BLAKE

Candid Recording(s):

Biography:

Blake are the essence of contemporary cool. Built around guitarist and arranger Rod Blake and vocalists Lorna Brown and Harley Loudon, Blake create a smooth mix of jazz, soul and pop that washes unremittingly into your consciousness. Just signed to Candid Records’ Big City imprint, Blake made their debut appearance as part of the Candid Jazz Festival in front of a packed house in the summer of 2001 and if crowd reaction is any marker of future success, Blake will go far.

Rod Blake, described by the The Wire as “a soaring and spiky guitar player” is the keystone of the band. Best known for his music for film and TV, including various BBC and C4 programmes, Rod’s magnificent guitar playing and arranging skills are highly rated among his peers. Back in 1993 he was elected Yamaha Guitarist of the Year, and went on to play with fusion band Accentricity and world jazzers The Runners, whose debut album ‘Phonetic’ received Jazz FM playlisting and excellent reviews. The next four years were spent with Russian supergroup Mumiy Troll, touring the old Eastern Bloc and recording three platinum selling albums. It was on a break from one such tour that Rod met Harley Loudon and decided it was time to create his own meisterwerk.

Harley has achieved a lot in her young life, having worked extensively with Jean Toussaint, Tony Remy and pianist Brian Kellock, played Ronnie Scotts and even written and starred in ’Storm In a Teacup’, her own award winning show at the Edinburgh Festival. Harley believes she has found a musical and spiritual home in Blake “I was already composing lyrics in my head for Rod’s music long before we decided to work together. My words and his melodies paired perfectly.” Lorna Brown says "Writing with Rod felt so natural - like the lyrics and melodies were just given to us and we're there thinking 'Wow, where did that come from?’ It's perfect...'"

Lorna’s name you might not know, but her face you surely do. As an actress she has appeared in such primetime TV shows such as Casualty, The Bill, Dangerfield and Murder Most Horrid. On stage Lorna has toured the country and wowed the West End in a whole variety of productions, including Othello at the New Vic. Lorna has the singing talent to go with her looks and stagecraft and we will be hearing a lot more of this precocious talent. Her singing career to date has included playing with Eric Clapton and Courtney Pine, Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight, Dub legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, and Terry Callier whom she supported on his last UK tour.

‘Blake’ are currently enjoying the benefit of Lorna’s talents. Her soulful, Carleen Anderson-esque vocals lend themselves perfectly to the laid-back smooth guitar playing of Rod, and when teamed up with Harley, the overall effect is quite beautiful.

Blake’s ‘contemporary cool’ sound is an alluring aural wave of accessible summer jazz.