In brief…
‘…a Herbie Hancock for the new millennium’ – Montreal Jazz Festival (Canada)
Mark de Clive-Lowe (MdCL) is a NZ musician and producer based in the UK and at the forefront of the global beats, jazz and soul community. Having been involved with over 200 releases on labels including Masters At Work Records, Verve Records, Impulse Records and collaborating with as diverse a range of artists as Lauryn Hill, Jody Watley, UK soul don Omar, Bugz in the Attic, Dego (4Hero), percussionist Sammy Figueroa (Miles Davis), bass player Pino Palladino (D’Angelo/The Who), DJ Spinna, Shirley Bassey and plenty more, MdCL is one of the most innovative producers and live performers you'll find anywhere.
'...the man behind a million great tunes' - Gilles Peterson/Radio 1 Worldwide [UK]
More info…
Half New Zealander, half Japanese 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, Mark'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 modern beats culture, blending jazz, ethnic music and urban grooves into a fresh 21st Century flavour.
West London based, Mark 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]
After two world tours in 2000 and 2001 also featuring NZ DJ Manuel Bundy, Mark had taken the Six Degrees live show global including featured slots at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Amsterdam Drum Rhythm Festival, London Jazz Festival and throughout Europe, Asia and Australasia. Live Events
2001 saw Mark 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 7 years, Mark has stamped his sound on over 200 releases collaborating with some of the most cutting edge producers and artists around the world - include tracks on soul legend Leon Ware's new album, productions on the debut LP from Philadelphia's Lady Alma, remixes for the likes of Jody Watley, Omar and Brazilian superstar Ed Motta and studio collaborations with Lauryn Hill and Pino Palladino [D’Angelo/The Who].
Mark's current album was released worldwide March 22, 2005 on ABB Soul/Antipodean/Columbia Japan. TIDE'S ARISING features a who's who of guest artists including Bembé Segué, Abdul Shyllon, Pino Palladino, Capitol A [The Roots/Jazzanova] and more. Already a new millennium classic, Tide's Arising is one of the standout albums of 2005. Tide's Arising Live has toured all over the planet – from Tokyo to Moscow to Cape Town.
New projects currently on the go include Mark'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 new collaboration between Bembé Segué and Mark. He's also produced the debut single for UK soul singer Rasiyah and the soundtracks for multi-media epic dance production Legends of the Underground.