Monks Road Social Humanism
It’s raining outside. The luminescent leaves of Autumn lower their heads and bow to the inevitable. How soon the sun-drenched days and song filled evenings fade from memory. Except here. It’s different here. Herein lie exquisite time capsules. Pockets of sun in musical form. Forever set to shine.
For two weeks in the sweltering Andalusian sun of early August up on Space Mountain
something extraordinary was born. Ego boundaries and ‘careerist’ concerns were cast aside as all were happy to serve the same master: the music
Local Granadian luminaries like Malian Kamalengoni player Ibrahim Diakité, Flamenco
maestro David “El Marqués” Heredia and Syrian/Turkish singer Jihan mixed it with Monk’s
Road Social regulars like Crispin Taylor (Galliano), Mick Talbot (Style Council) and Matt
Deighton (Mother Earth) - once again under the watchful eye of writer/producer Dr Robert
(Blow Monkeys) to produce the third Monks Road Social album in 18 Months.
Humanism is born.
Friends dropped in and word got around. Peter Capaldi hung out and wrote and
recorded a song in two days. Later award-winning vibraphone genius Orphy Robinson
sprinkled his magic over the tunes while the strings of Ben Trigg added drama and pathos to songs such as Jazz/Soul newcomer Belle McNulty’s 'I Wish You Well' and Romy Deighton’s stunning and sparse 'Stolen Road'. Thus the vision of Monk’s Road label boss Richard Clarke becomes manifest. There really hasn’t ever been anything quite like the Monk’s Road Social. C’mon in. …
