Jack Steadman, formerly of Bombay Bicycle Club, is bespectacled, bald, and now goes by Mr Jukes. Mr Jukes is set to play at Brighton’s Concorde 2 on September 18th to open the whistlestop tour for his debut record God First.
In January 2016 festival folkers Bombay Bicycle Club ominously declared that they would go on an indefinite hiatus. But don’t despair! Mr Jukes is by no means a total transformation for Steadman. Bombay had long since evolved from their jangly indie roots by the time they disbanded. The dazzlingly exuberant electronic pop of 2014’s So Long See You Tomorrow was a far cry from their sensitive shoe gazing debut I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose in 2009. Mr Jukes has continued on this trajectory for God First. Some of the tunes with Jack’s pensive, emotional voice wouldn’t look out of place on a So Long B-side.
God First is a kaleidoscopic collaboration showcasing the wonders of soul, funk, R&B and jazz with the likes of Charles Bradley, De La Soul and BJ the Chicago Kid. You can expect an eclectic show from a bonafide sample hound!
Charles Bradley lends his soulful voice to the funky Motown banger ‘Grant Green’. Deliriously uplifting, Steadman happened upon a cover of James Brown’s ‘Aint it Funky Now’ by Grant Green in a Japanese jazz cafe and used the hook in the single, thus travelling six thousand miles for his music- Dedication! ‘Angels/ Your Love’ is a smooth and joyous sax-packed collaboration with BJ the Chicago Kid that seamlessly stitches together jazz legend Jorge Lopez Ruiz with BJ’s soulful R&B. ‘Leap of Faith’ features hip-hop legends De La Soul alongside reggae singer and Massive Attack alumni Horace Andy for an upbeat groove that effortlessly fuses jazz, funk, soul and hip-hop. The impressive list of guest vocalists rivals that of Damon Albarn and his primate pals.
Mr Jukes will go on to play a limited run of shows in Bristol, London, Glasgow, Sheffield and Manchester, ending the tour in Birmingham at the O2 Institute on September 25th.
Tickets for Mr Jukes’ tour are available here.
