Three Shouts! (pt. 1 - Musicians)

(Picture-source)

  

In this post I’ll give a shout out to three people I have either met or worked with recently. They are three names in the world of music well worth getting to know. The observant reader may have noticed the ‘(pt. 1)’ in the header, which indicates that there will be more of these posts coming soon!

Eddie Hick

Eddie Hick is a professional UK-based drummer. We met while visiting a small studio in Blantyre, Malawi, last December. It turned out we went to Leeds College of Music at the same time but had never met before! In a relatively short amount of time Eddie has worked with an impressive collection of well-known artists. Just to name a few, these include Mark Ronson, Alicia Keys and Tinie Tempah. Jazzwise has named him a musician to look out for and he recorded on the theme song for the London 2012 Olympics, ‘Anywhere in the World’ by Mark Ronson and Katy B. A quick browse through the long and eclectic list of artists he has played with is recommended if you are looking for a top-drawer drummer. Eddie tours, records and teaches and have worked extensively both in Europe and America. For more information or to get in touch, here is a link to his webpage.

DJ Xfuse

Last year in Malawi I programmed the music for a wedding-dinner. Making people dance is entirely another business though, since regional music scenes always have their own vibe. DJ Xfuse, who played at the late night dance, knows well what’s going on in the Malawian and regional music scenes. He and his team travel both in- and outside of Malawi to play music, and have all the necessary gear. You can find him on Facebook.

Geir Simonsen

Geir Simonsen is another top-pick drummer who has moved gradually into production. In the 90’s he was touring and recording, and in the 2000’s he led a radio station in Norway. He has collaborated with both local and international acts and has provided recording-opportunities for several up-and-coming artists. He’s been involved in the early stages for Norwegian bands like Lionheart Brothers, Silence The Foe and Marry Me Young. Over the last few years Geir has focused on developing a portfolio of local talents in his converted radio-studio. I have mentioned him in a couple of earlier post, like when I worked with him on the live-webcast for the release of singer/ songwriter An-Magritt’s album ‘Memoriam.’ This album was produced by him and has gained a fair bit of Norwegian radio-play.

Snowdrift News — February 2014

1. Music Production

Panorama of my mix-suite by Geir Simonsen.

Readers that have read my blog before might remember a post from a couple of years ago where I was working with a studio in Norway that is developing a small portfolio of local talents. The collaboration has developed, we have invested in some new gear and new artists have gone into the studio. Another project I posted from where we collaborated was on the web-casted release-event for thealbum of singer/ songwriter An-Magritt. On a current project produced by studio owner Geir Simonsen I am recording and mixing. Geir posted a couple of pictures from my own studio the other day on Twitter, so the existence of the project is no longer officially secret. But you’ll have to wait for the single release to hear it and find out what artist we’re working with this time. I will keep you posted once it’s out!

Yours truly mixing for a new single release, by Geir Simonsen.

2. Arts Education in Norway

Another collaboration is the collaboration with Alive Creative Institute, formerly known as Alive Dance. It was Alive Institute that held the initiative for the 2011 and 2012 Skogbrann Festivals that I have written about earlier. Alive Creative Institute is in the process of developing from a regional dance school with some six hundred part-time students into a full-fledged arts institute aiming to cover all contemporary art forms. Alive Creative Institute will in the future have full-time and part-time programmes across a range of topics. My role has been to start the planning of programmes that will fit the vision of the institute. A first generation of documents has been developed that aim to put the academic side of the institute on tracks. Several rounds of planning are needed but a broad foundation for both the institute and the programmes has now been laid.

3. Arts Education in Malawi

As you might have seen, I spent parts of December in Malawi in Africa. I absolutely loved it to pieces! My friend Trev Chi is a renaissance multi talent who works in finance and HR, while managing a portfolio of local artists and running his own photography and video-production company. His company has worked with some of Malawi’s biggest artists including Piksy, Armstrong Kalua and Trumel. Trev brought some of us visiting-musicians-in-town to a local studio and we started dreaming up a new education program for the creative arts in Malawi. Countries like Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa have put their distinct marks on the regional music industry. Malawi has lots of creative talent but very little in terms of established creative industries and arts education. We believe education and creative industries are closely linked. In Norway I recently met a group of exchange students from the Music Crossroads project in Lilongwe. Music Crossroads educate musicians in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a great new initiative to benefit young talents and the regional music scene.

After my stay in Blantyre we have developed a document that outlines a comprehensive creative arts education that works along with established industries, government sectors and universities in Malawi to develop a new generation of talents, and a more established arts and entertainment scene. The project incorporates every branch of modern performing arts and media/ technology based arts. If you have any questions about the proposal please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Me in Malawi, shot by Trev Chi (scanned from paper in Norway, so any imperfections in image are on myself).

The beautiful Lake Malawi, goodbye for this time!

Programming Wedding Music in Malawi

I just had the fabulous pleasure of going to a wedding in Malawi where two of my friends tied the knot! It was a two day event with a traditional ceremony on the first day, and the Church-wedding and official dinner on the second (not that we lacked food at any time outside the official dinner though! #AfricanHospitality). I did the programming of the music for the dinner and had been working closely with the couple for a while to develop a playlist that would represent the vibes they wanted. 
  

The list stretches from jazz through James Brown to contemporary R’n B, African popular music and more. I’ve attached the playlist on the pictures below if you’re looking to get married, or just need some playlist inspiration!

I also had the fun of working alongside a local DJ. Him and his crew did the music for the Berikani-berikani (if you’re familiar with it) and the dancing after the dinner. Which was great—cause then I could go and dance!

Great view from the venue for the dinner, Malawi Sun, Blantyre