On April 9, 1980 at the Civic Center Theater in Halifax, England, the jazz-funk group War performed live, and Loose Grooves – Funkin' Live In England 1980 is a recording of that concert footage.
War, the brainchild of Eric Burton, ex-lead singer of the top British band The Animals, was born in the racially mixed ghettos of Los Angeles in 1969. Brave enough to take on the name War when everyone was demanding peace, they played a style of music that crossed ethnic lines. According to singer/keyboardist Lonnie Jordan, "Our instruments and voices became our weapons of choice and the songs our ammunition. We spoke out against racism, hunger, gangs, crimes, and turf wars, as we embraced all people with hope and the spirit of brotherhood. It's just as apropos today." This DVD includes three of War's best known songs "Low Rider," "Cisco Kid," and "Why Can't We Be Friends" among its eight total tracks.
The first song is listed as "Spill the Wine/All Day Music." They play about 45 seconds of "Spill the Wine" and transition into "All Day Music." This song was from their days after Eric Burton left the band. It brings back memories of days at the beach with the music playing; slow with the warm breeze blowing. Track two, "All My Sorrows," has a nice staccato beat, Caribbean feel, and the traditional War chorus vocal while they jam.
Track three, "Low Rider," the Latino street-cruiser ditty, is a real live set jam that works with the horns blowing. Track four, "Cisco Kid," has a loping Caribbean beat tied to a Hispanic rhythm. It always sends me back to Spanish California and the old TV series. Track five, "Gipsy Man" is progressive blues with a low unyielding rhythm. This is one of their jam traditions. Track six, "I'll Be Around," has always been a favorite, it starts off slow, almost a Marvin Gaye feel, blending into a great sax solo by Pat Rizzo that begins to boogie. Here you can see that this is a band who likes to work together and play music.
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