Rosco Illa is currently looking for programmers/ musicians for a head-on collision of beats and basslines with freeform jazz improvisation.
Influences
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Stan Getz, War, Albert Ayler, Bill Evans, Gil Scott-Heron, Art Pepper, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Eric Dolphy, Duke Ellington, Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, Tubby Hayes, Ornette Coleman, Stevie Wonder (pre 1980), James Brown, John Scofield, Medeski, Martin & Wood, The Bad Plus, Bob Marley, Lee Morgan, Weather Report, Wayne Shorter, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, De la Soul, Public Enemy, Neil Young, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Dexter Gordon, Anthony Braxton, Pharoah Sanders, Bud Powell, Radiohead, James Carter, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Parliafunkadelicment, Sun Ra, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Joni Mitchell, Gil Evans, Eddie Floyd, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Grant Green, Michael Brecker, The Pixies, Nirvana, Isley Brothers, Cannonball Adderley, Art Ensemble of Chicago, DJ Spooky, Django Reinhardt, Louis Armstrong, Jim Hall, etc, etc.........
"He is a genius. It's that simple."- Scroobius Pip
Here's the story of my life so far. Cue dramatic orchestral music.
Picked up a bass guitar on a whim at the age of 16. Three weeks later I had a band. Not a good band, but a band. Tooled around with some other instruments including guitar and keyboards. Spent a couple of years playing in funk, soul, fusion and reggae bands.
Toured as bass player for legendary Stax soul singer Eddie Floyd ('Knock On Wood', '634-5789', 'Raise Your Hand'). A fantastic musical experience, Eddie is a superb showman, amazing singer and all round good guy. As close as I'll ever get to playing with Otis Redding.
Delved into electronic music with dance producers Dem 2, working with Lonyo, Marcell Duprey, Do'Reen (ex-Soul II Soul), doing remixes for Tina Moore (a UK top 20 hit) and Divine Styler and recording for labels such as Locked On, Positiva, Delirious and Mo Wax. Co-wrote and co-produced De Souza's 'Keep It Coming', which made number one in Mixmag's DJ charts.
Itching to get in touch with my jazz roots, took up saxophone. Played with Southend jazz group Real Time and led a jazz-standards trio with guitarist Gareth George and bass player Mark Rich.
Nowadays, I am often to be found playing with and occasionally teaching at the Southend Jazz Co-op, open to all aspiring jazz musicians.
One-time titular head of a ramshackle jam session group featuring a rotating cast of ne'er-do-wells including, at one time or another,
Dave Henley,
Scroobius Pip,
Amy Bullman,
Mitch Money,
Flames Y'all, and the legendary
Trudy Caboose. Muttt dropped by to bust some dope rhymes, Jo sat in a couple of times, and seeing Steve play bass on a Marvin Gaye song was truly surreal. Highlights of the jams were usually our good friend
Brad, whose channelling of Chris Cornell was a musical treat that, once experienced, was never forgotten.
Band played only two gigs, one that tore the roof off and one that didn't.
Played with Mr. Henley, Mr. Caboose and this chap in sleazy blues rock band
White Girl, who never failed to tear the roof off even when there were only three people in the audience.
Played on Scroobius Pip's debut album 'No Commercial Breaks', contributing bass, keys and saxophone alongside the awesome drum skills of Overview. Go to Scroobius Pip's page to hear 'Rat Race' and '1000 Words'.
Mr. Pip and Mr. Dan Le Sac are carrying out their plan for world domination through witty lyrics, slamming beats and excessive facial hair. If you haven't heard them yet,
check them out.
In April 2009 I formed a new band, Milestones, an acoustic jazz quintet, dedicated to the music of the great jazz trumpeter, bandleader and composer Miles Davis. As well as playing tenor (and occasionally alto) saxophone, I have also faithfully recreated the arrangements used on the original recordings. With a talented band of musicians (including two ridiculously talented teenage tyros) able to expand of Miles' rich musical legacy, Milestones are currently rehearsing and planning to gig and record. Go visit our page to hear ten live tracks, recorded at our debut gig.
Currently host (under the ridiculous pseudomym Ross Lawson) of the illasounds podcast, featuring jazz, soul, funk, rare groove, blues, Brasilian music, salsa and all kinds of good stuff.
It was called "frighteningly knowledgeable" in UK newspaper The Independent's Critic's Choice, May 2007. Click here to see the latest shows.
Have i shown you this guy? http://sundancebeats. blogspot. com/ Amazing artist. He came to our show in belgium. Im saving up to buy a print or two! Not the ones of us obviously...
Genius. Easily in my top 5 songs of all time. For best live vocal performance though i can never look past this.... http://uk. youtube. com/watch?v=hYq13p1Qk7o An obvious one but gives me chills every time. stunning.
Our Christmas concert is THIS FRIDAY 8pm at St. Michael & All Angels' Church Hall, Leigh-on-Sea FREE ADMISSION Everyone welcome! Click the photo for more details. SEE YOU THERE!
