The B Funk

History

The album was released in November, 1995, on independent record label Dome Records. It received wide critical acclaim by the urban media in Britain with Echoes magazine labelling it "the best British soul album ever" and Billboard magazine stated that "this lady is on her way to becoming an international star". The album was also named Album of the Year by Blues & Soul in 1996 and the project helped Knight win R&B Act of the Year at the 1996 Black Music Awards in London.

However, the commercial success of the album did not match its critical acclaim, peaking at #145 on the UK albums chart. In total, six singles were released from the album (including two releases of "Flavour of the Old School" and a limited edition international release of "Cast All Your Cares").

The album includes two compositions by the German hit producer team Klarmann/Weber, who had previously scored a US No. 1 hit with Chaka Khan's "Love You All My Lifetime" and who also contributed hits for US sibling La Toya Jackson, German pop star Jamie Stevens and Australia's hit sensation Vanessa Amorosi.

The album was the only LP released by Knight on Dome Records. After creative differences with the label, Beverley decided to leave and sign a new contract with Parlophone Records in 1997. To capitalise on Knight's increased success at the label, Dome have subsequently re-released The B-Funk several times—the first being on 31 May 1999, after Knight won two big awards at the MOBO Awards, and then again on 8 May 2006, after the top 10 success of her hits collection, Voice - The Best of Beverley Knight. On both occasions, the album was re-released with bonus remixes of the singles.

Track listing

1. "The B-Funk"
2. "Moving on Up (On the Right Side)"
3. "Mutual Feeling"
4. "Flavour of the Old School"
5. "Remedy"
6. "Down for the One"
7. "Steppin' on my Shoes"
8. "Promise you Forever"
9. "It's Your Time"
10. "So Happy"
11. "Cast All Your Cares"
12. "U've Got It"
13. "In Time"
14. "Goodbye Innocence"

In 1999, Dome Records released a special edition of the album with a bonus remix disc, designed to capitalise on Knight's increased profile after her success at the 1999 MOBO Awards with her second album, Prodigal Sista, on Parlophone Records:

1. "Flavour Of The Old School" (Club Remix)
2. "Down For The One" (2B3 Retro Mix)
3. "Moving On Up (On The Right Side)" (Ethnic Boyz Remix)
4. "Moving On Up (On The Right Side)" (Ee Bee's Rap Remix)
5. "Mutual Feeling" (Monroe Remix)
6. "Mutual Feeling" (D-Lux Remix)

In 2006, Dome Records released another edition of the album which featured the original track listing together with the Club Remix of "Flavour of the Old School" and the Ethnic Boyz Remix of "Moving on Up (On the Right Side)".

Singles

1. "Flavour of the Old School"
2. "Down for the One"
3. "Flavour of the Old School" (Re-release)*
4. "Moving on Up (On the Right Side)"^
5. "Mutual Feeling"^
6. "Cast All Your Cares"^

Footnotes: