"Keep in Touch" is the debut single by British

jazz-funk Jazz-funk is a subgenre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat, electrified sounds, and analog synthesizers. The integration of funk, soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre that ranges from ...

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

band

Freeez Freeez were an English electronic music group, initially known as one of the UK's main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s before transitioning to an electro style. Initiated by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally wi ...

. Self-funded and released, the idea for the song came from lead artist John Rocca, while playing with another informal group led by

Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick Jean-Paul Maunick (born 19 February 1957, Mauritius), known by his stage name Bluey is a British guitarist, bandleader, composer and record producer. He has led the British acid jazz band Incognito since its formation in 1979. With Incognito, ...

, who was then in between UK

brit funk Brit funk (or Britfunk) is a musical style that has its origins in the British music scene of the late 1970s and which remained popular into the 1980s. It mixes elements from jazz, funk, soul, urban dance rhythms and pop hooks. The scene origina ...

projects

Light of the World "Light of the World" ( ''Phṓs tou kósmou'') is a phrase used by Jesus to describe himself and his disciples in the New Testament.''Names and Titles of the Lord Jesus Christ'' by Charles Spear 2003 page 226 The phrase is recorded in the Gosp ...

and

Incognito Incognito is an English adjective meaning "in disguise", "having taken steps to conceal one's identity". Incognito may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''Incognito'', a 1915 film featuring Rae Berger * ''Incognito'' (1937 film), a Dan ...

. Derived from the group, the personnel performing on the recording were Maunick (guitar), Peter Maas (bass), Paul Morgan (drums), Jason Wright (keyboards), and Rocca (percussion). The song was created in one night at a studio in London's West End, and the first pressing was on Rocca's own Pink Rythm Records, with deliberate artistic misspelling. The label artwork was designed by his brother Danny and the record sleeves were collaboratively spray painted by hand. It sold several thousand units under this first guise before being licensed to

Pye Records PYE or Pye Records is an independent British record label. It was first established in 1955 and played a major role in shaping rock 'n' roll and pop music history. The Pye name was dropped in 1980 due to trademark issues, after which it produced ...

soul sublabel Calibre. "Keep In Touch" reached number 49 in the UK single sales charts. This was followed up with another 12-inch single "Stay" b/w "Hot Footing It", released only on Pink Rythm after Pye opted to not release it. John Rocca next invested in the self-funded production of " Southern Freeez", after which Freeez signed to

Beggars Banquet Records Beggars Banquet Records is a British independent record label. Beggars Banquet started as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. History In 1977, spurred by the prevailing D ...

, which at that time was a small, rising company.

Track listings

Pink Rythm 12" release: # "Keep in Touch" – 6:50 # "Keep in Touch" (edit) – 5:48 Pye/Calibre 12" release: # "Keep in Touch" – 6:50 # "Keep in Touch" (re-mix) – 7:52

Chart performance

"Keep in Touch" sold over 35,000 copies and entered the UK Singles Chart for 3 weeks in June 1980.

Credits

*Produced by John Rocca for Pink Rythm Productions *Arranged by Freeez

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keep In Touch 1980 songs 1980 debut singles Freeez songs