Music
Press
“It’s Zen for the West,” said flutist Paul Cheneour of his three-man band who never rehearse, never play the same piece twice and have no leader. They simply “feel” where the music takes them and “feed” off the audience’s response to the transportation.
Paul, Dave Robinson on malletKAT and Clive Fletcher on double bass, EUB and bass guitar, had years of recording experience and classical training behind them before fusing together as Zen Bicycle Band three years ago.
Musically personal and indefinable, the sound is a fusion of different influences – Eastern, Western and sub-Saharan African. At its most riveting, the rhythm built up into an exhausting frenzy of furious tribal-like drum beats, accompanied by deep tones on the bass with occasional additions, for instance, of the siblisi, a wailing, Turkish goat-herding pipe. It would then retreat into a soothing sonnet of meditation.
Describing their approach as “more instant composition than improvisation”, Paul wasn’t wrong to call it “cutting edge” or, comically, “democracy in action”.
Unfortunately, there weren’t many onlookers to share the experience this time but with second album, Essence, just released, and the band’s enthusiasm and faith in their music, all that could be set to change.
- The Argus, Brighton
Paul Cheneour (flutes, neys, duduk, siblisi), Dave Robinson (mallet kat) and Clive Fletcher (double bass, EUB and bass guitar) make up the Zen Bicycle Band who specialise in cool, ultra-modern soulful instrumentals. Paul trained at the Guildhall and has numerous recording credits to his name, Dave has been an in demand player in the theatre pit and across a variety of styles, while Clive holds post-graduate degrees from the Royal Academy and can call upon years of experience in many orchestras. Collectively they present a bewitching fusion of eastern and western forms, with Paul's flute adding an air of charm and beguilement to the hypnotic rhythms of his partners. Brilliant. - Musician - The Journal of the Musicians' Union, Winter, 2008
Discography
CD: Zen Bicycle
Produced: Paul Cheneour, Dave Robinson, Clive Fletcher
© 2008 (P) 2008
CD: Essence
Produced: Paul Cheneour, Dave Robinson, Clive Fletcher
© 2011 (P) 2011
http://www.zenbicycleband.co.uk/streams.htm
Photos
Bio
Paul Cheneour: flautist/composer, trained at the Guildhall School of Music London under Professor Rainer Schuelein. He has 38 Cd albums to his credit published by Northstar music UK, 5 major films; including EMMA award winning ‘6th Happiness’ and ‘Hideous Kinky’. Best Foreign film winner in 2007 ‘In The Place of the Dead’ 4 videos and 4 documentaries including BBC 2's Egyptian Journeys by Dan Cruickshank. Appearing in and producing the DVD film ‘The Painter and the Musician’ with Joanna Jones, plus short film Out-OF Tune with Enam Hague. Paul was voted No: 74 in "The world’s best 100 jazz flautists of all time” by www.digitaldreamdoor.com readers in 2005. CDs ‘Space ‘N Time’, ‘Sound Sketches’ (solo flutes) and Sound Sculptures with Maquenzie form part of the cross channel Transmettre/Transmit art installation in St Omer’s Chapel des Jesuits France and Walmer Castle Dover Kent. The Zen Bicycle Band CD and Videos are Paul’s latest project.
Dave Robinson: Mallet-kat/ Percussion began as a drummer with local bands then progressing to tuned percussion he became a regular in theatre pits across Yorkshire and the Midlands. As a vibraphonist he was very influenced by Lionel Hampton, gaining popularity on the Sheffield Jazz circuit and further a field working with, amongst others, legendary Boogie-Woogie Pianist Bob Hall. Since relocating to Kent he has worked with a number of bands and released 4 successful albums. Dave is in demand both as a musician and DJ, producing a blend of traditional and modern music utilising acoustic and electronic percussion.
Clive Fletcher: Double bassist, bass-guitarist, composer, guitarist, and vocalist holds postgraduate degrees of M.Mus and M.Phil. along with a PGCE and the LRAM diploma from The Royal Academy of Music. He also works in symphony and chamber orchestras as well as teaching double bass at Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK. In 2005 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Clive's musical Interests include historically informed music performance, Renaissance, Baroque and early Classical music, World Music, Blues, and Jazz (all styles, especially be-bop, modern and fusion), and Rock.
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