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Pacific Express

[b]Pacific Express[/b] was a South African funk/jazz outfit that has been regarded as "Cape Town's answer to 'Earth Wind and Fire'". Originally formed in the 60's by bass player [a=Paul Abrahams] and guitarist [a=Issy Ariefdien] (who were previously together in a soul outfit called [b]The Pacifics[/b]), it was after the arrival of pianist [a=Chris Schilder] in 1975 that the band took on a jazzier sound and built a reputation that spanned the entire sub-continent. As a sort of "jazz school" for many young performers from the Cape Flats, players have included [a=Basil Coetzee], [a=Robbie Jansen], [a=Jonathan Butler], [a=Barney Rachabane], [a=Stompie Manana], and others. Managed by [a=Patrick Lee-Thorp], they released three albums ("On Time", "Expressions" and "Black Fire"), with the single "Give A Little Love" striking a huge hit.