BJ Cole
(pedal steel guitar, lap steel, dobro)Described by Sting as "simply the best pedal steel guitarist in the world", for over 40 years BJ has cut an astonishing career both as a seasoned sessioneer and live musician, and also as a distinguished artist and composer in his own right. His unique playing has graced innumerable sessions and live performances. This includes work for artists as varied as: Bjork, Sir Elton John, Robert Plant, REM, Sting, Groove Armada, Spiritualized, Noel Gallagher, Marc Bolan, Noah and The Whale, Pink Floyd, Scott Walker, The Verve, Jools Holland, Roger Daltrey, Tom Jones, Womack and Womack, Martin Simpson, John Cale, Depeche Mode, Marianne Faithful, The Stranglers, Robbie Williams, Katie Melua, Elvis Costello, The Orb, and Shania Twain. He has released two albums of his own as The Transparent Music Ensemble, and two albums of collaborations including "Stop The Panic" with Luke Vibert. website | facebook | myspace
The Dogbones
The Dogbones are a new international five piece band specialising in playing a seductive mix of tribal 'glam punk pop' and intoxicating primitive voodoo rock. The Dogbones formed in London 2 years' back. Featuring Johnny Orion from England on serrated guitars, Michael Vakalis from Greece on dub bass, and Vince Johnson (Canada) and Matt Banham (London) attacking one drum kit. The Dogbones are fronted by the extraordinary, bewitching and primeval vocals of Nomi Leonard from Bangor, North Wales.
The Dogbones eponymous debut album has been released in the UK to critical acclaim and they are quickly gaining the reputation of being one of the most sonically dangerous, visually provocative, and beguilingly inimitable bands on todays live circuit.
"What would normally be a laboured dog/human metaphor, in other hands, is given a new lease of life by the twin-drum attack and serrated guitars of this heavy, heavy kiss-off. As playful as it is seductively sinister" Dele Fadele (NME) twitter | facebook | myspace | reverbnation
buy online (bandcamp) | buy instore (hmv)
Bobby Valentino
Bobby is a violinist, singer, songwriter, and occasional actor and model. Brother of Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley, Bobby first came to prominence in 1975 as a renegade virtuoso with The Fabulous Poodles with whom he released 3 albums and extensively toured UK, Europe and USA. He is now best known as a session violinist, lead singer/songwriter of the Americana band Los Pistoleros, and as a singer songwriter in his own right. He has released 3 solo albums, and has both played live and recorded with the likes of Billy Bragg, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jools Holland, Sinead O'Connor and Mark Knopfler. In 2002 Bobby was also involved in an infamous High Court case resulting on him successfully obtaining a writing credit on the classic No.1 hit "Young At Heart" by the Bluebells. Bobby has recently released a new solo album "Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake" where in Bobby's words "the songs hark back to an era where swing held sway, suits were sharp, and lyrics were too". Thanks to Bobby they still are.
website | myspace | musicbrains | discogs
Icebreaker
Icebreaker are a 12-piece contemporary music group founded by James Poke and James Godfrey in 1989. Since then Icebreaker have developed into one of the most exciting and cutting edge contemporary music ensembles in the world. Their characteristically individual repertoire includes some of the best known and most influential composers in contemporary music such as Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Michael Nyman, Brian Eno, and Michael Gordon. Icebreaker create music that appeals to contemporary classical, rock, and alternative audiences alike, and they have appeared at most major contemporary music festivals around the world. Given their unusual instrumentation of guitars electric strings, keyboards, pan-pipes, saxes, accordian, drums and distinctive amplified sound, Icebreaker represent a unique voice in British music. More recently Icebreaker have also incorporated more ambient repertoire particularly in their recent multi-media live appearances with BJ Cole in Brian Eno, Roger Eno and Daniel Lanois' "Apollo". The album will be released globally by Cantaloupe via Naxos Distribution.
website | myspace
The Servant
London based 4 piece fronted by singer/songwriter Dan Black along with Trevor Sharpe (drums) Chris Burrows (guitars) and Matt Fisher (bass). "Orchestra", the first single from the their eponymous album, received a runner up Single of the Week in NME: "another reminder of their macabre Smiths via Prince genius", with the Times describing them as "the best kept secret of London's sleazy pop underbelly". The track became one of the biggest English language radio hits in France and Italy in 2004/5 with the album going onto GOLD (100,000+ sales) in France and SILVER in Italy. "Cells", another single, was featured on the international trailer to movie classic "Sin City". The band focussed their live, radio and TV activities in Europe, with many high profile festival performances, included shows supporting Franz Ferdinand and The Good, The Bad and The Queen. In 2007, The Servant released a second album "How To Destroy A Relationship" to critical acclaim. The band are currently focussing on the re-release of their catalogue along with unreleased material in France.
myspace | dan black website