Affinity

Formed at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, Affinity was a jazz rock band that was founded in 1965. Originally called the US Jazz Trio, the group featured keyboardist Lynton Naiff, drummer Grant Serpell, and double bassist Nick Nicholas. They played local shows and school events over the next year, but drummer Serpell left the group when he graduated from the university. The remaining members brought in multi-instrumentalist Mo Foster to play drums and renamed their group Ice. After Ice came to an end, the members of the band regrouped in 1968 and brought in vocalist Linda Hoyle and changed their name to Affinity. Mo Foster switched back to his instrument of choice – the bass guitar - and Affinity spent the better part of the next year rehearsing, writing, and recording, The group also became a popular local live act and had one of their shows broadcast on BBC Radio Jazz Club. Affinity attracted the attention of jazz musician and club owner Ronnie Scott, who booked them at his jazz club and agreed to manage them. After touring Europe and making several TV appearances, the group was signed to the Vertigo Records label in 1970 and released their self-titled album that same year. The album was a critical success and the group continued to promote it by playing many live shows. However, as they prepared to write their second album vocalist Linda Hoyle quit the group – and the music business – and the group began to lose the commercial momentum they had built up with the release of their debut album. After the group’s members toured as members of Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, they returned as Affinity with new vocalist Vivienne McAuliffe. After more live shows and recording some more demos, the group split up. The members played together several times, but nothing was ever permanent. Affinity remained a collectable band and their debut album was reissued in 2002. The following year, a collection of unreleased tracks were compiled on the album 1971-1972. Further Affinity-related rarities compilations included Live Instrumentals 1969 (2003), Origins 1965-67 (2004), and Origins: The Baskervilles 1965 (2007). Affinity’s second vocalist, Vivienne McAuliffe died on October 12, 1998, at the age of 50. Bassist Mo Foster, who was a founding member of the group, died on July 3, 2023, at the age of 78.

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