As a New Zealand native, Mark talks about being surrounded by beaches growing up and how his recent move to a beach town is helping him move forward.
Mark de Clive-Lowe, Musician + Producer :: 120 Seconds from friendswelove.com on Vimeo.
About Mark:
Mark de Clive-Lowe (MdCL) is a NZ-Japanese musician producer based in the UK for the last decade and at the forefront of the global beats, jazz and soul community. He's a devastating live performer creating studio production on stage from scratch using drum machines, keyboards and effects - live remixes created on stage for each and every gig. As well as performances at clubs, festivals and parties worldwide, he's on over 200 releases for Masters At Work Records, Verve Records, Impulse Records and collaborating with as diverse a range of artists as Jody Watley, Omar, Bugz in the Attic, Dego (4Hero), percussionist Sammy Figueroa (Miles Davis), bass player Pino Palladino (D'Angelo/John Mayer), DJ Spinna, Leon Ware, Dame Shirley Bassey and plenty more, MdCL is one of the most innovative producers and live performers you'll find anywhere.
Half Japanese half New Zealander musician/producer Mark de Clive-Lowe has been on the music journey since starting piano when he was four. Classical piano lessons, jazz for playing pleasure and hip hop and soul on the stereo gave Mark the diverse foundation that his eclectic style has developed from.
For over the past ten years, MdCL's musical journeying has taken him to the US, UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Cuba. Performing and recording in different settings collaborating with DJ/producers, turntablists, acoustic jazz artists, Japanese Kagura, and the world of latin rhythms, Mark has become a major figure in the nu-jazz movement, blending jazz, ethnic music and urban grooves into a fresh 21st Century flavour.
West London based from 1998-2008, MdCL is a key collaborator, artist and producer in the scene spear-headed by Bugz in the Attic, 4Hero, Restless Soul and IG Culture [NSM]. His debut LP Six Degrees [Universal Jazz/emarcy] was released worldwide in 2000 - signatured with an amalgamation of jazz sensibilities and urban influences, the album found a niche with DJs, critics and audiences worldwide:
'Firmly at the front of the nu-skool jazz and beats movement' - The Times [UK]
'Call it nu-jazz, call it nu-house, call it future-jazz, in fact call it what you want, I'm sticking with the words awesome and genius' - Wax Magazine [UK]
Two world tours later MdCL had taken the Six Degrees live show global including featured slots at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival - having been personally invited to perform by techno legend Carl Craig, Amsterdam Drum Rhythm Festival, London Jazz Festival and throughout Europe, Asia and Australasia. Live Events
2001 saw MdCL contributing a stand out remix production of Shirley Horn on the Verve//Remixed LP alongside tracks from MAW, Joe Clausell and Thievery Corporation and in 2002, his carnival soul-beats anthem 'Relax...Unwind' featuring Abdul Shyllon became one of the year's underground hits worldwide for the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jazzy Jeff, MAW and Jazzanova. 2003/4 releases also include collaborations with Kenny Dope [Masters at Work], DJ Spinna [BBE/rapster], Rima [JCR], IG Culture, Bugz in the Attic and Restless Soul. Over the past 6 years, Mark has stamped his sound on over 150 releases collaborating with some of the most cutting edge producers and artists around the world - include tracks for soul legend Leon Ware, productions for Philadelphia's Lady Alma and remixes for the likes of Jody Watley, Omar, Incognito and Brazilian superstar Ed Motta.
MdCL's album TIDE'S ARISING was released worldwide March 22, 2005 on ABB Soul/Antipodean featuring a who's who of guest artists including Bembé Segué, Abdul Shyllon, Pino Palladino [D'Angelo's Soultronics/The Who], Capitol A [The Roots/Jazzanova] and more. Immediately a new millennium classic, Tide's Arising was one of the standout albums of 2005 topping critics lists worldwide. Tide's Arising Live shows have been performed in the UK, Europe, Japan, NZ, Australia and USA. 2007 saw MdCL release the Japan-only album JOURNEY 2 THE LIGHT also launching the Freedom School record label. Featuring Bembé Segué, Sammy Figueroa [Miles Davis], Jason Yarde [Jack DeJohnette] and Richard Spaven [Guru/Jose James] the album brought the 70s Black Jazz and Strata East sound into the 21st Century with MdCL's most jazz-oriented album yet.
Projects currently on the go include MdCL's Freesoul Sessions clubnite and releases - a fully improvised show with Mark constructing beats and full productions live on stage with a rotating cast of beat, soul and jazz musicians and vocalists and The Politik - a collaboration with Bembé Segué. He's also produced the debut single for UK soul singer Rasiyah and the soundtracks for multi-media dance production Legends of the Underground . Check the releases page for full info.
MdCL performs all around the planet regularly, every time redefining audiences' concept of club culture and electronics brought to the live stage. New dates are regularly announced on the Events page - also, keep up to date via the myspace.com page.
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