A music ensemble at King Edward’s School in Bath, KES Soul, has announced the launch of their own album inconsoulable, mixed and recorded in the Sony Recording Studios at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
The album went on sale during a charity fundraising evening last Thursday, where KES Soul performed live.
Featuring the vocal and music talents of KES Soul and produced and directed by King Edward’s resident composer, Mark Boden, the new album features 12 tracks in total, including cover versions of Adele’s Skyfall and Mark Ronson’s Valerie, as well as instrumental versions of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition and popular tunes I Wan’na Be Like You and Lady Marmalade.
inconsoulable also includes two songs (Together We Are Strong and Feel the Rhythm) written by Mr Boden specifically for KES Soul and the School.
Proceeds from sales of inconsoulable are going to school charities, the Children’s Hospice South West and Moving Mountains Trust, the latter working with the School to develop its partnership with Wagwer School in Kenya.
The tracks featured on the album were chosen by KES Soul as songs they enjoyed listening to and performing.
The group, many of whom have been playing together for the last three years, travelled to Cardiff to record inconsoulable during a six hour studio session at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
The resulting album has a live and natural sound, which showcases the talent of the ensemble as a whole, as well as their skills individually.
A number of KES Soul’s members are studying music for GCSE and their work on the album will go towards the performance module of the course.
In a cross collaboration project, undergraduates from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama have also helped with the post production of the album, and again this will form part of their degree recording module.
Talking about KES Soul’s album, Mark Boden said: “The whole project has been an incredible experience for all those taking part. I am immensely proud of KES Soul’s talents and hope that this album serves as a longstanding record of how good they are.
“In addition our thanks must go to a whole host of people who have given freely of their time to make this album possible.
“It’s been a truly collaborative effort, with fellow KES pupils helping out, for example designing the album cover, as well as students from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama providing studio and production support.”
