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The Team have been around for
the last twenty-seven years; their reputation for
consistently outstanding live performance is the foundation
of their success; their intimate relationship with soul
music has had legendary artists perform with them; and their
audience is drawn from so wide a spectrum of people as to
make the demographic indefinable.
Put together in 1982 by percussionist Clive 'J.J.' Hare and
bassman Kevin Kendall, the band approached 'Build Me Up
Buttercup' vocalist Clem Curtis with a view to working
together. Clem at that time did not need a band but he had a
friend who did: The late, great motown artist Edwin Starr
whose hits include 'War - What is it good for', 'S.O.S',
'Eye to Eye Contact' and 'H.A.P.P.Y Radio'.
Since then The Team has been on the road and there are few
others with such extensive performing experience. Whether
for a throng of forty thousand at the now legendary V
Festival in Chelmsford's Bowl or for just twenty-three
guests in the dining room of a media and premiership
football tycoon; whether at 8 a.m. in a field near Aachen
full of scooterists or at midnight in an opulent London
hotel for the royal family; whether in session for Capital
Radio or on The Jonathan Ross Show, the mantra is the same:
'we came here to party!' for whoever, whenever, wherever!
If you have not yet seen for yourself, the certainty is, you
will know someone who has. Possibly even on one of those
exhilarating occasions when The Team has been joined onstage
by, for example, The Temptations, Ben E. King, Barry White
or Boy George to name a few.
Together with Edwin they have been presented with awards by
Blues and Soul Magazine, whose readership for two
consecutive years voted them 'UK Live Act Of The Year'; and
alongside James Brown and Billy Paul have twice been
honoured at the prestigious European Diamond Awards for Live
Music.
With Edwin's passing in April 2003, younger brother Angelo,
an original member of The Team whose credits include
Alexander O'Neal and more recently Lemar, has taken over on
lead vocals. Accordingly, there is a sense of continuity but
more notably, a new energy; an energy that could only be
generated by dedicated and well-travelled musicians and
singers, performing for years with soul greats - and soaking
up the influence.
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