Ed And Denyze Alleyne-johnson, Oxford Suite Options

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I would like to devote this Topic to Ed and Denyze Alleyne-Johnson.

Most people do not have a clue of what i am talking about now but let me enlighten you :

this FANTASTIC duo from Liverpool has performed some insane AMAZING music in the past ! you MUST listen to the ABSOLUTE electric violin song, named as Oxford Suite to get the picture ! But we will get to that ... hold on

"Ed Alleyne-Johnson and Denyze D'Arcy were born and brought up at opposite ends of the same street in Liverpool, though they never met until their teens, when Denyze appeared on stage at a sixth-form dance at Ed's school, playing saxophone with the "Walkie Talkies" (featuring guitarist Wayne Hussey!). Although it was love at first sight, their careers kept them apart until much later..."

"Ed went to study Fine Art at Oxford University, where he quickly became established as a bass player and violinist in the Oxford music scene. After finishing college, he took to the streets of Europe with a home-made electric violin, battery-powered amp and effects pedals, and started to develop the unique style of multi-layered playing which became his trademark. On this subject, Ed says, "It's continuing a tradition really. I've always thought people like Vivaldi and Bach, if digital delays had been around in their day, they'd have used them ... A lot of kids learn violin at school and then when they get older want to join a rock band and then feel excluded because the violin is stereotyped as a classical instrument ... I think it's silly the way people put music into these rigid categories. To me honesty is the most important thing with music. You just play and perform what you feel from the heart, if people want to categorise it fine, but to me it's just music". Hear hear.

In 1989 he came to the attention of cult band New Model Army, and was asked to play violin on their Top 30 single Vagabonds and their Thunder and Consolation album. This was the start of a five-year association with the band, during which time he played electric violin and keyboards for over 500 concerts worldwide, and contributed to the albums Impurity (1990), Raw Melody Men (1991) and the Ballads EP Living In The Rose (1993). This led on to the recording of two solo albums.

Menwhile Denyze stayed in Liverpool, working hard with a number of bands, and earning a reputation as a powerful vocalist and songwriter.

Ed and Denyze started working together after he heard her sing in Liverpool's famous Cavern Club in 1994, and was so stunned by her voice that he decided to join forces with her as a song-writing duo. The first song they wrote together was "Winter Son", and whilst writing the rest of their first album Fly Before Dawn, they fell in love again, got married and bought a house in Liverpool where they now live and work."

The best track of this man, named Oxford Suite was a hit to my head when i first listened to it at a greek TV trailer a decade ago, this was about a CD collection by www.compactdisclub.gr named as EMOTIONS

I had no luck finding the artist name and track title and the TV spot stopped soon after i noticed... i was looking for it but all i knew was about the special purple violin that wasspecially crafted for Ed BY HIMSELF, A MAGNIFICENT MAGICAL VIOLIN that ...."The violin that Ed uses in all his recordings and gigs is very distinctive. Ed built it himself, after seeking technical advice from renowned folk violinists Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick and Ric Sanders. It has five strings, normally tuned to C, G, D, A, E - i.e. the standard pitches of viola and violin combined. It's built from American oak, walnut and maple, with an ebony fingerboard and built-in Zeta pickup. Ed says: "It's got a very heavyweight body - if you compare it to a guitar it's like a Gibson Les Paul. You get a lot of sustain and some really good rock distortion sounds out of it."

I had given up hope on that untill one night, drinking with friends from the Army at ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗ Club... i was suddenly discussing about this track !

And a friend of mine suddenly ( God' s Will ) spits out the name i was looking for : "Ed Alleyne Johnson is the guy" he says

I did a lot of research on that since then... found the tracks i was looking for ( you can find them at the Jukebox under Electric Violin Category ) or at the bottom of the topic ) but last night i was having one of my normal black outs : i forgot the track and artist name ! Well, i had a clue this time and it was easy to find...

For you to get here !

And this is a Topic i enjoyed posting, this song was more like a Quest for me !

[NickTheGreek]

Ed Alleyne-Johnson

A review:

Back in 1992, a pleasant pastoral piece drifted across the airwaves of BBC Radio 2, redolent of English spires, rolling countryside and Vaughan Williams on speed. This was Ed Alleyne-Johnson's 'magnum opus' 'Purple Electric Violin Concerto'.

EA-J took a transparent purple violin and committed musical hari-kari on five strings, frequently against a ground bass, using any number of effects pedals. If Hendrix had played violin this would have been the result.

The approach was somewhat unique in that there were no backing tapes, overdubs or remixing. Alleyne-Johnson built up multi-layered sounds using the ubiquitous digital delay whilst playing 'live'.

Alleyne-Johnson had previously worked with New Model Army and had gained something of a reputation for his impromptu street shows in his hometown of Liverpool although he studied fine art at Oxford University. It is the city of dreaming spires that formed the inspiration for 'Purple Electric Violin Concerto'.

He never quite repeated the novelty of this album, although there was a follow-up in 'Ultraviolet' (1994). He also produced a couple of albums with his wife, Denyze, which blended gothic rock, hippie mysticism and the classics.

A truly individual performer, Ed is frequently spotted turning heads in Chester which throbs to his ground bass. A new double album is due spring 2005.

Don't miss:
Purple Electric Violin Concerto
(Equation Records ECQD001, 1992)

Don't skip:
Oxford Suite

Worth investigating:
Purple Electric Violin Concerto 2(Wingspan Records WINGCD3)

Text © 2005 David Randall

Further info: ( Unofficial website )

CODE

http://www.muntfish.com/alleyne-johnson

Source : GetReadToRock