It seems that the Soul II Soul classic "Fairplay" is undergoing a bit of a revival of late. First it was covered by Beverley Knight for her recent Soul UK album, with the approval of Jazzie B himself, and now renowned producer Zed Bias is set to release his version, which was actually recorded a couple years ago, as the single preceding his upcoming album on Tru Thoughts. The Soul II Soul original was a laid back jazz-funk affair with an outstanding vocal from Rose Windross. Beverley's version stayed true to the original in spirit but with the addition of some blaring horns and a more aggressive vocal. So how does Zed's effort stack up? Well, with a little help from regular collaborator Jenna G, he has given "Fairplay" a makeover making it ripe for dance floors across the globe. Given that I'm somewhat unfamiliar with Jenna's previous work I was very impressed with her vocal here, and Zed's bang up-to-date rework, while losing some of the original's character, should definitely introduce the song to a larger crowd.
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