PAUL ASHLEY
WHEATCROFT
MUSICIAN AND ARTIST
Profile
MY CAREER BEGAN IN THE 1980S WITH THE INDUSTRIAL FUNK BAND WORKFORCE. WE PRODUCED 3 SESSIONS FOR THE RADIO 1 JOHN PEEL SHOW, toured Europe AND RELEASED THREE SINGLES OVER 4 YEARS.
1989-2003
SIGNED TO BIG LIFE MUSIC / UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING WITH THE BAND ASHLEY & JACKSON. TOURED THE UK WITH BANDS SUCH AS HAPPY MONDAYS, INSPIRAL CARPETS, BRAND NEW HEAVIES, a certain ratio. RELEASED ONE ALBUM AND HAD MODEST CHART SUCCESS WITH THE SINGLE 'SOLID GOLD.'
2007-PRESENT
FORMED THE TV AND MUSIC PRODUCTION COMPANY TALKINGHEAD TV. WON SEVERAL NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARdS FOR FILMMAKING. ADOPTED THE PSUDONYM HAKIM JAMAL IN 2017.
HAKIM JAMAL
'Welcome to the world of Hakim Jamal’s evolved silky grooves from the ’70s, augmented by a vivid complex instrumentation and glamorous female vocals. Currently #1 in the JazzWorld and LA Funk charts, these psychedlic mashups of 1970s Soul (and accompanying trippy videos) will take you to another planet, reaching a climax of luscious enigmatic sonicscapes travelled by hypnotic sensual grooves. Extended arrangements and propulsive funky basslines.’ - Stefan Bociacia, JazzWorld Quest
’Not Too Busy To Hate’
RELEASED AT THE TIME OF THE BLM MOVEMENT'S INCEPTION, The album is grounded in the style of 70S BLACK AMERICAN artists; the lyrics reflective of contemporary issues and news stories. The title is a Black Panthers slogan. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/not-too-busy-to-hate
’The Soul Of Hakim Jamal'
The link between the characters IN THE SONGS is that they have ’soul’. The album covers a range of styles from jazz to nu-soul to funk and disco. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/the-soul-of-hakim-jamal
'In My Mind'
the most ambitious, far reaching, darkest and most complex of Hakim’s work to date. It mirrors the work of Isaac Hayes in the 1970s. this is an album for people who love to be carried away by what they listen to. Warning: these tracks are LONG! https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/in-my-mind
‘U Come Thru'
reflects Hakim's interest in traditional black music and he felt the time was right to re-appraise and musically investigate the genres of Blues and Gospel. Features Pastors Nina Hill, Shelly Davis and Robert Welch. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/u-come-thru
'UNTITLED’
A collaboration with Hip-Hop producer 2-03 - the sound is darker, harder and the lyrical content unstinting and angry. It tells the story of a period in time, 1993, in which a wave of political turmoil in the US gave rise to an angrier, darker sound in Hip-Hop. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/2-03-untitled
'20 GOLDEN GREATS'
A limited-edition vinyl album AND A retrospective, covering a near-40-year career in music making. RECORDED AT Abbey Road Studios, best-known for the work of the Beatles.
‘When You Are Who You Are’
The title comes from a Gil Scott-Heron track on 'Pieces Of A Man; the album being an initial inspiration for music which, we think, remains true to its 70s roots but like all Hakim albums, includes a modern-tech twist. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/when-you-are-who-you-are
'LA Night'
inspired by Sadao Watanabe, Yasuko Agawa et al: the iconic Japanese jazz-funk musicians of the 1980s. This album is undoubtedly the most polished to date and received plaudits for its incredible, smooth and sophisticated production.
https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/la-night
‘In Blue’
an album indebted to a range of Jamaican vocalists. The overall tone was of Sly and Robbie ‘Taxi’ era dub funk. FEATURES THE SULTRY VOCALS OF NICOLE WOOD. THE TRACK 'MR LICHFIELD' WAS ANOTHER SUCCESS.
https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/in-blue
‘Music From The Mint Hotel’
The album title comes from an essay by Hunter S. Thompson, one of the 'Beat Generation' of American writers of the 1950s/60s. The concept of the album is that it is located in the Mint Hotel and Casino on the Vegas Strip; to which every year come a horde of freaks, gamblers, whores and hangers-on for the 'Mint 400' desert road race. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-the-mint-hotel
'FIVE EASY PIECES'
This is an album of cover versions of the work of some of the most influential jazz, soul and funk artists from the 1960s onwards, such as miles Davis, Nina Simone and Gil Scott-heron. It features the prodigy Rory Mitchell on keyboards and piano. https://hakimjamal.bandcamp.com/album/five-easy-pieces
