There is such a breadth of amazing rising talent in our midst that it’s often a challenge for Clash to share our love with all of them. We are overwhelmed with Next Wave contenders, but love watching the progress each artist makes as they ascend towards their own personal breakthroughs, taking great pleasure at being a part of their entry into the mainstream consciousness. But we can’t always be there for everyone, so we appreciate anyone else that is committed to offering their encouragement and help, which is why Clash applauds the new Casio Pro initiative that supports new British artists and gives them a platform to have their talent heard. Blue Lab Beats, Ruby Francis, KZ and Jack Terroni spearhead the #casiopro line-up; a future-facing nod to the UK’s dynamic new soul, jazz and R&B movement.
Today, Clash is happy to showcase two of the first participants in this programme, designed to celebrate grass-roots music. Each of these artists is a fearless creative, who is committed to bringing the sensibilities of the street to wider attention through their live skills.
KZ
Like many of the finest musicians, KZ learned his craft playing keyboards in church. Today, his sound is a mash-up of old school soul and reggae sonics with a sprinkle of electronic trap-beats. Indeed, KZ’s studio nous and experimental production-style have led to the nickname ‘The Fixer’ by peers, and his work is admired by Emeli Sande and Professor Green. Nevertheless, KZ truly comes alive ‘touching the roots’ on stage. Judge for yourself…
Jack Terroni
Why rely on one instrument when you can master a multitude? Not satisfied with honing so many skills, Jack Terroni is also a talented producer/singer with a vibe built upon the best traditions of groove and funk yet also infused with the futuristic soul timbres of tomorrow.
Jack dropped his first two singles last August and his debut LP 'Arnos Groove' is set for release in the summer. Check out his unique sound here…
“In this age of Autotune,” says Terroni, “I respect #casiopro for shining a light on the value of real instrumentalists, real artists, and real music”.
You can follow all of the #casiopro artists’ content at @casiomusicuk, and stay tuned here for next week’s #casiopro instalment as we review the stage pianos themselves and witness CLASH favourites and new wave jazz duo Blue Lab Beats put the instruments through their paces…
music.casio.co.uk/pro
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