Soundscape UK

In the mid-'90s, percussionist Chris Bangs and keyboardist Mick Talbot united while working on a project for the acid jazz unit Galliano. Since then they have put their energies into forming the music of Soundscape UK, which takes the soul and disco sounds of the '70s and morphs them into smooth, acid jazz grooves heavy on sax and vibes. The pair have employed a number of fine guest musicians in this effort, including Lisa Grahame and Martin Pyne. Their debut album, Life Force was issued in 1995 and yielded a Top Five smooth jazz single, "Morning Song." 1998's Surreal Thing also brought commercial success, paving the way for their most ambitious project to date, Uptown Groove, which was issued in 2000 and employed an expanded backing band to create a funky smooth jazz sound.