D'Influence (also D-Influence and D*Influence) is a British

production team A production team is the group of technical staff who produce a play, television show, recording, or film. Generally the term refers to all individuals responsible for the technical aspects of creating of a particular product, regardless of wher ...

and

acid jazz Acid jazz (also known as club jazz, psychedelic jazz, or groove jazz) is a music genre that combines elements of funk, soul music, soul, and hip hop music, hip hop, as well as jazz and disco. Acid jazz originated in clubs in London during the 1 ...

band. Formerly of

The Echo Label The Echo Label was a British record label started by Chrysalis Group in 1994, and linked with Pony Canyon in Japan. The Chrysalis Group were the original owners of Chrysalis Records, which they sold to EMI. In 2005, The Echo Label recorded ...

, they founded their own label, Freakstreet Records. Original members include

Kwame Kwaten Kwame Amankwa Kwaten (born 13 May 1967) is a British manager, music consultant, musician and record producer. He owns an artist management and consultancy company called Ferocious Talent and is a co-founder of Cr8ing Vision, a non-profit company ...

, Sarah-Ann Webb, Ed Baden-Powell, Ned Bigham and Steve Marston.

Biography

D'Influence emerged in 1990 from the UK club scene. The group eventually issued, in August 1992, their debut album entitled '' Good 4 We'' on

East West Records East West Records (stylized as east''west'') is a record label formed in 1955, distributed and owned by Warner Music Group, headquartered in New York City. History After its creation in 1955 by Atlantic Records, the label had its first hit wit ...

. That album reached No. 7 on the ''

Blues & Soul ''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as ''NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a r ...

'' Top British Soul Albums chart. The song "Good Lover" from the LP also got to No. 11 on the ''Blues & Soul'' Top British Soul Singles chart. D'Influence later released their 1995 sophomore studio album, '' Prayer 4 Unity'' on

EastWest Records East West Records (stylized as east''west'') is a record label formed in 1955, distributed and owned by Warner Music Group, headquartered in New York City. History After its creation in 1955 by Atlantic Records, the label had its first hit wit ...

. The album reached No. 17 on the

UK R&B Albums Chart Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, and previously the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and ...

. A single from the album, entitled " Midnite", reached No. 11 on the

UK R&B Singles Chart Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, and previously the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and ...

and No. 24 on the

UK Dance Singles Chart The Dance Singles Chart and the Dance Albums Chart are music charts compiled in the United Kingdom by the Official Charts Company from sales of songs in the dance music genre (e.g. house, trance, drum and bass, garage, synth-pop) in record stores ...

. Another single, "Waiting", peaked at No. 26 on the UK R&B Singles Chart. The group's third studio album, titled

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

was released in 1997 by

Echo Records The Echo Label was a British record label started by Chrysalis Group in 1994, and linked with Pony Canyon in Japan. The Chrysalis Group were the original owners of Chrysalis Records, which they sold to EMI. In 2005, The Echo Label recorded a ...

. This album reached No. 8 on the UK R&B Albums Chart and No. 6 on the

UK Independent Albums Chart The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the r ...

. A song from the album called "Hypnotize" reached No. 33 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 3 on the UK Dance Singles Chart and No. 8 on the UK R&B Singles Chart. Another single entitled Magic reached No. 19 on the

, No. 13 on the

and No. 19 on the

UK Independent Singles Chart The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the re ...

. During 1998 a non album cover of

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

's "

Rock with you "Rock with You" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. It was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was release ...

", was released by

. This song peaked at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 4 on the UK Independent Singles Chart and No. 6 on the UK R&B Singles Chart. In 2017, the band regrouped for one-off concerts at various top London clubs and summer festivals in the UK. Reviewing their 'generation-spanning' set at Love Supreme festival, Mike Hobart of the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'' praised "the slinky, bass-heavy grooves that sustained their success in the 1990s." He also proclaimed that D'Influence "last played a festival 17 years ago, their current revival coming about after a promoter saw... their annual get-together jam on Instagram. The band has lost none of its sass." 2018 saw further performances in the UK, Africa and Europe.

Other work

As a group, D'Influence have produced and remixed

hit single A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single, or simply hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record'' ...

s for British pop and R&B artists such as

Mark Morrison Mark Anthony Joseph Morrison (born 3 May 1974) is a British singer, best known for his 1996 platinum hit song " Return of the Mack", which was immediately met with success upon its release in several European countries. In the following year, ...

Return of the Mack "Return of the Mack" is a song written and recorded by British R&B singer Mark Morrison, released by WEA and Atlantic as the third single from his debut album by the same name (1996) (contrary to the lyrics, this was not a 'comeback song'). ...

"),

Shola Ama Shola Ama (born 8 March 1979) is a British singer from London, who scored her biggest hits with " You Might Need Somebody" (1997), a cover of Randy Crawford's 1981 hit, " You're the One I Love" and "Still Believe" (1999) which was one of the ...

You Might Need Somebody "You Might Need Somebody" is a song written by Tom Snow and Nan O'Byrne, first recorded in 1979 by American singer and guitarist Turley Richards. In 1981, American jazz and R&B singer and songwriter Randy Crawford released her version which reac ...

", "Much Love"),

Lighthouse Family Lighthouse Family were a British pop soul duo that rose to prominence in the mid-1990s and initially remained active until the early 2000s. Singer Tunde Baiyewu and songwriter Paul Tucker formed the act in 1993 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, ...

(" Raincloud") and for

Ultra Naté Ultra Naté (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ, and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as "Free (Ultra Naté song), Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars o ...

(" New Kind of Medicine"). They have also

remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

ed songs for

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...

, American rapper

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

(" Wishing on a Star", '' Bring It On: The Best of Jay-Z''), and performed live with Icelandic singer-songwriter

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

(''

Later with Jools Holland ''Later... with Jools Holland'' (also known as ''Even Later... with Jools Holland'', and previously known as ''Later Live... with Jools Holland'' and ''...Later with Jools Holland'') is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jo ...

'').

Discography

References

External links

* "D'Influence" ''AllMusic.com''.
"D-Influence"
''SoulWalking''. Acid jazz ensembles British record production teams British remixers {{UK-record-producer-stub