'An absolute coup' as Funk legend Tom Browne heads to Peterborough

The gig at The Met on August 29 will be their only show outside the four dates they are doing at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club two nights prior.

It was 45 years ago this month (July 1980) that Tom Browne released the single that introduced him to the UK Funk scene - and Funkin for Jamaica, with Tom’s distinctive trumpet intro, completely blew away the UK dance floors in the Soul and Funk clubs around the country.

At the time, Peterborough DJ Steve Allen ran the weekly Slickers Club at The Cresset, and remembers the track as being the “go to” record of the time.

“If the dance floor was flagging a little, simply stick on Tom Browne, let the trumpet intro play through the PA system and ‘bingo’ – instant full dance floor,” Steve recalls.

Joining Tom on the night will be original Brit Funk legends Light of The World. Initially signed to Ensign records by legendary Club DJ Chris Hill, the band chalked up a run of dance floor and club hit singles from the late 70s onwards – hits like London Town, Time, Swingin, The Boys in Blue were all big dance floor favourites

Opening up the show will be Peterborough’s very own soul star Malcolm Fovargue, who is currently enjoying success with his debut single Turning My World Around – a real favourite on the Northern Soul Scene.

Hosting the show and playing some choice cuts from the era will be DJs Steve Allen and club boss Steve Jason, who admits that “It feels strange that after I originally bought the club in 1999 with the intention of promoting the new alternative bands that the DJs were playing at The Sugar Club. Yet now after 26 years I’m actually now also booking the bands and artists that I was playing as a DJ 40 years ago… not that I’m complaining.”

Early bird tickets are on sale now from www.skiddle.com