Collaborations
Pete Lawrence / Chilled By Nature
Pete Lawrence is a conceptualist, recording artist, DJ, music programmer, writer, photographer, broadcaster and global traveler.
He is best known as the co-founder of HYPERLINK “http://www.petelawrence.net/petelawrence/the_big_chill.html”The Big Chill which has spawned a ground breaking festival, club event and London venues.
In the mid 80s Lawrence was becoming recognised as a respected tastemaker with a flare for doing things differently when he discovered and spontaneously recorded US folk singer Michelle Shocked on a walkman around a Texas campfire back in the for his fledgling Cooking Vinyl label. The resulting album ‘The Texas Campfire Tapes’, with its £1 ‘field recording’ budget, went on to top the independent album charts in 1987 and sell over 250, 000 copies and establish the label at the forefront of the world and roots music scenes. Subsequently, Pete also became a writer, radio DJ and journalist. Through the 90s he had regular columns in Top, Update and Jockey Slut as well as founding, editing and publishing his own On magazine.
Then came The Big Chill, which quickly attracted a large number of very loyal followers, building to its current capacity of 35, 000 and in the context of the festival, Pete gave early exposure to such names as Lily Allen, Goldfrapp, Amy Winehouse, Gotan Project, Mr Scruff, Röyksopp, Zero 7 and Lemon Jelly. After establishing itself as one of the top half dozen UK festivals, The Big Chill has recently branched out into opening London venues The Big Chill Bar in Brick Lane, followed in autumn 2006 with the three storey Big Chill House in Kings X. eskimo of kingdom chill”.
Pete is arguably one of the most influential and respected tastemakers on the electronic and downtempo scenes and has produced many mix albums for The Big Chill and other labels, and made his BBC Radio 2 debut on August Bank Holiday 2006 with a two hour chill out show, and repeated the slot at Easter 2007.
As an artist, he records under the name of Chilled By Nature, and in 2006 released his first album ‘Under One Sun’ on Big Chill Recordings, featuring a number of live guests, including The Swingle Singers, and Mozez of Zero 7 fame, who collaborated with Pete on a brand new track, ‘State Of Grace’. As for the written word, his latest work was featured in the book ‘Crossfade – a Big Chill Anthology’ (Serpents Tail).
AL-PHA-X through Eugenie Arrowsmith approached Pete regarding his new album and asked to re-mix “State Of Grace” and this started a musical relationship between Pete , Mozez and Declan. The AL-PHA-X Re-mix of “State Of Grace” appears on the album “Slow Down”.
Pete also returned the favour by re-mixing AL-PHA-X’s “Wee Weaver” which will appear on the new “AL-PHA-X Re-mixed” album.
Pete is currently developing ideas for new projects….
Diana Johnstone
Soulful, poignant and delicate are just some of the words being used to describe the music of West country-based singer/songwriter Diana Johnstone.
Born in Plymouth, Devon, Diana began singing and playing guitar in her late teens at the famous Folk Cottage in Mitchell, Cornwall, performing alongside Mike Silver, Clive Palmer and Ralph McTell. There she met and subsequently married multi-instrumentalist, Davey Johnstone (Magna Carta, Noel Murphy, Joan Armatrading.)
In 1972, Davey was asked to join the Elton John band just as the Rocket Man’s career was heading into the stratosphere. For Davey, Diana and their son Tam the next few years would be spent in a whirlwind of whistle stop tours and incredible celebrity encounters: Groucho Marx at the Beverly Hills hotel, Stevie Wonder on keyboards aboard the Starship (Eltons private plane), Gracie Fields, John Lennon…
During this time, Davey recorded a solo album for Elton’s Rocket Records label with legendary record producer Gus Dudgeon at the helm. The album, Smiling Face (now remastered and released on Sound City records) features three songs co-written by Diana. She also sings lead vocals on the track A Lovely Day (as featured in playwright Willie Russells Daughters of Albion – Yorkshire TV, 1977.) When Diana and Davey divorced in the mid-1970s, Diana took up a career in film and TV set design (working with director Nic Roeg and actor Tony Curtis among others), before coming back to music in the late 1990s.
On moving to the Bath area she began writing and performing her own material again. Her unique style of playing combined with her thoughtful lyrics and mesmerizing voice has already attracted a keen following. This, along with her well-received live performances has ensured that Diana Johnstone is definitely one to watch among the new breed of innovative female singer/songwriters. Diana’s debut CD, Learning to Walk is available now.
Diana was introduced to AL-PHA-X via Cecilia Le Poer Power and they worked together on a Couple of tracks for her album “Troubled Heart”. Declan suggested they co-write something for his album “Slow Down” which they did and composed “Fragile”.
Eva Abraham
Eva and Declan met through Eugenie Arrowsmith at the Big Chill while all playing a gig together in Wandsworth. AL-PHA-X re-mixed one of Eva’s tracks “Speak Out” from her album “Shadow Gazing” which appears on Slow Down which sparked off a musical relationship and led them to do some co-wrting the result being “These Are The Days” which also appears on the album “Slow Down”.
Singer songwriter performer musician producer, Eva Abraham is putting all her skills to work presently, she has just completed a long awaited album ‘Full Circle’ with musician friend and producer Andy Waterworth. Two years in the making but well worth the wait expect depth, power, beauty and soul! With flavours of jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, pop and folk, Abraham’s new work is even more accessible and uplifting.
Eva and Andy have recently joined forces and created Hamworth Music, and have pieces in three British films two due for release early 2009, ‘Bronson’& ‘Dogging A Love Story’, and ‘The Children’ due for release December 2008,all through Vertigo Films.
Eva also has an alter ego of the name ‘Memphis Belle’ if you’re intrigued head for www.myspace.com/thememphisbelle
Mozez
Mozez dedication to music takes us back to his early days of singing with his brothers. He was first noticed however in 1996 as part of the duo Spirits who gave us the memorable Don’t Bring Me Down and Spirit Inside (15th and 18th in the national charts respectively).
He was to create more magic later with the band Zero 7, whom he wrote, sang and toured with for a number of years, the product of which we are still hearing daily with songs such as This World, I Have Seen, Simple Things, Warm Sound, Morning Song etc., which has graced the airways since 2001 and has become classics in their own right.
2005 brought another change to Mozez’s growing career producing and writing with the likes of Guy Sigsworth, (Madonna, Bjork, Seal) Ben Chapman (Pink Floyd), George Evelyn (Nightmares On Wax), Alex Morris and Tom Quick, giving us a broader view of his talent. Mozez dedication to music takes us back to his early days of singing with his brothers. He was first noticed however in 1996 as part of the duo Spirits who gave us the memorable Don’t Bring Me Down and Spirit Inside (15th and 18th in the national charts respectively).
He was to create more magic later with the band Zero 7, whom he wrote, sang and toured with for a number of years, the product of which we are still hearing daily with songs such as This World, I Have Seen, Simple Things, Warm Sound, Morning Song etc., which has graced the airways since 2001 and has become classics in their own right.
2005 brought another change to Mozez’s growing career producing and writing with the likes of Guy Sigsworth, (Madonna, Bjork, Seal) Ben Chapman (Pink Floyd), George Evelyn (Nightmares On Wax), Alex Morris and Tom Quick, giving us a broader view of his talent. So Still, his first solo album, was produced a passionate and cleverly crafted album.
In 2008 having meet Declan via the Big Chill co-creator Pete Lawrence Mozez and Declan (AL-PHA-X) co-wrote and co-produced the track “Another Day” for the album “Slow Down”.
His new album The Absolute features Melanie Blatt (All Saints) and production from George Evelyn (Nightmares on Wax) Tony White plus other writers and producers. Mozez has imparted more of his production ability on his latest work giving us a slightly harder edge to this softly spoken man.The Absolute he describes as a journey, a journey into a multi floral expanse of coloured sounds.
Eugenie Arrowsmith
Eugenie Arrowsmith isn’t a woman who likes to hurry things. She has had a unique career in the music industry. At the age of twenty she was signed to Virgin 10 records and recorded an album that cost half a million pounds to record but which to this day is languishing in the Virgin/EMI vault.
Over the last eight years she has worked on a freelance basis for various independent labels and a marketing and PR consultant including San Francisco’s Six Degrees Records, working on albums by King Britt and Sylk 130, Roy Nathansons’ ‘Fire at Keaton’s Bar and Grill’ feat Debbie Harry and Elvis Costello, The Travler series of comps and several albums by Banco De Gaia. She has also worked with Sarah Jane Morris, Andy White, Hot House Flowers, Donal Lunny, DJ Pathaan for Ministry of Sound, Aiwa, Couch Records, George V Records (Buddha Bar) Music For Dreams and Big Chill Recordings.
In the meantime in a parallel and invisible world to the industry, Eugenie has continued to develop her creativity. Working variously as a photographer, artist and performer. After a very long period of contemplation (never rush anything) she is ready to release her debut album on her own terms and funnily enough on her own label. “Mae West Juice” is earnest political (Heaven 17- Penthouse and Pavement era), sassed up, sexed up (Bette Midler bath house period) ironic pop jazz, with a twist of Latin and other worldly operatic camp. Recorded, co-written and produced by the mighty Doctor Declan Flynn (Al-Pha-X) in his luxurious out house, it is everything an album should be, conceptual, challenging, choc a block with poorly thought out political idealism (stop fighting, start loving etc) and is essential listening for anyone with a sense of humour and an available brain cell. It features performances by Mercury nominated jazz trumpeter and composer Guy Barker, pedal steel legend BJ Cole, thumb piano master Tom Green (Another Fine Day) and uber hip down tempo guitar legend Christophe Goze. The album will be ready for public consumption in the summer of 2006. Are you ready for this?
Shabnam Khan
Shabnam was born in the Midlands and moved to London when she was nineteen to read Philosophy at The University of London and pursue her music career in the capital. Shabnam is unique in her ability to sing in many languages: Urdu, Persian, Hindi, English and Punjabi. Her repetoire spans several genres including ghazal, sufiaana qalaam, Punjabi folk and Hindi film songs.
Shabnam has performed to audiences all over the world alongside artistes including masters of ghazal such as Mehndi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Hari Haran and Rajab Ali ; crazy artistes such as Fun-da-mental and recently collaborated with al-pha-x on An Indian Summer and Sahara. She is currently in the studio working with Music Director Salman Ashraf, of Lahore Pakistan, on her first solo album which will feature ghazal, light Punjabi tracks and one or two surprises!
LinnTilla
Declan Flynn produced LinnTilla first and self tiled album “LinnTilla” in 2004.
LinnTilla provide a unique blend of new and traditional songs infused with jazz, rock and club influences. Exquisite vocals, haunting uillean pipes, the excitement of fiddle and accordeon all combine with the drive of keyboards, drums and bass to create a rousing and stimulating experience. Six pedigree players bring a wealth of experience from Afro Celts, SinÉ, Band of Hope, Robb Johnson, Uriah Heap, Loreena McKennit, Bill Jones etc
The concept behind LinnTilla was first developed by Murray Grainger, Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins, all members of the former band “Mahogany Gaspipes”. The idea behind the new band was to explore the fusion of modern grooves with melodies and songs from the traditional world. To this end they were joined by Cecilia le Poer Power, Dave Neville and Nye Parsons.
The creative process for LinnTilla is fascinating, because each member approaches from diverse backgrounds and experiences. However, this is perhaps the band’s main strength, as the collision of styles triggers an explosion of possibilities, with the end result being an original and exciting blend of ideas. Jazz, Rock, Classical, Celtic, and World influences all combine to create an emotionally moving, mentally stimulating, and thought provoking new sound.
The final twist on the journey occurred on the recording of the album when Declan Flynn, agreed to act as producer and engineer for the project, bringing his years of experience from the commercial scene. The blending of the band’s singular style of music, and his production and musical expertise, has taken the music to an unprecedented level.
Edyta Was
Edyta Was is a multimedia artist. She studied in the experimental visual studio at St. Lucas Institute of Fine Arts in Brussels and graduated with a MA in Fine Arts in 1995.She works with video creating video installations, digital short films and performs live with experimental musicians-Wireless and Urban Myth. Her artwork reflects her interest in body and consciousness. The theme of life is constantly recurring in all art form she explores. The films Butterfly Woman and Journey Inwards relate to transformations and human journey.
Edyta did the artwork for the two AL-PHA-X albums “Missing Link” and “A Plea For Sanity”.
Saskia Tomkins
Saskia Tomkins (Fiddle, viola, cello) has an impressive record of performances in classical, folk & jazz circles, having worked with, among others, Sin E, Shiva Nova, Sonja Kristina, Laurie Anderson, Uriah Heep, Robb Johnson, Bill Jones, Caroline Lavelle, Crispin Mills from Kula Shaker & ceilidh band Moondance.
She has also worked extensively in the theatre, & performed & researched in a wide number of countries, including Ireland, Bulgaria & Jordan.
She has not only a BA Hons in Jazz/Popular Music, but also a truly distinctive, highly expressive style of playing that can range appropriately from the demonic to the delicate to suit the song, but which is always breathtaking & sublime.
Cecilia le Poer Power
A seasoned performer and session musician principally as a soloist with several groups at venues ranging from the Glastonbury Festival and Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s to the Barbican Hall. Her interpretation of traditional material and jazz standards is up there with the best and her beautiful vocals and song writing blends in perfectly with Declan’s acoustic/electronic textures to create the Torcello sound.
Taz Alexander
Taz Alexander demonstrates a voice of incredible power, range and style. As vocalist Taz has worked with John Otway, Sine and Christy Moore and has worked a writer as well exploring ambient trance with groups like Juno Reactor in Japan (of the Matrix fame) and the Sun Kings in Europe.
Dug Wolfsohn
Dug Wolfsohn is an androgynous being from the twenty fourth century, although there have been unconfirmed sightings dating back to three thousand BC.
In his rare lucid moments he runs Bentham Recording Studio in Wiltshire and produces remixes (including one for Linntilla) under the banner Renegade Rockstars. His latest misguided adventure is the band Wild Wolf.
Christophe Goze
An established world fusion and ambient jazz artist, Christophe Goze is a musician whose name is respected as widely as the geographical influences from which he hones his craft. With 6 albums released, tracks on over 300 compilations and over 1 million Copies sold, Christophe has become one of the leading future world and ambient musician and his music has found its place between artists like Nitin Sawhney and Thievery Corporation. World leading DJs and compilers such as Claude Challe and Ravin from Buddha Bar as well as major labels around the world, have already chosen his work to appear on their prestigious projects. Christophe also has a passion for film and pictures and has scored the music for many projects in Europe and in the USA. In 2001 his music for the LYNX advert received a best music nomination at the TV & Cinema advertising awards.
Christophe was co-producer of GRAVITY and Declan and Christophe still work together on a number of new projects.
Gravity People
Charlotte-Michelle Flynn a singer song writer has worked as a vocalist and lyricist on various albums singing in French, Japanese, Irish Gaelic and English. She has worked as a studio session vocalist for TV, commercials, radio and animated cartoons. She released her own album in 1998. Charlotte-Michelle performs vocals on “Vermeo” (Track No.8).
Fernando Duhalde
Percussionist, was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina), and grew up in Madrid (Spain). Came to London in 1993, and played drums with various outfits doing Rock, Pop, etc.
As a percussionist he has played in the Flamenco, Pop, and Folk circuits, touring and playing festivals (Glastonbury, Guilford, etc). Also as a Producer / Engineer / Programmer, has worked in different projects ranging from Hip-Hop, R’n'B, Rock, Pop, to Dance.
Taught Music Technology, lecturing on MIDI, Sequencing, Sampling, and Hard Disc Recording. For Gravity Fernando performs percussion on Blue Jay and Gravity and he mixed Mi Corazon.
Maria Pérez
Maria Pérez was born in Almendralejo, Spain. She grew up surrounded by gipsy families for whom Flamenco is a way of living. Her passion for singing since early age made her popular in her area where her father would take her to sing on summer festivals around her village.
In 1994, Maria moved to London. Since then she has been performing with different bands of Flamenco, Latin and Middle Eastern music and collaborating in Modern World Music.
Maria’s powerful voice is passionate and attractive, romantic and charming. Her ability to sing different styles and her strong projection reaches every one.
Miguel Moreno
Miguel Moreno was born in Seville, Spain. He started playing Spanish flamenco guitar at the early age of nine. Having spent his childhood listening flamenco melodies his debut on stage was to be playing the electric guitar with his own band at the age of fifteen. Miguel has studied flamenco guitar with Gerardo Nuñez and jazz with guitar virtuoso Manolo Vargas.
He moved to London in 1994 and since then he has been working at all levels, as a session musician, recording music for films, composing and performing for traditional and modern Dance Plays and touring Europe accompanying other artists.
GuruJez
Secrets found … Its been a life long quest to find all the secrets. It all started in mono. I was in a band that turned down a record deal from virgin in the very early days when we went to see this guy with a record shop in notting hill and he offered to release the demo that we’d made, on a mono tape recorder with one mic .. well we wanted to go in a proper studio and do them properly.. what foolish young things we were.. Faust tapes anyone?
So I’ve spent the rest of my days in studios and now I share my secrets more than I would like to, prefering to get back to exploring more avenues of illusion and magical music .. todays technology blows my mind .. more ways for a smoker to fuck with a track than I could possibly have imagined .. in the seventies .. it was a joy to spend time on this track : MAGIC SECRECY.
Sanja Jankovic
My intimate relationship with music started around 8-9 years ago .. one evening when I was walking back from my waitressing shift, I found a broken guitar on the corner of a street. I knew it’ll never play again, but I couldn’t bear to leave her there, so I took her home with me. I started humming .. then lyrics started rolling out of my mouth as if it was very natural for me to do so. I felt charged by an unusual excitement, that only the most beautiful feeling of disbelief can produce. It was truly a magical evening, for the inspiration made herself visible to me, I am truly blessed and forever more grateful. To this day I believe that if I had chosen to see the broken guitar just as a thing that couldn’t be used any more, my path would have turned out quite differently.
It may have been as beautiful & exciting, but different. Looking back, that evening transformed me. I am in love with inspiration & through this mirror, each time that a song comes through me I get to understand myself & and the world around me better. It has been a journey of revelations, my sweet little broken guitar .. thank you!
Mufa / Ismail
Ismail Ali (aka Sultan Hu), guitarist and songwriter and Mufa, drums and percussion were both born in Malaysia. They met in London in 1994 and their musical colloboration mixed Malay feel and western influences that both had picked up in their musical journey.
They both performed in the London underground circuit and one of their songs caught the ear of producer/musician Al-pha X. A new hybrid of world music evolved and is presented in the latest incarnation of the song Mission Not Impossible.
Danny Chalkley
Danny lives in North London and took up guitar playing in ‘87 when his social worker thought it might help him focus more. He has two years of playing experience which he’s cunningly repeated nearly eight times. Luckily no one seems to have noticed that he never really got any better after ‘89. He appeared on ‘gravity’ because he thought he might be able to liberate some moody studio equipment (free your pods!) but was apprehended on the way out and can currently be contacted at dannytheaxe@thescrubbs.buggerit.
Clive ( Mastering Engineer) A.E.P.
We were on an archaeological dig on the third belt of Andromeda (2nd left after nebulus 247) Why were we there ? The purpose of our mission was to look for ancient sonic particles, audible shrapnel left after The Third War of The Clones.
Never was it found what we went in search for, but we did come up with something that was a first for us, a complete transmission. Initially we could not fully appreciate what we had found, so carefully it was transported back to the labs. Gently, with our sonic brushes we wiped away the debris that was clouding our vision, honing and polishing its more subtle elements, till slowly, its true brilliance began to shine through.
When finally we heard the transmission in its true form, we realised we had a thing of beauty before us. We sat stunned as the message rang home, bold and true. Now that we were in the flow other messages would soon follow this ‘first transmission’. Together, like the pieces of a puzzle, they all made sense.
Now we understood.
Now we were seeing clearly,
Now we have ‘The Understanding’
You too can have ‘The Understanding…’ Another mission is planed, to return to that same third belt of Andromeda to dig some more.
Join us you must…..
Steáfán Hannigan
All-Britain uilleann pipe champion and virtuoso bodhrán player plus a multitude of other instruments. Born and brought up in Northern Ireland he started absorbing traditional Irish music at an early age.
One of the most in-demand session players, he currently works with Sin É, Pete Lockett and Tickled Pink plus his own band, Mahogany Gaspipes and has also worked with Band of Hope, Lammas, Uriah Heep, Gary Barlow, Waz, Afro-Celt Sound System, Bill Jones and Loreena McKennit. Steafan is also the author of tutor books and videos on the bodhrán, and more recently on the low whistle.
Mark Ogbomo
Mark Ogbomo has been playing the bass for over 12 years and has played in a variety of bands.
His first band was the Ital Function a funk fusion collective. He then played with Flicka a break beat/hip hop band who used live scratching and various guest vocalists/rappers and gigged in top clubs across London. Mark now works as a session bass player and is a member of the Al-pha X live band.
Mark’s influences and tastes in music are highly eclectic combining the likes of Marvin Gaye, Al Jarreau, Stanley Clark, Bob Marley and his love of jazz, house, hip hop, 70’s funk and 60’s rock merge to create his own individual style and sound.
Mark’s fine bass playing can be heard on the tracks Hojar and Mission Not Impossible.