The Vinyl Gibbon (aka David Elliott) is a Brighton based musician who creates Jazz with a twist. He has been producing music for over 10 years using a mix of real piano and synthesizers blended with world instruments and percussion. Influenced by Jazz and World Music he creates a smooth down-tempo sound with a diverse experimental approach. Inspired by his many journeys around the world, he brings a subtle ambience into the music, such as the sounds of Bali and jungle noises from the Costa Rican rainforest.
Since David was a small child he has always had a fascination with the piano, and was originally inspired by watching his grandfather play jazz. Improvising and experimenting from an early age he developed his style from playing by ear, and never really had any interest in piano theory.
Whilst at college, alongside Photography and Fine Art, one of his projects was to produce a music video, so he decided to create the sound track to go with it. Since then music production has been his main focus. Much of his time is spent in solitude in the studio, which is the key to how he produces his sound. After returning from travelling he can spend days on his own, putting his inspiration into a solid form.
One summer in his early twenties he met Jonathan Taberner, a jazz pianist from New Zealand, and began to take lessons from him. As David was still somewhat rebellious with learning to read sheet music, most of the time was spent listening over Jonos shoulder, and memorising the shape of the chords and scales he was playing. This was a big influence on his motivation, and he developed a passion to compose by ear and be inventive with production.
The Vinyl Gibbon recently won “Best lounge single of the year“at the Los Angeles Music Awards and is currently receiving worldwide airplay on numerous stations including BBC Radio 2 (The Courtney Pine Jazz Show) Ison Radio Network (Australia) and many more.
LIVE PERFORMANCE
The Vinyl Gibbon has brought together a collective of very talented musicians to perform live with his music, adding a fresh energy to his sound.
He is currently managing two bands, DeLatin Sound and Jazz on Vinyl, alongside collaborations with other musicians from around the world.
DeLatin Sound was created by The Vinyl Gibbon as a project to jam upbeat latin music that will make you want to dance! Inspired by Cuba, Brazil and beyond this band, plays some tasty original music with jazz and funk flavours. www.delatinsound.com
Jazz on Vinyl is a duo of vocals (Sarai Jazz) and piano (The Vinyl Gibbon) with beats, bass and brass pressed to vinyl. Smooth and sexy original songs inspired by Jazz and Latin music. www.jazzonvinyl.co.uk
WHAT THE PRESS SAY?
Fourwords EP Highly rated by Derek Sivers – President of CD Baby - “Mmm, yeah. that hazy, sexy, sensual ache of desperately smoky lounge meeting sex jazz, muted trumpet, really pointy extended jazz chords softened by sultry keyboards and a trip hoppy, 70's flashback groove that casts one hell of a spell over the mind, altering your consciousness like a refined substance, be it whiskey, cigarettes or something heavier. Using synthesizers and various instruments and colors to create a stealthy blend of beat, harmony and funky melody, fourwords is at the very least, one hell of a party album.”
The Wire - Under The Radar - magazine review (Portsmouth NH USA) - “In all fairness to Elliott, to call this lounge music is a bit too narrow a description. Unless, of course, the lounge you are imagining is an airport lounge, and that airport is not only international, but interstellar and even interspecies, and that you can be instantly transported to exotic and imaginary destinations and that the passengers sitting nearby are Dave Brubeck, some trip-hop DJ, Miles, and members of an orchestra that may or may not be from one of those stan countries in central Asia. This is some crazy cool music"
Space Cadetz - Best of Myspace review - "It’s not often that you come across music that blends old-school with the new in such stark contast as the tunes created by The Vinyl Gibbon. David Elliott is the man behind The Vinyl Gibbon and his music is an interesting mix of real piano and other instruments and percussion combined with a healthy dose of synthesizer action. It comes together really well though, and his music has an amazing ambience to it if you really listen. My favorite track on his music player is actualy the least played, called “Shady Wilson Cafe.” If you listen closely, you can hear people talking and coughing and the sound of silverware and plates clinking gently. Very cool background effects that really transport you to the scene of a dusty, wooden shack cafe somewhere in perhaps the South American rain forest."
Buy the "fourwords" EP here.
"Smokey Lounge meets sex jazz" - Derek Sivers, CDBaby.
