The Gordon Bennett Project is comprised of some of New Zealand’s most celebrated musicians. They have made it their business to explore new ways of merging the modern electronic sounds of deep house with the more organic sounds evoked by live vocalists and musicians. 

Our Singapore partner, Frontallabs.com, speaks to the designated band leader, DJ Clarkee for a quick low-down on their plans, visions and how they feel about Lord Of The Rings and New Zealand...

How and when did you guys get together?
GBP: Three years ago, I had a residency at a late club called “feel” Tim Hopkins used to come to the club after his jazz gigs. We started jamming together and one thing led to another and we got offered some gigs together. After that it took off and we have been playing together ever since, also we have been working with other musos as well.

You have DJed with a couple of well-known DJs like Sasha and Basement Jaxx. How did you first get into DJing?
GBP: Started DJing at parties to stop people messing with the music all the time, made mix-tapes for people who got to hear about my DJing to play at their parties. When the house-music broke loose in London, I was there spun at Velvet Underground, The Loft ,Kings Cross. Went to NZ, started promoting and DJing here, played in Australia, DJed all over NZ..
 

What's the most difficult thing to do when playing live?
GBP: To hear the monitors clearly with out interference from the P.A. for mixing , especially when working with live percussion and musicians. Making sure there is no vibrations making the needles jump during the mix.

Are there any rituals before going on stage?
GBP: To find a place quiet and peaceful to meditate, before going on stage.

Any chance of you guys cutting an album with 3 of you all in it?
GBP: Yes we have already started it , in fact we should be able to play a few tracks at the gig.
 

Describe an ideal gig that you guys would love to play in?
GBP: Warm tropical island, 200 to 300 peeps , playing throughout the night and with the sun coming up in the morning, people with that blissful look on their faces as we drop track after track.

Where do you think Jazz music have been moving? More upbeat or back to its roots?
GBP: Traditional jazz as we know it has come to an end, Miles Davis was the last of the jazz innovators, nowadays its moved up a gear with the likes of St Germain, already Blue Note records has moved into deep-house jazzy grooves, as the new jazz.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?
GBP: Finish our album together, then a follow up tour worldwide.

New Zealand has been dubbed the land of the Hobbits, what do think of that?
GBP: The Hobbits and Lord of the rings is a magical story, NZ is a magical place, there is no doubt about that, its clean and green, out food is pure and not polluted. It’s a great place for children to grow up in, we do have some redneck hobbits but I think most countries have them, look at President Bush, he’s a redneck from Texas, trying to push his ideals on the rest of the world.

What can we be expecting during your tour here to Singapore on the 16th of May @ Milieu?
GBP: A tight deep set of US style house grooves ,hard–edged with a jazz fusion, latin percussion and blissful vocals. Exciting because you never know what's coming next. Very danceable. We don’t play, trance or hi-NRG, that’s too cheesey for us.

-Frontal / Gerald, Kennerve

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