about
He's got a pure, soulful voice and some distinctly shadowy lyrics. He used to be a cheese salesman and Gene Hackman gave him the name for his debut album. So just who is Charles Stuart and what's he keeping under his hat?Matt Dowsett - (prerelease interview)
Charles Stuart is a multi-talented musician, singer and songwriter who, drawing on his british/dominican heritage and his love of old soul/reggae/funk, creates snapshots of london life, armed with his sly and subversive wit to deliver a soulful dub, folk, experimental, groovy kind of leftfield pop.
Charles began writing music at 11 when a piano was donated "that somebody didn't want. So I started teaching myself a few chords here and there... I'd learn one chord and write four songs around that. I'd learn another chord to go with it and write another 10 songs around those..."
Being part of large family Charles was exposed to every kind of music and you can hear this eclectic fusion of these influences in his writing. "My brother Paul was into jazz funk so I got to hear The Crusaders, Roy Ayers and Steely Dan. Another brother Peter was into the Human League and Two Tone stuff. My sister was into lovers rock, people like Carole Thompson, Janet Kay...I'd got into Scritti Politi, Duran Duran and rap and hip-hop was starting to filter in. It was amazing to have all this stuff going on."
Charles mainly plays keyboards, but also uses a range of vintage synths and effects pedals, as well as guitars and drummachine samplers to build his arrangements. He brings this flexibility to his live performances, whether accompanying himself solo on piano, or triggering loops and effects in duos and trios to working with a full band, Charles always manages to remind you what playing and singing together is really about.
other work
Charles is also currently involved with afro-kraut, jazz-dub collective Snorkel, to which he contributes drum machines, analog synths and occasionally his voice, in a more improvisational context. Snorkel will be releasing their album Glass Darkly on 28th January 2008.He is also featured on the forthcoming 12" release by Invisibles - Interference EP - which draws together members of the slowfoot entourage and features remixes by 7 hurtz and Ivor Guest. Due 2008.
