Louis Vause

Mechanicatastrophe

virtuoso jazz/boogie pianist, available from High Coin

"Beneath his hands come echoes of Dr John, Professor Longhair, Fats Waller and James Booker. But there is something else, too: a rolling, swampy lilt that is all his own" - Jay Rayner (Observer).

Self-taught Jazz and blues pianist Louis Vause has worked with the likes of the Nutty Boys, Butterfield 8 (both offshoots of Madness), Bobby Valentino, James Hunter, Graham Coxon, Dave Graney, Pussycat Dolls and the Auteurs. In 2003 he was commissioned by Paramount Pictures to form and lead the swing band for the remake of "Alfie" starring Jude Law and he has also acted in such shows as Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), Swiss Toni and The Fast Show, with University mates Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson. This year Louis also featured in the spoof Radio 4 phone–in "Down the Line" with Whitehouse and Higson. 

In October 2006, following the success of his debut album Pianophernalia (Transcopic), musician and entertainer Louis Vause released his second album Mechanicatastrophe via the idiosyncratic High Coin Label. 

Louis began life in Edinburgh, born on Valentines Day in 1958. His family moved to Lancaster when he was 6 where they lived on a boat resembling a floating library due to the multitude of books that lined its hull. His father, a trumpet and flugal-horn player, told a young Louis that a musician should never succumb to a total addiction to written music and to try and work things out by ear in addition to reading – advice Louis now fully appreciates. It was at University in Norwich during the 70’s that he met fellow oddballs and NME readers in future Fast Show creators Paul Whitehouse (Sociology) and Charlie Higson (English and American Studies). By 1980 they had formed The Higsons with Louis as their legendary Stylophone player/Raconteur but Louis left them to move to London. Switching from stylophone to piano (in the keys of C & D!) Louis formed the off-beat duo Hackney Five-0, dubbed "Cow-Punk" by the press. By '88 Louis' love of the piano took him over and for 6 months, 8 hours solid each day, he worked on the piano taking a key a week over a 12 week cycle; major, minor, blues scales, riffs, strength exercises, improvisation and arpeggios and he said yes to every piece of work to further hone his skills. His dedication paid off when in 1990 Louis was asked to join The Nutty Boys. He also found time to record with Aussie King of Pop Dave Graney and released the famed teaching video, "A Beginners Guide to Boogie and Blues" (1992) with fellow blues pianist Seamus Beaghan – it became the most reviewed tuition video in history, resulting in Louis becoming the most "in-demand" teacher of blues piano in the UK. Louis' clients have included the late, great George Harrison, Suggs and Beth Orton to name but a few. It was around this time also that Louis first met Graham Coxon and began a recording relationship that has spanned 3 albums to date including 3 tracks on Coxon's latest Love Travels At Illegal Speeds. So impressed with Louis was Coxon that Transcopic agreed to release Louis' first solo album Pianophernalia in 2002. The album received excellent reviews and national airplay with tracks also featured in two of Radio 4's plays.

Tracklisting:

Mechanicatastrophe
Omdurman Express
Finger Snapping
Five O Clock AM
Moonshine
For Jubs
Harlequin Blues
The Road's Had One Too Many
Gumshoe
At The Pavillion By The Sea
Requiem For A Flugel Horn
Dark Dark Night
Mechanicatatrophe Revisited
Where is Aretha?

catalogue number: SABRECD2023; barcode: 5050693142322

release date: 9 October 2006

available to buy from play.com, amazon.co.uk, hmv.co.uk, hmvdigital.com, virgindigital.com and all good record stores.

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