Back by popular demand - it's our 'We Love The 80's' night with special guest 'Leee John of Imagination'.
Leee John of Imagination
With a remarkable career spanning more than four decades and more than 30 million albums sold worldwide, Leee John and his group Imagination have delivered a legacy of iconic hit singles and an impressive catalogue of platinum, gold, and silver albums.
Their timeless classics including "Body Talk", "Just An Illusion", "Flashback", "Music and Lights", "Changes" and many others, defined the signature fusion of British Soul, Jazz and Funk. This pionerring sound not only made them standout 1980s crossover hit-makers but also cemented their enduring influence on generations of artists across the global music industry.
Even today, the legacy of Imagination's music lives on through an extensive list of samples, remixes, and adaptations by major contemporary artists. Acts such as The Pharcyde and Dimitri from Paris have re-imagined their work, while Destiny's Child featuring Beyonce sampled Just an Illusion on their 1998 self-titled debut album produced by Wyclef Jean. Leee himself later appeared on DJ Dero's 2005 rendition of the track which became a popular club favourite.
Mariah Carey recorded "Illusion" on her top ten single "Get Your Number" as well as "Flashback" which was sampled by Boards of Canada.
It is fair to say that founding member, lead vocalist and songwriter Leee John is one of the hardest working men in music. He continues to tour globally, performing both as Imagination featuring Leee John and as a solo artist.
In recent years, Leee John has expanded into filmmaking, producing and directing five documentaries filmed in Zambia, Tunisia, South Africa, France and St Lucia - the latter showcased at Windrush Film Festivals across the UK. He is now producing and directing "Flashback", a definitive film on the history of British Black music. The project includes over 100 interviews with legendary artists such as Beverly Knight, Eddy Grant, Billy Ocean, Maxie Jazz (Faithless), Trevor Nelson, Geno Washington, Maxi Priest, Sonique and many more. http://flashbackprojectuk.com
Recently Leee was honoured with a lifetime achievement award in the UK and a Humanitarian Award in France for his ongoing charity work in support of SOS Children, a global orphan charity.
As a singer, songwriter, live performer, producer and director, the incomparable Leee John continues to push the boundaries of his creativity. With timeless classics and exciting new music & film releases, he remains dedicated to delighting fans worldwide with his electrifying live performances.
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We Love 80s
We Love 80s is our retrotastic 80s party night celebrating the greatest decade of contemporary music.
The 'We Love 80s' crew play the 'Smash Hits' that were 'Top of the Pops' back in the day.
Expect to hear music from: Chaka Khan, Billy Ocean, Soul II Soul, Lionel Richie, Wham!, Duran Duran, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Yazz, Erasure, Culture Club, Technotronic, Bon Jovi, Spandau Ballet, Queen, Madonna, Tears For Fears, Simple Minds, Bananarama, The Human League, Rick Astley, The Eurythmics, Black Box, Starship, Pet Shop Boys, Michael Jackson, UB40 and many more 80's whoppers!
19th June - 8.00PM
This is a free event for all guests staying at the Merton Hotel and the Merton Suites.
Non residents tickets will be on sale soon.
