Adrian Leach

This “hungry” boy from S.W. London started serving his “musical apprenticeship” in the mid 80’s, hearing the jazz sounds of the time at various clubs and radio stations across the capital and liking what he heard and being unable to construct coherent dance moves, started collecting the tunes that he tapped his two left feet to. The Jazz Dance scene was exciting times and it was this direction that he took in his collecting.

In the early 90’s, under the “Shifting the Legacy” banner, Adrian, alongside long term friend, Desmond Antoine and the Dynamic Step dancers, took London Jazz Dance to Paris and played to packed crowds at the Rex Club, Studio de la Seine and the Café de la Plage that featured Femi (Young Disciples), the Brand New Heavies, Galliano and Omar. Whilst in Paris he worked with Alain at Yellow Productions, Aldo & Philip at Pure records and the guys at Big Cheese plus a radio stint at Radio Nova (101.5) with Gilbert, Mr.G. After a 2 year stint in the City of Love, Adrian took his beloved musica latina to Amsterdam and guested on Blah Blah Jazz on Groove FM (88.1) and at The Message Club.

In London, Adrian successfully hosted “The Cutting Edge” show on Groove FM (94.9) every Saturday for 2 years and also hosted at the Jazz Café in Camden for legendary acts like Jayme Marques, Manfredo Fest and Ray Barretto.

Other gigs of note have been Bluebeat, Shuffles, The Spot, Blue Note, Point 101, Cutting Edge, Brazilian Love Affair, Plastic People and Shiftless Shuffle (London), Poo Na Na for DIG! Family (Manchester) and Out to Lunch (Nottingham).

For the people that know or have heard Adrian, they will tell you that his love for Latin music never stops. His constant search for them elusive “descargas” from all over South America and beyond is never ending. He is equally comfortable playing Jazz, Brazilian, Fusion et all as long as there is that independent feel and that his feet are tapping as they were all those years ago. By now, his apprenticeship has been served and he still can’t dance! Now you can hear for yourself every Sunday, alongside Mark ‘GV’ Taylor, with the Happy Jazz!!! Show on www.soul24-7.com.

Mark Taylor

Having a long established background in the Jazz, Funk, Soul, Latin scene, from the early 80’s till the present, adding to this the mix of new school beatz, playing across the board uplifting music, DJ Mark ‘GV’ Taylor has succeeded in bridging the gap between the best of the old and new.

From 1991 to 1999 during his stay in Amsterdam, Holland, he has played in various clubs such as The Message, Havana Club, The Ozone Club and Rotations at the Shape Club. From 1995 to 1999 Mark had a two-hour show on Saturday evenings, from 21:00 to 23:00 on Groove FM, playing a mix of 70’s, Funk, Jazz, Soul, Latin, Brazilian, Disco, Film Soundtracks to the latest releases from new school beatz (regular chart in Straight no Chaser).

1996 till the present day has seen him in various European Gigs including Jazz Café in London, Yardbird Suite and The Cooker in Leeds, Delicious Doughnuts in Berlin, Limmathaus in Zurich, Gummo Club in Valencia, Rocamar Club in Gijon and Phonotica 99 Festival in Asturias, Spain. Since moving back to the U.K. in early 1999, he has started a monthly residency at Yardbird Suite as a member of the DIG Family (See charts in Straight no Chaser). Mark has also played various Gigs in the U. K. including Brighton Jazz Rooms with Russ Dewbury, Club Bongo in Edinburgh, Point 101 in London, and Brazilian Love Affair with Patrick Forge.

In April 2000 he compiled the Blue Brazil compilation for Blue Note Records.