Freeness CD Volume 1 - For Future Music Visionaries
“The artist's role is to provoke, challenge and make us rethink what we assume we already know. Freeness inspires us to use that approach within music. It's a revolutionary new project.” New Nation
In January this year Chris Ofili's Icebox organisation, CDR's Gavin Alexander and Tony Nwachukwu and Blacktronica launched Freeness , an initiative to give musicians of African, Caribbean, Asian and Chinese descent a chance to be heard outside the confines of the mainstream. With the knowledge that there is a vast wealth of music within the UK's diverse cultures which lies outside the commercial music industry, they embarked on a three month tour across the UK. Modelled on and hosted by CDR who run nights in London and across the UK, musicians were invited to bring their unreleased songs and tracks to be played to an audience with open minds and ears.
Just under 2000 tracks were submitted, from straight up R&B, garage, grime and all kinds of hip hop, to Zimbabwean folk, Ugandan soul, Cuban percussion, African gospel and Indian classical music. Jazz, blues, reggae, dub and electronica rubbed up against beats from Brazil, Nigeria, Asia and the Middle East. These sounds represent the rich cacophony of music emerging from the UK's black and Asian communities, to which the catch-all marketing term “urban” could never do justice.
29 of these tracks have now been selected for a CD to be distributed free by signing up to a website in the Observer Music Monthly, and through independent record shops. The compilation will be launched on September 13 th at Cargo with a special event featuring live performances from selected artists and hosted by Blacktronica's Charlie Dark.
Chris Ofili comments: “By tapping into local networks Freeness sought to find out what musicians, beatmakers, DJ's and singers amongst others were creating. The process was experimental and open in its approach and we had no knowledge of what would be submitted but we received an exciting response.
The Freeness CD Volume I is just a taster of the range of talent, ideas and creativity that came our way – we're delighted to be working alongside these artists, there is definitely more to come....... '
CDR's Gavin Alexander adds: “ From touring with CDR we knew there was a lot of culturally diverse music out there that's much broader than “urban” and we wanted to give exposure to those artists. The nights also bring people together who might not otherwise meet. We have already heard from many participants who have hooked up since then and collaborated with each other. That's what we set out to do and it's very exciting because it creates a community network which will support these artists.”
Freeness is not a talent competition, nor an attempt to discover the next big things. What it provides is a snapshot of the multitudinous sounds being created in the UK right now, free from boundaries and expectations. By reaching out across the country, Freeness connected to hundreds of individuals, listened to what they had to say on various music-related issues and learned how they are each carving out their own careers. What emerged provides a fascinating insight into the world of music that exists outside the commercial music industry.
In the age of the internet, the DIY spirit has flourished. Many unsigned artists are able to produce and distribute their own tracks, shoot their own videos, and get them played on radio, TV and numerous online stations. They produce mixtapes for promotional purposes and think nothing of setting up their own labels. Artists such as Sway, Klashnikoff and numerous others have outsold their peers who signed on the dotted line and many performers manage to forge careers on the live circuit. It has also just been announced that Mercury-nominated Kaiser Chiefs, Maximo Park and Bloc Party all funded their own releases. This entrepreneurial zeal is now necessary to generate hype. Although not everyone can be commercially successful, and signing to a major label might still be the best choice for some, there are now definitely more options available to have a career in music.
However, as much as these efforts are to be commended, there is still a great need for professional support. Freeness aims to facilitate this by providing access to industry professionals and organisations who offer practical assistance, guidance and funding. This will form part of the launch event, and the Freeness website will act as an ongoing source of advice and information, as well as a networking forum, both between artists and the industry, and among producers, singers and music makers themselves. This kind of support, and a network linking artists to the wider music community, will pave the way forward for our modern entrepreneurs and allow real talent the chance to shine through.
“Freeness” is supported by decibel, Arts Council England, Bloomberg and The Observer Music Monthly. Freeness: An Icebox project in collaboration with CDR & Blacktronica
You can now download the Freeness CD Free from Karma download
Visit the website now for full details, latest updates and at the end of the tour to hear tracks. www.freeness.co.uk
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Article by: Aaron Newton