London based writer, composer and producer Colin Baldry's 15 piece contemporary jazz orchestra.
With a highly accomplished career in music - writing and producing for iconic labels like RCA, Geffen, Motown, Virgin & Capitol Records, whilst arranging and conducting The BBC Concert Orchestra and The City Of Prague Philharmonic, Baldry’s expansive experience has in result meant a bigger approach to ideas. With access to working with world-class orchestras, he has been able to create large-scale epic arrangements, which has no doubt furthered his talent for emotive, cinematic compositions. For example, his previous release ‘Breathe It In’, inspired by the film 'Into The Wild' was based on the true story of Christopher McCandless and his quest to live life off the grid.
Often described as ‘storytelling', Baldry himself regards AJE’s musical output as the painting of a scene not unlike the role of a film score.
Although Ambient Jazz Ensemble’s brand of cinematic jazz perhaps lies somewhere between nu-jazz contemporary jazz & ambient electronica, the live ensemble sound retains an experimental approach as a melting pot, and so continues to be on the fringes of several musical styles championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, Hospital Records and Cafe Del Mar.
AJE's influences stem from old soul records with a cinematic approach: Marvin Gaye’s Trouble Man, Marlena Shaw’s California Soul, Curtis Mayfield, Minnie Ripperton, Bacharach recordings - ‘a broad palette of sounds utilising strings, brass, wind & rhythm section’; as well as early Weather Report records and genre-defying Jaga Jazzist.
Diggers Factory connects artists, fans and music professionals in order to press vinyl records in very limited editions. With your help, we create a brand new distribution model, fairer and more intelligent.