Finn Rees & SHOLTO - Love In Memory / Bluebell

This one was an unexpected treat - two of our favourite contemporary
musicians, Finn Rees & SHOLTO coming together and collaborating on a
double dose of celestial, cinematic alchemy
At Mr Bongo we are massive admirers of drummer, musician, and producer SHOLTO
(Oscar Robertson). His two albums on Funk Night Records and DeepMatter Records,
had both been highlights of their respective years.
We'd gotten to know Oscar and sent him a few records. Included in the package was
Australian pianist- composer Finn Rees' debut album, Dawn Is A Melody, which was
one of our favourite releases on Mr Bongo in 2024. In Oscar's words 'For me it was a
standout modern jazz record - encapsulating a spiritual / hazy dreamy soundscape
which hugely resonated with me. Glissando keys and harp with lush melodies, I was
instantly intrigued." The pair started following each other online and as luck would
have it, Finn was staying in London for the summer season, so they arranged to meet.
The pair instantly clicked and said it felt like they'd known each other for years. After
40 minutes of chatting, they started to jam. 'Love In Memory' and 'Bluebell' were
recorded over two days - a track a day in Oscar's SFJ studios. Laid down on mostly
analogue equipment, the pair utilised Wurlitzer's, mellotrons, and ribbon mics through
Oscar's '70s Studer desk. Composed and crafted without any real intentions, other
than a shared appreciation for the same style of music and approach, the tracks
started to take shape. The results were as lush, nostalgic and textured as you'd expect
from these two brilliant musicians, with a classical feel inspired by artists such as
Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani, and Henry Mancini.
For the beautiful string arrangements, the pair recruited the talents of SHOLTO's longtime friend and collaborator Clementine Brown (Penguin Cafe Orchestra) and
Matthew Hayes of 30/70, Allysha Joy, Xpress Point, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy
Exchange fame, was brought in to play bass on 'Bluebell'.
So here we have it, a chance collaborative project built on two musicians' mutual
respect for each other's outputs. The result is truly breathtaking

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