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PORTRAIT: Reflections On Belonging

by Byron Wallen

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CD Album in thick Digi-pack with original artwork by Marc Drostle.

    Includes unlimited streaming of PORTRAIT: Reflections On Belonging via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
2.
3.
Alert 02:19
4.
5.
6.
Fundamental 06:23
7.
Ferry Shell 02:02
8.
9.
Banana Man 01:48
10.
Holler 06:59
11.
12.

about

PORTRAIT: REFLECTIONS ON BELONGING

This album was conceived whilst sitting in the central square in Woolwich, an area of South East London. I was struck by the community around me with its mixture of cultures and nationalities, from Nepalese elders to young Nigerian men, Somali mothers with their children, a new Eastern European contingent and descendants of families who used to work in the docks and at the Arsenal. Music paved my way to travel and see the world, meeting people from all different cultures and walks of life. The study of music and the process of striving to become a better musician furnished me with a deeper knowledge of self and a gift I could share on so many different levels. In PORTRAIT I am meditating on identity, culture and what it means to belong. The compositions, workshops, performances, and social interaction born out of this project deepened my artistic and personal relationships with the people in my neighborhood. The album pays tribute to the heart, soul and vibrant provenance of the community I call my home.

Each for All and All for Each is the motto of The Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society. This Woolwich institution was born in 1868 and ran food shops and a vast variety of other local services. The RACS supported the campaign for working-class political representation. Under the Co-operative, service overshadowed self-interest. Alert was written for the workers at the Royal Arsenal. No Stars No Moons is a phrase coined by Darcus Howe, the presenter and polemicist in a program for Channel 4, describing the atmosphere in Woolwich and the racial tensions prevalent at the time. Fundamental is a meditation on what it is to be human. Ferry Shell is about the Woolwich Free Ferry service which opened in 1889 and is still running today. Spirit of the Ancestors was one of the tunes I wrote for Plumcroft Primary School; we examined the role of ancestors in our lives and encouraged the children to bring in personal family stories. In this way, music had a direct effect on the children’s self-esteem, respect for their own and others’ cultures and helped them identify life goals. Banana Man is a song written with Bannockburn Primary School about the importance of street markets. Holler is a deep celebration song, the type of joy that makes it impossible to be still.

Love and Blessings to the creator and everyone who has contributed to this project.

credits

released February 17, 2020

Byron Wallen trumpet, flugelhorn, shells, piano and percussion
Rob Luft guitar
Paul Michael bass guitar
Rod Youngs drums
Richard 'Olatunde‘ Baker congas and talking drums on tracks 2, 4, 10
Plumcroft Primary School vocals Class 3G and 3H on tracks 8, 9, 11

All compositions written and produced by Byron Wallen
Copyright Control MCPS & PRS
Recorded @ Fish Factory by Benedic Lamdin
Mixed by Dharmasoundlabs
Mastered at Abbey Road by Sean Magee
Original portrait by Marc Drostle
Cover Design by Perception
Supported by Help Musicians and the MOBO Trust.

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about

Byron Wallen London, UK

Widely recognized as a seminal figure in jazz, Byron is an acclaimed writer and producer whose original music has been commissioned by the Science Museum; PRS, BBC, Jerwood Foundation, Southbank Centre, National Theatre, Arts Council,FIFA, Sage Gateshead, Birmingham Arts, Plymouth University. He also composed soundscapes for Universal Pictures, Warner Bros and Game of Thrones. ... more

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