“Top 100 coolest things on the planet” – Arena magazine
“One of the hottest UK live acts” – Songlines magazine
“The best bloody thing i’ve seen in years” – Howard Marks
2011 sees lots of activity from the extraordinary talent that is Nathan “Flutebox” Lee. His debut EP produced by Multi Award Winning Scratch DJ champion DJ Tigerstyle will be released on Monday 28th March 2011. Nathan will also soon be making a film appearance in a Chinese/U.S co-production called ‘Americatown’ and collaborating on the soundtrack of Plan B’s debut film production.
With his trademark live Fluteboxing (beat boxing through the flute while playing it at the same time), Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee’s explosive blend unites Hip Hop, Dubstep and Beatbox beats with Jazz, Funk and Eastern melodies. This former pirate radio Jungle MC is a true 21st Century musical pioneer, taking live acoustic performance to the next level and urban music into uncharted waters with his hi-octane, hyper-percussive show.
Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee worked as a labourer for five years after leaving school before he decided to pick up the flute. Since then he has collaborated live and in the studio with legendary artists including: The Prodigy, Plan B, The Roots, Nitin Sawhney, Beardyman, Asian Dub Foundation, GURU, Foreign Beggars and Ed Rush & Optical.
Nathan has become a massive YouTube hit with millions of views worldwide. The catalyst for this came from a collaborative performance with Beardyman at the London Google offices. The video has now reached over 6 million views.
Nathan has also had many TV and Radio appearances over the last 5 years including Nihal’s Breakfast Show on Radio 1, The Prodigy Maida Vale Session on Radio 1, The 2009 Glastonbury coverage on BBC2 News Review, Channel 4’s Rude Tube &Blue Peter.
Nathan is now established as a festival favourite, appearing at Bestival, Womad, and Glastonbury, as well as touring the world. On the home front, Nathan has just finished his spell as an Emerging Artist In Residence at London’s prestigious Southbank Centre and played a sell-out show to an eager audience at the Purcell Room. This event featured a whole host of talented collaborators including Riz MC, Shri, B.L.O.T (India’s top VJ collective) and was hosted by the irrepressible legend Howard Marks.
The unique live experience of Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee is equally at home in a raw and sweaty club as it is on a heavyweight stadium stage. This live show is complemented with an astounding array of talented musicians known as “The Clinic”, featuring DJ Tigerstyle, human beatboxer WanDan, tabla player Hanif Khan, rapper Skrein, viola player Mike Pagulatos andkeyboard player Maquenzie.
UPCOMING DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
So to the all important dates you’re gagging to know:
Originating as the Brighton Hip Hop Festival (BHHF) in 2004 and rebranded in 2008, Rising Styles (RS) has become the UK’s largest annual celebration of International Hip Hop culture. In the past few years the one-week festival has gone from strength to strength and is recognised as a must attend event for all Hip Hop enthusiasts, as well as anyone with an interest in the many art forms that are comprised within the culture.
Organised by arts development agency KALA PHOOL, Rising Styles exists as ‘not for profit’ to celebrate the richness, strength and diversity of Hip Hop culture, with many of its events free to attend. Historically the festival has been supported by a range of the large public funders, sponsors and businesses.
Rising Styles into the future
Building on the success of previous years, Rising Styles has developed a fantastic line up of high profile events, designed to appeal to audiences new and old. They have included:
Fresh Styles Hip Hop Film Festival
Poetry and MC shows
Youth workshops in music production, MC-ing, DJ-ing, breakdancing and art and design
Live public art including Frieze Box
Battlejam (a day long breakdance event)
Art Exhibition
Hip Hop Foundation (educational programme)
Festival CD
Performances – indoor & outdoor
Conversations
Meeting Up sessions
2009 saw Rising Styles move to October with a new format.
The natural evolution of Rising Styles has allowed the artforms within it to grow but as a team, Rising Styles will only deliver where there is a demand, want and interest. This way of working has enabled many artists and events within the large programme to thrive and bring in a varied audience from across the globe.
Sponsorship
As a not for profit festival run by a small team of volunteers and the need for financial support is immense. If you are a sponsor who wants to connect with this dynamic sector and varied audience then do get in touch. This is your opportunity to be a part of something spectacular that shouts from the rooftops its commitment to Hip Hop’s grassroot beginnings and become a festival Hero.
MI21 is a dynamic live audio/visual project to re-score and re-visualize the groundbreaking ‘tour-de-force’ of Indian cinematic history ‘Mother India’.
Nominated for an Oscar for best Foreign Film in 1957, the film came to symbolise the post-colonial Indian psyche interpreted through the ambitions, struggles, compassion and sheer will to survive of the central ‘Mother’ character Radha. Profoundly influential, Mother India was lauded for its stunning cinematography, indelible soundtrack and powerful and dramatic storyline.
KALA PHOOL has brought the film to one of the world’s leading Turntablists; DJ Tigerstyle, to reinterpret the score through a unique live electronic performance. Former World DMC Champion Tigerstyle will use his phenomenal DJ skills and musical vision to remix the score with Matt Constantine on keyboards and cello, with David Shaw on drums. Film edited by Josh Ford. Presenting the film to a contemporary audience, whilst preserving the power and vitality of the original piece is the key to this work. At 45minutes in length, MI21 will engage you through the music to understand how dynamic a story the film has to tell.
2009 was the highly acclaimed sell out UK tour for MI21 with thousands of people experience this for themselves. Plans for 2010 include taking MI21 across international territories along with some exclusive UK dates.
MI21 was taken to the mighty shores of Australia in 2010 with a short residency at Melbourne’s famous, Victoria Arts Centre. There we built a site specific stage, the staff were unbelievable and thoroughly looked after us all, and the crowd were amazing. A truly electrifying experience for the MI21 crew. After Melbourne we jetted off to Sydney and performed at the awe inspiring Sydney Opera House.
The Australian tour was co-sponsored by British Council Australia and by the venues dipping into their pockets – all in all the collaboration was a special one.
2011 is proving to be just as exciting with lots of inquiries. As and when things get locked down we will update our info for you. In the meantime, thank you to everyone from around the globe who have come forward showing their support and need for such a project. MI21 has always, and hopefully continue to be, a project for the masses – its not a commercial venture but one of love and respect for such a unique and powerful piece of cinema history.
If you are a venue, festival, arts centre, film festival, film programmer or anyone who would consider this work as part of their programme, do get in touch.
Press Contact
For all MI21 2009 UK TOUR press support please contact:
Founded back in 1999. Film-maker Pritt Kalsi embarked on his project KING OF THE BEATS. For over 20 years he has been involved in Hip Hop Culture, looking for those breaks beats and samples.
In tradition of DJs Such as Jazzy Jay, Marley Marl, Premier and Pogo, Pritt founded what was to be the blueprint for this thing called beat battles. Before the 1999 film KING OF THE BEATS there were no beat battles.
His aim is too keep that vinyl culture alive. From the days when Djs would look for those breakbeats for a $1, turning them into some of the most classic records we all love to this day.
The challenge…..each artist has a budget of £20 to go find records. They have to find the drums, samples and music. They then have to return to their studio and build a beat. Doesn’t sound too complicated? You only have one day to complete the whole task.
Pioneers, legends, established and up and coming artists all share this platform. See how they take on the task, choice of records, how they work in the studio, learn some of their production techniques. Most importantly they all share one common bond, their love for good quality real Hip Hop music.
This is a platform for real artists.
For further information, King Of The Beats bookings and where you can see the next event, don’t hesitate to get in touch with KALA PHOOL.
