Seb Rochford

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Seb Rochford
Rochford in 2008
Rochford in 2008
Background information
Also known asRoom of Katinas
Born (1973-11-20) 20 November 1973 (age 47)
Aberdeen, Scotland
GenresJazz, experimental, folk
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
InstrumentsDrums
Associated acts

Sebastian Rochford (born 20 November 1973) is a drummer who leads the British band Polar Bear.

Early life[]

Rochford was born in Aberdeen on 20 November 1973[1] and has a large family of two brothers and seven sisters. He is of Anglo-Indian descent.[2] His father, Gerard Rochford, is a poet.

Rochford's first performances were with a punk band in Aberdeen.[1] He then studied at the Newcastle College of Music before moving to London in 1997.[1]

Later life and career[]

Rochford at Winterjazz in Aarhus, Denmark 2018

Rochford has played drums for Polar Bear, Acoustic Ladyland, Basquiat Strings, Oriole, Menlo Park, Ingrid Laubrock Quintet, Bojan Zulfikarpasic's Tetraband, and Sons of Kemet. He worked extensively with Joanna MacGregor and Andy Sheppard, leads the band Fulborn Tevershamm and has an improvising duo with Leafcutter John. He also performs as a solo project under the name Room of Katinas.[3] The Polar Bear albums Held on the Tips of Fingers and In Each and Every One were nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2005 and 2014 respectively.[4]

His new band Pulled By Magnets made its debut in London in late 2018.[5]

He is married to Matana Roberts.[6]

Collaborations[]

In 2006, he collaborated with Gwyneth Herbert in a production role for her album Between Me and the Wardrobe.[7] He played drums on Adele's Mercury-nominated album 19.

He has drummed for Pete Doherty's band Babyshambles, performing on their eponymous debut single,[8] and has continued to make guest appearances with them. He also played on the debut solo album by Carl Barât, Doherty's bandmate from Libertines.

In 2008, he drummed on the David Byrne and Brian Eno album Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, and reteamed with Eno and Rick Holland for their album Drums Between the Bells. He produced and co-wrote a four-track EP with UK hip hop MC Mikill Pane, The Guinness & Blackcurrant EP, which was released independently in 2011. He played with Brett Anderson on Later Live... With Jools Holland on 1 November 2011. In 2014, he played on Paolo Nutini's album Caustic Love. In 2016, he toured with Patti Smith. He has also worked with Corrine Bailey Rae, Herbie Hancock and American theremin player Pamelia Kurstin.[citation needed]

Days and Nights at the Takeaway[]

In 2012, Rochford engaged in a 12-month digital 'singles club' under the name Days and Nights at the Takeaway, a reference to his studio in North London. Each single consisted of a collaboration in a variety of styles and was backed by a remix by a third party. Collaborators included Jehst, Spoek Mathambo, Jason Moran, Soumik Datta, Leo Abrahams, Drew McConnell, Brian Eno and Oliver Coates. Remixers included Micachu, Pete Wareham, Tom Skinner, Simon Bookish and Chris Sharkey. The series was released by The Leaf Label.

Awards and honors[]

Rochford won the BBC Jazz Award for best newcomer in 2004, and was nominated for best musician in 2006. He was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2005, 2007, 2014 and 2018. He received a Mercury nomination in 2007 for the self-titled debut album by Basquiat Strings.[9]

Discography[]

With Polar Bear

With Andy Sheppard

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Chilton, John (2004). Who's Who of British Jazz (2nd ed.). Continuum. p. 302. ISBN 978-0-8264-7234-2.
  2. ^ Gioia, Ted (2021). The History of Jazz (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 494. ISBN 978-0-19-008721-0.
  3. ^ an interview in Platforms Magazine, an on-line arts magazine
  4. ^ "Albums of the Year". Mercury Prize. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  5. ^ ""Music written from a place of honesty about where I am and how I feel about the physical and non-physical world": On PULLED BY MAGNETS: Sebastian Rochford interview - marlbank". www.marlbank.net. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Verity Sharp with Seb Rochford and Matana Roberts BBC Late Junction Sessions". BBC. BBC. 2 June 2016.
  7. ^ Colin Buttimer (3 August 2007). "Gwyneth Herbert Between Me and the Wardrobe Review". BBC Music. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  8. ^ a column on Time Out's website
  9. ^ "Basquiat Strings With Seb Rochford". Mercury Prize. Retrieved 1 June 2015.

External links[]

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