Orphy Robinson

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

(born 13 October 1960) is a British jazz multi-instrumentalist who plays vibraphone, keyboards, saxophone, trumpet, piano,

marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...

, steelpans and drums. He has written music for television, film and theatre.

Career

Robinson began his professional career with the band Savanna in the late 1970s. During the mid- to late-1980s, he was a member of the

Jazz Warriors The Jazz Warriors were an English all-black London-based group of jazz musicians, that made its debut in 1986. The idea for the band came from the Abibi Jazz Arts, a London organization that promoted black music and black culture. The Jazz War ...

with

Courtney Pine Courtney Pine, (born 18 March 1964), is a British jazz musician, who was the principal founder in the 1980s of the black British band the Jazz Warriors. Although known primarily for his saxophone playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also ...

, and worked with

Mica Paris Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969), known professionally as Mica Paris (), is an English singer, presenter and actress. Paris was born in Islington in North London, but moved to Brockley, South London, when she was nine. She rel ...

and

Andy Sheppard Andy Sheppard (born 20 January 1957) is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, ...

. In the 1990s, Robinson released two critically acclaimed solo albums: ''When Tomorrow Comes'' and ''The Vibes Describes''. He has recorded as a guest musician and has toured with

Hugh Hopper Hugh Colin Hopper (29 April 1945 – 7 June 2009) was a British progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and other bands. Biography Early career Starting in ...

and

Robert Wyatt Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945) is a retired English musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming para ...

. For the UK celebration of the bicentenary of the

Abolition of the Slave Trade Act The Slave Trade Act 1807, officially An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom prohibiting the slave trade in the British Empire. Although it did not abolish the practice of slavery, it ...

in 2007, Robinson was commissioned to write and perform pieces from his suite ''Routes Through Roots'' in the

Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north bank ...

. He was commissioned by the Phoenix Dance company to write ''42 Shades of Black''. In June 2014, he was commissioned to write a suite for the combined Shivanova and Ignite ensembles for the 2014 Women's Festival at

Kings Place Kings Place is a building in London’s Kings Cross area, providing music and visual arts venues combined with seven floors of office space. It has housed the editorial offices of ''The Guardian'' newspaper since December 2008 and is the for ...

in the UK. He has written for

The Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...

at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

and for the Romanian violin virtuoso

Alexander Balanescu Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

. During 2009, several albums featured Robinson as guest soloist, including ''No Now Is So!'' by the Alexander Hawkins ensemble, ''Out of Office'' by the Burn Out Mama band from Finland, and albums by Louis Moholo,

Leee John Leslie McGregor "Leee" John (born 23 June 1957) is a British musician, singer, and actor of St Lucian descent. He was born in Hackney, London, and educated in New York City, later studying drama at the Anna Scher Theatre School. He is perhaps ...

and

Beggar & Co Beggar and Co (also written Beggar & Co) are a British jazz-funk group formed by Kenny Wellington, David Baptiste and Neville 'Breeze' McKrieth, originally members of the group Light of the World. Overview Beggar and Co's first single was "(S ...

. Since late 2009, he has been a featured soloist on marimba and vibraphone with the violinist

Nigel Kennedy Nigel Kennedy (born 28 December 1956) is an English violinist and violist. His early career was primarily spent performing classical music, and he has since expanded into jazz, klezmer, and other music genres. Early life and background Kenn ...

, performing an extensive repertoire including

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

's '' The Four Seasons'',

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

and

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

. Robinson has performed as guest musician on three albums with Kennedy: ''The Four Elements'' (2011), ''Vivaldi: The New Four Seasons'' (2015) and ''My World'' (2016). In the latter part of 2009, he was invited to become musical director of a large ensemble at

The Roundhouse The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue situated at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhouse, ...

with the drummer Nick Mason of

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

. The duo Black Top was formed in 2011 with the Free Improv pianist Pat Thomas. An album entitled ''#One'' was released internationally in July 2014 on the

Babel Label Babel Label is a jazz record label founded in 1994 by Oliver Weindling. It released more than 130 recordings in its first 20 years, two of which were nominated for the Mercury Prize. Formation Weindling was a banker in England in the 1980s whe ...

with guest saxophonist

Steve Williamson Steve Williamson (born 28 June 1964) is an English saxophonist and composer (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, keyboard and composition). He has been called "one of the most distinctive saxophone voices in contemporary Britis ...

. The second Black Top album, ''#Two'', had

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

as guest. Robinson started The Spontaneous Cosmic RawXtra ensemble at the Kings Place concert venue in October 2009. The ensemble was included in ''Black British Jazz'' (2014), an

Open University The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...

book by Jason Toynbee. A DVD and recording were released in 2015. Robinson was instrumental in the formation of the band Malik & the O.G's with band leader

Malik Al Nasir Malik Al Nasir, born Mark Trevor Watson (1966, Liverpool, England) is a British author and performance poet, born to a Welsh mother and a Guyanese father. Malik is the band leader of Malik & the O.G's. Spurred by discovering his striking resem ...

and also in his tribute to

Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author, known primarily for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician ...

St George's Hall, Liverpool St George's Hall is a building on St George's Place, opposite Lime Street railway station in the centre of Liverpool, England. Opened in 1854, it is a Neoclassical building which contains concert halls and law courts, and is recorded in the Na ...

, entitled ''The Revolution Will Be Live!'' Robinson has worked with

Lester Bowie Lester Bowie (October 11, 1941 – November 8, 1999) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography Born in ...

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

Neneh Cherry Neneh Mariann Karlsson (born 10 March 1964), better known as Neneh Cherry, is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, occasional DJ and broadcaster. Her musical career started in London in the early 1980s, where she performed in a number of punk roc ...

Junior Giscombe Norman Washington "Junior" Giscombe (born 6 June 1957) is an English singer-songwriter often known as Junior who was one of the first British R&B artists to be successful in the United States. He is best known for his 1982 hit single, "Mama Use ...

Kate Havnevik Kate Havnevik (born 27 October 1975) is a Norwegian film composer, songwriter and singer. Her debut album, the critically acclaimed electronica-infused ''Melankton'', was released in March 2006 on iTunes and April 2006 (on physical CD) in Norw ...

Imagination Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...

Lionel Loueke Lionel Loueke (born 27 April 1973) is a guitarist and vocalist born in Benin. He moved to Ivory Coast in 1990 to study at the National Institute of Art. Biography Loueke grew up in what he has described as a family of poor intellectuals in the W ...

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

, Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick,

Joe McPhee Joe McPhee (born November 3, 1939) is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist born in Miami, Florida, a player of tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, the trumpet, flugelhorn and valve trombone. McPhee grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, and is ...

Thurston Moore Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Moo ...

, Butch Morris, David Murray, Sunny Murray,

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...

Wadada Leo Smith Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the fields of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation. He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for ''Ten Free ...

Spring Heel Jack Spring Heel Jack is an English electronic music duo, consisting of John Coxon and Ashley Wales. Formed in 1993 in London, England, Spring Heel Jack began their career exploring drum and bass and jungle, but have since branched out into free ...

Joss Stone Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born 11 April 1987), known professionally as Joss Stone, is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, ''The Soul Sessions'', which made the 2004 Merc ...

Jamaaladeen Tacuma Jamaaladeen Tacuma (born Rudy McDaniel; June 11, 1956) is an American free jazz bassist born in Hempstead, New York. He was a bandleader on the Gramavision label and worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman's P ...

John Tchicai John Martin Tchicai ( ; 28 April 1936 – 8 October 2012) was a Danish free jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Tchicai was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a Danish mother and a Congolese father. The family moved to Aarhus, where he st ...

, Kenny Thomas and

Nana Vasconcelos Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana ( ...

Other work

Robinson represented Great Britain at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. He has worked in schools and on large-scale education projects, including at the

Hackney Empire Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney. Originally designed by Frank Matcham it was built in 1901 as a music hall, and expanded in 2001. Described by ''The Guardian'' as ‘the most beautiful theatre in L ...

, where he led the Music Education department for more than ten years. He has been on the board of

The Vortex ''The Vortex'' is a play in three acts by the English writer and actor Noël Coward. The play depicts the sexual vanity of a rich, ageing beauty, her troubled relationship with her adult son, and drug abuse in British society circles after the ...

jazz club, Warriors International, the

National Youth Jazz Orchestra The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) is a British jazz orchestra founded in 1965 by Bill Ashton. In 2010. Mark Armstrong took over as Music Director of the flagship performing band, and Artistic Director of the organisation; Bill Ashton becam ...

, the

British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors The Ivors Academy (formerly the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors – BASCA) is one of the largest professional associations for music writers in Europe. The academy exists to support, protect, and campaign for the interests ...

and the Participation and Learning Education advisory board at the Hackney Empire. Robinson is a founding member of Edge (The Shape of Things to Come), a group of artists, writers and promoters curating events pitched as a fringe to the

London Jazz Festival The London Jazz Festival is a music festival held every November. It takes place in London venues such as the Barbican and the Royal Festival Hall and in smaller jazz clubs, such as Ronnie Scott's and the Vortex Jazz Club. It is produced by Ser ...

. Due to the success of their first programme, titled Edge 08, Robinson and the journalist Paul Bradshaw continued to curate events internationally as well as all-year round events in the UK. Their project Love Supreme Reimagined, a homage to the 1965

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of br ...

album ''

A Love Supreme ''A Love Supreme'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. He recorded it in one session on December 9, 1964, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, leading a quartet featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy ...

'', a large-scale ensemble with Robinson in the role of musical director, received critical acclaim at the 2014 South Bank Meltdown Festival curated by

James Lavelle James Lavelle (born 22 February 1974) is an English electronic musician, record label owner and curator. He founded the Mo'Wax record label in 1992, and has been the only constant member of UNKLE. He directed the 2014 edition of the Meltdow ...

. Robinson produced

Carleen Anderson Carleen Cassandra Anderson (born May 10, 1957) is an American singer and musician. She is known for her work with the Young Disciples and numerous collaborations. Her distinguished solo career began in 1992. She is the acclaimed composer, writer ...

's album ''Cage Street Memorial'' (2016). In 2017, Anderson was nominated as Best Jazz Vocalist at the Jazz FM Jazz Awards. In 2018, the album was nominated in the Jazz Innovation category at the same awards.

Awards and honors

* Nominated, Jazz Educator of the Year,

Parliamentary Jazz Awards The Parliamentary Jazz Awards in the United Kingdom are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) at the Houses of Parliament in London. The group consists of over a hundred members drawn from across the UK politica ...

* Among 12 Best Vibraphonists named in ''

DownBeat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'' magazine in 2015, the first musician from the UK to achieve this accolade * Nominated, Giles Peterson Worldwide FM, ''Cage Street Memorial'' by

, 2016 * Winner, Concert of the Year, Live Entertainment of the year, Jazz FM Awards, 2017 * Appointed

for services to music, Queen's Birthday Honours list, 2018 * Nominated, Innovation Award, Jazz FM Awards, 2019 * Nominated, Live Entertainment of the year, Jazz FM Awards, 2019 * Jazz FM's Gold Award 2020 for his services to UK jazz and jazz education"Jazz FM Awards 2020"
Retrieved 3 August 2022.

Discography

As leader

* ''When Tomorrow Comes'' (Blue Note, 1993) * ''Pyrotechnics'' (Blue Note, 1993) * ''The Vibes Describes'' (Blue Note, 1994) * ''The Funky End of Things'' (Blue Note, 1994) * ''Life'' (Blue Note, 1994) With Savannah * ''I Can't Turn Away'' (1981) * ''Never Let You Go'' (1982) With Black Top * ''#One'' with

(Babel, 2014) * ''#Two'' with

(Babel, 2015) * ''Number 3'' with William Parker and

Hamid Drake Hamid Drake (born August 3, 1955) is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, and Afr ...

(Babel, 2017) Other * ''Orpheum Theatre with Sun Araw & Orphy Robinson'' Otoruku Download Releases 21.09.15 * ''Priming the Population Thru Subversive Experimental Sonic Gestures'', Jamal Moss, Mark Sanders & Orphy Robinson Otoruku Download Releases 01.01.16 * ''Corsano / Mcphee / Prévost / Robinson'' Otoruku Download Releases - 15.2.16 * '' Pat Thomas & Orphy Robinson'' Otoruku Download Releases 18.4.17

As guest

With

* ''Brass, Strings n Tings'' (2007) * ''The Legacy'' (2011) With

Tony Bevan Tony Bevan (born 1951) is a British painter, known for his psychologically charged images of people at the edge of respectable society. Biography Bevan was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. He studied at Bradford School of Art from 1968 to 1971, fo ...

* ''Bruised'' (2005) * ''Bruise with Derek Bailey'' (2006) * ''We Packed Are Bags'' (2007) With Alexander Hawkins * ''No Now Is So'' (2009) * ''All There, Ever Out'' (2012) With

* ''Out of Many, One People'' (1987) * ''Chameleon'' (1993) With

* ''The Four Elements'', (2011) * ''The New Four Seasons'', (2015) * ''My World'', (2016) With the London Improvisors Orchestra * ''The Hearing Continues'' (2001) * ''Freedom of the City'' (2002) * ''Proceedings'' (2000) * ''Responses, Reproduction & Reality'' (2003) With

* ''I'd Hate to Love You'' (1988) * ''Like Dreamers Do'' (1988) With

* ''Traditions Beckoning'' (1986) * '' Journey to the Urge Within'' (1986) With

* ''Andy Sheppard'' (1987) * ''Introductions in the Dark'' (1989) * ''Soft on the Inside'' (1990) With others *

Harry Beckett Harold Winston "Harry" Beckett (30 May 1935 – 22 July 2010) was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player of Barbadian origin. Biography Born in Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados, Harry Beckett learned to play music in a Salvation Army ...

, ''The Modern Sound of Harry Beckett'' (2008) *

Lol Coxhill George Lowen Coxhill (19 September 1932 – 10 July 2012) known professionally as Lol Coxhill, was an English free improvising saxophonist. He played soprano and sopranino saxophone. Biography Coxhill was born to George Compton Coxhill ...

, ''Spectral Soprano'' (2001) *

Simon H. Fell Simon H. Fell (13 January 1959 – 28 June 2020) was an English jazz bassist and composer; he is primarily known for his work as a free improviser and the composer of ambitiously complex post-serialist works. Fell began playing double bas ...

, ''Composition No30 BF27'' (1998) *

, ''In and Out of Love, Body Talk'' (1981) *

Jazz Jamaica Jazz Jamaica is a British jazz/reggae music group formed by musician Gary Crosby in London formed in 1991. History In 1991, inspired by the rhythms of traditional Jamaican music and the largely improvisational nature of jazz, Gary Crosby — on ...

, ''Massive'' (2003) * Tony Kofi, ''Plays Monk, All is Now'' (2004) * Shawn Lee, ''Discomfort'' (1996) * Light of the World, ''Round Trip + Bonus track'' (2008) *

Noel McKoy Noel McKoy ( – 3 November 2022) was a British soul music singer. His music was a collection of soul, gospel, funk and Northern soul. McKoy created, produced and presented the Dutch Pot new artist nights in London – which ran for five year ...

, ''Mind is the Keeper'' (1998) *

Monday Michiru is a Japanese American actress, singer, and songwriter whose music encompasses and fuses a wide variety of genres including jazz, dance, pop, and soul. She is arguably best known for being a pioneer of the acid jazz movement in Japan in the e ...

, ''Jazz Brat'' (1994) *

Louis Moholo Louis Tebogo Moholo (born 10 March 1940), is a South African jazz drummer. He has been a member of several notable bands, including The Blue Notes, the Brotherhood of Breath and Assagai. Biography Born in Cape Town, Moholo formed The Blue ...

, ''An Open Letter to My Wife Mpumi'' (2008) * Kate Shortt, ''Something to Tell You'' (2006) *

, ''Songs & Themes'' (2008) *

, ''Water for the Soul'', (2015) * Pat Thomas, ''4 Compositions for Orchestra'' (2010) *

Total Contrast Total Contrast were a male musical duo from England, specialising in soul and electro music. They are well known for their 1985 hit "Takes a Little Time", which made No. 1 on the US dance chart and No. 17 in the UK. The group formed in 1983 con ...

, ''Takes a Little Time'' (1985) *

Cleveland Watkiss Cleveland Watkiss, (born 21 October 1959), is a British vocalist, actor, and composer. Biography Cleveland Watkiss was born in Hackney, East London, to Jamaican parents, and was one of nine children. He is the older brother of pianist Trevo ...

, ''Victory's Happy Songbook'' (2001) * Working Week, ''Fire in the Mountain'' (1989) *

, ''Comicopera'' (2007)

Film and television

* ''Blood Rights'', BBC Drama, episodes 1, 2 and 3 (1990), composer * ''Eagle Star'', 3 commercials (1993), composer/performer * ''Men of the Month'', BBC Films Screen Two (1994), composer * ''Bollywood Queen'', Arclight films (2002), performer * ''The Republic of Love'', Dan Films (2003), performer * Amos Vogel & Cinema 16, ''Film as a Subversive Art'', The Sticking Place (2004), composer

References

External links

Official site

Interview at ''Vibe''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Orphy 1960 births 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century English musicians 21st-century British male musicians 21st-century English musicians British jazz vibraphonists British male jazz musicians Jazz Warriors members Living people Members of the Order of the British Empire Musicians from London