 | Average White Band (AWB)AWB are widely regarded as one of the best soul and funk bands in the history of music. Though perhaps best known for their timeless instrumental mega-hit 'Pick Up the Pieces' the band's strength actually lay in their consistently accomplished song-writing, stretching across several gold selling albums and multi-grammy nominations for the legendary Atlantic Records. Somewhat incongruously, given their Scottish roots, the six piece took the influences of their R&B heroes - people like Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Donny Hathaway and others - and developed their own 'authentic' sound which was eagerly adopted by black audiences in the US and elsewhere. Whilst a good number of cuts - 'Cut The Cake' and 'Let's Go Round Again' to name but two - attracted chart action as hit singles, many other album tracks, like 'Schoolboy Crush' and 'Stop The Rain' became much sampled and turn-tabled 'rare' grooves. Many more tunes, such as 'Cloudy', 'A Love Of Your Own' and 'Nothing You Can Do' - amongst many others- stand alongside some of the finest soul 'album tracks' ever recorded. The current line-up of the band - this time with noted US recruits augmenting founder members Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre - continue to record and tour around the world to ongoing critical and audience acclaim. All this and more is perfectly illustrated in the band's latest release is "Times Squared," a thirteen track live CD recorded in New York City in March 2009.
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