*Katet
[kah-tet]
Katet (Ka-tet) is a word from the 'High Speech'Â meaning "one [made] from many" or "a group of people summoned by KA". The word usually refers to Roland Deschain's ka-tet in Stephen King's sci-fi fantasy masterpiece The Dark Tower.
"Something of a funk Colossus" Edinburgh Evening News *****
"Dynamic, Danceable and Dastardly Catchy" Sunday Mail *****
"There's Jazz, there's funk, and then there's the Katet" James Corden *****
The Katet's been going for almost 20 years. It's a passion project and has been the main vehicle for my songwriting, composition and arrangement. It's changed many times over the years, evolving, devolving, shifting shape to fit my particular vision at that point in my life.
The Katet: The Originals is the branch of the project still focused on recording, releasing and performing my original material. Currently, we're focusing on the Vs. shows, but we're super excited about our next original releases. Read on...
ALASKA
In 2016 I got married and for our honeymoon, my wife and I took two months out to travel. We visited various parts of Thailand, the US and Central America. I began writing many of the songs on Alaska off the back of these travels, drawing inspiration from the locations, the cultures and my experiences. Then, in 2017, I spent 4 months living and working aboard the Star Princess cruise ship, playing music for the holidaymakers every day and night. Whilst on board I visited many other parts of the US, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada and finally, Alaska. I finished the writing and arranging of the album before I got home and set about the mammoth task of learning and recording it with the band. The record started out as a bit of a travelogue, perhaps not unlike Joni Mitchell's 'Hejira' which she wrote as she travelled by car from Maine to LA in 1976. But it ended up as more of a commentary on the state of the wider world as I see it, and my place in it.
As it stands, tracking for Alaska is pretty much complete with the exception of a large scale choir recording. In complexity and creativity, I believe it will surpass its predecessor, Guillotine. Alaska is set for release later in 2026.... watch this space!
AVALANCHE
Then COVID happened... We all have our different stories and struggles. As far as The Katet goes, all work on Alaska ceased. Our plans for a 5 phase release schedule over 2 years got dashed. However, I did see a unique opportunity to bring part of the band together in the studio during one of the periods of lighter restrictions - but not to put down any more music on Alaska.
Using my new DAW editing skills I'd developed over Lockdown, I wanted to try something new. So, myself and the rhythm section went into the Slate Room Studio with engineer, Garry Boyle, completely unprepared, to write and record a brand new album in 3 days. We live streamed the entire thing.
Due to its improvised and much more collaborative nature, Avalanche sounds unlike anything we've ever released before.
It will be released as a new kind of album, an Interactive Adeventure Album where the listener chooses their own path through the story via choice points. It's like a Create Your Own Adevnture book, but for music!
Currently the app/platform is in production(as I learn new coding skills) and the music is being made ready for the addition of horns, vocals and narration.
DISCOGRAPHY
UPSIDE DOWN BOY
On the way back from a gig on the A90 late one night during a storm, our van went off the road. Thankfully no one was hurt, but the experience left me with a wee bit of trauma and I processed it by writing this song. The band were hot from our Guillotine release and this was a little in between EP featuring some 'interesting' songs, before we embarked on our next big album project, Alaska.
GUILLOTINE
In October 2016, the band took to the stage as a 19-piece orchestra featuring double guitars and percussion with extended brass and string sections. Guillotine had been in production for over 3 years and was the culmination of a huge amount of work by all involved. The concert also became our fist live album(see link above). To date, this is the largest scale work we'd had the pleasure of releasing and is certainly a glorious and epic journey in music.
THE CHESS TRILOGY
After the second album, Philosophika, I tried something a little different and released 3 EPs of 4 tracks each, recorded at different studios and experimenting with recording technique, mixing style, and, of course, composition. The best part of making the trilogy was my adventure into the world of video editing. Check out the playlist above for all 3 official music videos.
THE MASHUP SESSION
'You Can Leave the Light On' is a collaboration with Singersongwriter Donna Maciocia. Donna and the band performed this tune at the launch of Philosophika with an extended lineup. Producer, Garry Boyle, decided there and then to record it. The Mashup Session is an Edinburgh based collaborative music project in which 2 artists of contrasting styles come together to arrange, record, produce, mix, master and release a track in 24 hours.
PHILOSOPHIKA
After the years it took me to complete Leitmotif Man, I decided to record and mix our second album in like, 6 days. The band now had a weekly residency at The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh, and, as a 7-piece, we'd spent the last few years honing our sound, our vibe and a new style of writing. One of the songs on the album, Balloon, got rerecorded years later with full string section as part of a Christmas campaign to raise funds for homelessness charity, Streetwork.
LEITMOTIF MAN
My very first attempt at recording my own music. Recorded and produced by myself and Katet bass player Nik Paget-Tomlinson. The first incarnation of the Katet was a trio ffeaturing the superior skills of Will Molleson on drums and special guest Aki Remally on guitar. Many of the songs were written while I still atteneded the University of Edinburgh and come from a place of childlike fantasy and stories. Check out this absolutely awesome documentary.