Jaki Whitren & John Cartwright International Times

An album recorded full of hope following Jaki and John’s relocation from the hippy-haven of Glastonbury to a rural commune in France, their dreams are expressed over these soul-jazz wrapped songs.

After finding limited success as artists in the major-label dominated world of the corporate 1970s – Jaki, via a solo LP for Epic and as backing singer for Alan Parson and John, as a respected session musician – decided to literally break free, physically and mentally, from their past and start a new life with their young family and friends in tow. The timeless lyrics and heartfelt optimism within are manifest to their dreams and beliefs and offer a beautiful encapsulation of the choices deep down we all share. Moving out of their folk background they, accompanied on drums and keys by their young sons, matched their newfound (and at times pop) lyrics within a soul-jazz melting pot.

Finally available on CD for the first time, now with the added bonus of several unreleased tracks, this privately pressed album may have become a lost classic amongst the post-punk sounds of the early 80s, but 30 years later it’s dreams and uplifting hopes within are as profound today as their intention all those years ago.