Search - Martin Stephenson :: Collective Force

First conceived in 2001 around the time of Martin?s first steps back into the limelight with a session for the Janice Long Show, Collective Force sees him returning to record with a full band for the first time in many years. The album is mostly recorded at Pete Rawson?s Redwood Studios in the Highlands and Pete?s generosity meant that Martin could work without the usual financial and time restraints he was used to in the past. For a week in November 2001, the recordings moved to the opposite end of the UK resulting in the ?Sussex Sessions?. Engineered by Rob Quickenden (aka Backini), these sessions resulted in key contributions from ace session man B.J. Cole (ex-Verve), cajun and western swing fiddler Bobby Valentino (ex-Hank Wangford), Peter Coyle (ex-Lotus Eaters) and Sussex based gospel choir Brighton Goes Gospel Unplugged. The result of all this is an album of sunny, spiritually happy sounds, musically as varied as usual and successfully fusing Martin?s style and the traditional types of music that inspire him.