WELCOME

Richard Earnshaw

Music is his way of life... He has been active in the world of production for thirteen years, and is now - still - only 28 years old. He completed formal training with a music degree from the University of London; where the freedom of expression he found in jazz, funk and soul beckoned to him to leave behind the manuscript and metronome...

In 1998, Earnshaw and friend Mark Horwood teamed up with Piers Penfold to create The Fusion Groove Orchestra. Richard will tell you that the collaborative efforts inherent in the Fusion's work - with output like 'The Dream' featuring Simon Green; their remix of Lynden David Hall's 'Forgive Me'; and Boris D'Lugosch featuring Roissin Murphy's 'Never Enough' - is what helped mould and shape his own soulful vibe.

With gumption entitled a young and talented producer, Earnshaw soon sought an audience with a team who had long provided inspiration, and sent a show-reel to Soulfuric chiefs Brian Tappert and Marc Pomeroy. Impressed with the remix ability and production skills of the young Englishman, Brian asked Richard to put together something original for the label.

The result? 'People are People' - and the synthesis of the Soulfuric / Earnshaw sound.

Released in May 02 on Soulfuric Deep, 'People Are People' is a rhodes and guitar led melodic diamond. Its dope chords and jazz-swing combined together to become the summer of 2002's full-size favourite on dancefloors from Manchester to Miami, and Melbourne.

Earnshaw's second Soulfuric release, 'Joyride' again blends stellar production, a breezy vocal hook and the signature Richard Rhodes solo. Made to be more peak-time but no less soulful; of creating 'Joyride' he reveals only that "...the title says it all..."

Out of the studio and behind the decks, Earnshaw has been in the mix for about three years -

"... Many years ago, I used to think that it was easy to simply stand there and play other peoples records, but whilst studying at University, it came to my attention that a composer called John Cage said in the 60's that the future of music was in the record player. I realised that there really is an art to performing with these 'instruments'. Like many other instruments, it's a form of expression, and for me, it's a way of performing and expressing my thoughts and my emotions without the use of an entire studio or a dozen session musicians!..."

Ask him about his influences, and he will reel off a million - Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Jean Michel Jarre, Quincy Jones, Beethoven, MAW, Bach, Earth Wind and Fire, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode etc..etc..etc..etc..

For Richard Earnshaw, music is his passion and his joy, and his way of communicating. For him, "...it is great to think that by creating and performing music, people can forget about the negative things in life and embrace the positives. Even if only for a short time."