CHARLIE CAWOOD
(Oud, Bağlama Saz, Bouzouki, Hammered Dulcimer, Zither, Pipa, Zhongruan, Liuqin, 12-string Acoustic Guitar, Electric and Bass Guitars)
“Of all art forms, music best exemplifies the nature of ourselves, and the interconnectivity between us and the world in which we reside. The language of music forms a vocabulary that can transcend cultural divisions, and allows us to go far beyond the constraints of superficial difference. Its transience echoes the finitude of our existence, and the instruments we use – traditionally made of wood, skin and bone – remind us of what has to be sacrificed in the pursuit of the conjuring of sound. Through music, we can gain a better understanding of ourselves, our place in the world, and how we can deepen the sense of harmony between us and the environment we inhabit..”
Charlie is a musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist from London. Trained in classical and electric guitar from the age of 11, he soon branched out to study Indian Classical, Flamenco and East Asian music. A graduate of the Guitar Institute, London Centre of Contemporary Music and the School of Oriental and African Studies, Charlie turned professional at 17, and has since forged a busy career as a cross-disciplinary session musician, songwriter and arranger.
Charlie is a member of critically acclaimed psychedelic octet Knifeworld, whose recent albums for InsideOut Music, The Unravelling (2014) and Bottled Out Of Eden (2016) were each given 5 star reviews by The Guardian, and included on Best Album lists for their respective years. He is also principal instrumentalist for Emmy-nominated classical choral ensemble Mediaeval Baebes, for whom he plays up to 8 stringed instruments on tour.
Previous work includes playing Chinese Pipa in the UK premiere of Philip Glass’ chamber opera The Sound of a Voice; touring with Icelandic alt-pop singer Hafdis Huld in 2006, including a live session on Gideon Coe’s BBC 6 Music show; multiple tours across the UK, US and Europe, as well as appearances on live television and radio.
As a recording musician, Charlie has played on numerous albums, EPs and singles, including releases by Spiritwo; acclaimed looping guitarist Matt Stevens; Turkish singer Olcay Bayir; electronic Pop artist Sinah; singer/composer Lucie Treacher, and Pop in Opposition collective Nick Prol & The Proletarians.
Current projects also include art-rock band Tonochrome, gamelan/electronica collective My Tricksy Spirit, avant-psychedelia band Lost Crowns, and sea shanty ensemble Admirals Hard.
Charlie is also a contributing writer for Songlines Magazine UK, reviewing albums, DVDs, books and live concerts. He has also written for culture site Echoes and Dust, covering the topic of mental health among musicians.
Charlie’s debut solo album, The Divine Abstract, was released in November 2017 via Bad Elephant Music, to universal critical acclaim.
https://www.facebook.com/ charliecawoodmusic/
https://charliecawood.bandcamp.com
