Steve Slimm
UK
P r e s e n t a t i o n
Looking back on the world stage through the years we find:
Steve aged 2: Drum (mysteriously disappeared!). Steve age 2-and-a-half: Trumpet
(consigned to coal-shed). Steve Age of 8: Harmonica (from Grandad Slimm), learned
The British Grenadiers etc. Steve aged 11: Banjo (from uncle Den), learned Shepherd
of the hills and Chinese laundry blues. Steve at the age of 14: Began love affair
with guitar (Rod McCuen songbook, then Ferdinand Sor, Corelli, Mozart, etc.).
Steve maturely aged 15: Started WRITING SONGS... Steve for the next couple of
decades or so: A total closet-muso! (sad bastard!). To be fair: For the last
10 years has occasionally played in local arts clubs etc. (Often wild) classical
guitar and flute. Plus even more occasional collaborations with various acoustic
and electric set-ups...
Recently (2005): Was handed the José Gonzalez album,
got the general idea that it's OK to just play the guitar and sing, and decided
it was about time Steve Slimm actually DID SOMETHING! Three well-heeled songs
were supplemented by an avalanche of new material, and in collaboration with
violinist extraordinaire Allen Samuel, produced the "PAUSE FOR BREATH"
album. Sadly however, it turns out to be just about the sadest thing youll hear
this century (suppose if you knew anything of his recent history youd understand
why), but we think things can only improve from here on in (hopefully!). BTW,
Steve is also a painter (artist). The pics on his web site are his own work.
"Influences I expect one of the major shaping forces on
my life musically and in some ways spiritually has been the inimitable Mr. Leonard
Cohen! But along the way there has definitely been Nick Drake, Marc Cohn, probably
Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor and Jose Feliciano, David Gray...
and of course Coldplay! Early influences were also Simon& Garfunkel, and
Ralph McTell. Aside from this, we have the great guitar heros such as John McLaughlin,
Ralph Towner, and Al DiMiola.
The following is a sample of music I have enjoyed thro the
years, all of whom have had their influences: Keith Jarrett, Terje Rypdal, Chick
Corea, Herbie Hancock, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Enrico Carouso, Sibelius,
Bohuslav Martinu, Gary Burton, Jan Garbarek, Ravi Shankhar, Trilok Gurtu, Abdulah
Ibrahim, Peter Gabriel, Focus, Curved Air, Gordon Lightfoot, Weather Report,
Shostokovich, Vaughan Williams, Led Zeppelin, Sibelius, Billy Cobham, Rodrigo,
Alan Stivell, Carl Nielsen, ELP, early Genesis, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, Steely
Dan, Vangelis, Philip Glass, John Taverner (both!), Billy Cobham, Victoria de
los Angeles, Alan Stivell, Cat Stevens, Eminem, 2Pac, Nitin Sawney, Pink Floyd,
Gustav Holst, Marie Boine, Gary Burton, Leftfield, Faithless, Black-Eyed Peas,
Goan Trance music, Michael Jackson, Sting, Manitas de Plata, John Martin, Jack
de Johnette, Vivaldi, Philip Glass, Celloman, Y'ous'n'Dour, Level 42, Mahler,
etc!"
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