretch of Harlesden High Street contained three pirate radio stations. Every weekend, the backstreets of Harlesden reverberate to the sounds of bluebeat, ska, roots, dub, ragga and bashment.
One of the most important lover’s rock groups of the early eighties were Prediction, a 6-7 piece outfit that always tried to be innovative. Twin sisters Paulette and Claudette Patterson were the lead singers, and both learnt studio skills and stage craft while with the band.
In 1985, the two girls decided to form themselves into a duo – DAZZLE – and signed to Jam Today Records, a label created by Andy Sojka, a former member of Atmosfear, and the creator of Elite Records, the label that first signed Level 42.
It was an exciting and innovative time for British black music. Acts such as Billy Ocean, Imagination, Junior Giscombe, Central Line, Linx, Aswad, Loose Ends and Soul II Soul were crossing over to a mainstream audience.
Jam Today was home to a variety of soul acts such as Keni Stevens and Projection, and the label’s loyal following were immediately supportive of the girls’ debut album ‘Soul Sisters’.
The main track from this album was ‘Dazzle You’, and the girls toured the country performing the track in clubs, giving interviews at regional radio stations and making friends wherever they went. On their travels, the girls shared the bill with acts such as Omar and Gwen Guthrie.
Such was the success of ‘Soul Sisters’ that Jam Today commissioned a second album and, again, the girls toured the country promoting that album.
On June 15, 2007 at approx. 4.00pm, Paulette Patterson passed away. Born on June 11, 1963, she had just celebrated her 44th birthday. Paulette was an amazing singer and songwriter and, fortunately, she will live on through the great music that Dazzle made.
I love this friggin' song, another EBAY album find..there was only ONE and I GOT IT!...check it out and visit DAZZLE on myspace.
1 comment:
This was the jam... that was an awesome time for black British music: Loose Ends was still around (even though most of the members were gone)... Soul II Soul blowing it up... Incognito coming back to the scene... Glen Goldsmith... Omar's first joint... hell, even Lisa Stansfield.
Good times...
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