Biography
Formed as a short-lived British outfit, I-Level united Duncan Bridgeman, Jo Dworniak, and Sam Jones. Bridgeman and Dworniak, both natives of Essex, England, first connected via a Melody Maker classified advertisement and initially performed together in Scrambled Egos and Shake Shake; the later addition of Dominican Republic native Sam Jones, previously a member of the reggae band Brimstone, completed the lineup and led to a 1982 recording contract with Virgin Records. The year prior, Bridgeman had briefly joined the Last Dance and contributed to one of their sessions.
Their immediate U.K. breakthrough arrived with the single “Give Me,” which crossed over to reach the Top Five on the U.S. R&B chart after Epic Records picked it up. Buoyed by that momentum, the group issued their self-titled debut album in early 1983, followed by the less successful singles “Minefield” and “Teacher.” In 1985 the trio delivered their second and final long-player, Shake, whose provocative cut “In the Sand” earned recognition as a notable U.K. rare groove. When the album failed to gain traction, I-Level dissolved.
Thereafter Dworniak established himself as a highly sought-after session player whose résumé spans countless projects; he also formed the duo Gardening by Moonlight alongside John Johnson and contributed keyboards to John Foxx. In 1989 Bridgeman and Dworniak supplied a remix for Paul McCartney’s track “Good Sign,” and the pair have since collaborated with an eclectic roster of artists. Sam Jones’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
Their immediate U.K. breakthrough arrived with the single “Give Me,” which crossed over to reach the Top Five on the U.S. R&B chart after Epic Records picked it up. Buoyed by that momentum, the group issued their self-titled debut album in early 1983, followed by the less successful singles “Minefield” and “Teacher.” In 1985 the trio delivered their second and final long-player, Shake, whose provocative cut “In the Sand” earned recognition as a notable U.K. rare groove. When the album failed to gain traction, I-Level dissolved.
Thereafter Dworniak established himself as a highly sought-after session player whose résumé spans countless projects; he also formed the duo Gardening by Moonlight alongside John Johnson and contributed keyboards to John Foxx. In 1989 Bridgeman and Dworniak supplied a remix for Paul McCartney’s track “Good Sign,” and the pair have since collaborated with an eclectic roster of artists. Sam Jones’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
Albums
Singles
