Blue Soup

Blue Soup are a London quartet (vocal/guitar, trumpet, double bass & drums) with a fresh and exciting upbeat jazzy sound and cheerfully downbeat lyrics.

They've built up a great live reputation with their entertaining performances. They have a truly original and accessible sound that draws influences from jazz, pop, rock, latin and balkan music. Their songs have style and a ready wit and are delivered with great musicianship, spirit, energy and passion.

Signed to the A Major Sound label in 2010, their second album “Attention” is now out. It was written over the past year or so, whilst gigging around the UK and Europe, with several of the songs, including two in French, already established as firm favourites in the set.

Working with top Canadian producer Paul Milner, the album was recorded at Ambushed studios in London during an intensive two week period. Paul's immense experience, having worked with names such as Keith Richards, Robert Palmer and Rush, not to mention Anne Murray, Randy Waldman, Vinnie Colaiuta and John Patitucci, was invaluable in capturing the Blue Soup sound. “Attention” also features the superb musicianship of top jazz guitarist Christos Chatzispyrou, Groove Armada's percussionist Patrick Dawes and keyboard legend Dan Cutrona, who's worked with Joe Cocker, Al Green, Billy Preston & Donna Summer, to name but a few.

The band play regularly on the London circuit - from places such as the Jazz Café in Camden to the Royal Festival Hall last year – as well as all over the UK and Europe – the French songs in the set going down particularly well in the jazz clubs of Paris. They've also played at numerous festivals.

Blue Soup started life when songwriters Graham & Mike recruited Greek Jazz drummer Kostas with a view to creating a band with a uniquely new jazzy sound. The right trumpet player proved difficult to find, but finally with Toby standing in unprepared at a packed benefit gig and amazing all there with a startlingly virtuoso performance - the band's line-up was complete.

The band soon established their excellent live reputation and earned a headline slot at London's world-famous Jazz Cafe in Camden - shortly after which, the band's debut album "Occupied" was released on the Raison d'Etre International Music Lovers' Collective label.

This first album brought acclaim from fans and those in the Music Business alike. With praise for the style and wit of their songs from several Industry figures, Blue Soup received offers to place their music in film and TV. Building up some serious momentum and a loyal following, the band embarked on a busy schedule of national and international dates and festivals, appearing alongside Acid Jazz’s founder, BBC Radio 6’s Eddie Piller, selling out Canterbury International Festival, being reviewed as ‘one of the capital’s finest exports’ and performing at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, the Twinz Arts Festival in Paris and North Devon Festival amongst many others.

Graham Silcock is the voice of Blue Soup and what a big voice! His lyrics have drawn praise for their downbeat wit and upbeat rhythmic assurance. As the chordal heart of the sound his guitar provides a solid core around which all else Blue Soup is flux. Born in Edinburgh, Graham started his musical career behind the kit of a trad jazz band - soon after, he took up the guitar and started his prolific songwriting. In the studio, he has been both producer and session player - he's written and produced music for the BBC, national & international TV, radio and film.

Mike Seal's slick and driving basslines give the band's sound its real power. Equally at home on double bass or fretless, he plays with a natural, instinctive feel and an emphatic energy and a songwriter's insight into the dynamic needs of the music. Mike's home is a narrow-boat on the Regent's Canal in London. Originally from Birmingham, he met up with Graham when they both lived in Liverpool. Having honed their skills on the city's quality live music scene, they made the move to London and Blue Soup.

Toby Nowell's astonishing virtuosity on the trumpet gives Blue Soup's sound its real cutting edge. He's studied music to the highest level and like his father, Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell from the legendary Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Toby is a multi-instrumentalist and also plays bass sax, baritone sax, tenor sax, alto sax, euphonium, bass clarinet, clarinet and turkish soprano clarinet on some tunes, as well as arranging and playing vast, rich horn harmonies for the band's recordings. His solos are mesmerising - they can scream and soar or just seem to glide and float. At other times, his lines weave through the songs with an awesome musicality.

Kostas Bechlos is a rare drummer - he combines a truly sensitive feel with a deftness and intricacy of touch. He supplies the swinging grooves that drive the band and he's master of the odd time signatures and time changes of which Blue Soup is so fond. Originally from