In Focus: Jesse Rae

Jesse Rae is one of the more peculiar stories in popular music – born in the quiet town of St. Boswells in the Scottish Borders, Jesse Rae became obsessed with funk as a young musician. It would take him to the US, befriending P-funk legends and some of the greats of 1970s and '80s funk and soul, all while clad in a uniform of tongue-in-cheek Scots regalia – kilt, armour, and claymore. He was a trusted studio hitmaker in 1980s US funk and soul circles, and into the 90s helped join the dots between the Parliament Funkadelic universe and the UK soundsystem continuum with collaborative projects featuring Bernie Worrell, ZAPP's Roger Troutman, dub producer Adrian Sherwood, and leftfield hip hop group Tackhead. His solo music is wildly inventive – spanning manic late-era disco, splashy '80s funk and digi-pop experiments, with his output continuing throughout the 90s and 2000s exploring even more diverse styles including R&B, house music, dub, synth pop and beyond. Berlin-based label Pace Yourself have announced "The Flesher" – featuring newly unearthed material from Rae, released physically for the first time. Pre-order via Bandcamp.