Jalapeno Soundsystem present MJ Cole
January 28th, 2009 by sparkyFebruary 14th sees Jalapeno Records‘ resident DJ and label boss Trevor Mac joined on the decks at The Big Chill House by none other than MJ Cole. So why not ditch your partner and spend Valentines night snuggled up to the bass bin at The Big Chill House – it’s gonna be rocking!
We managed to grab five minutes of this producer extraordinaire’s time…
MJ Cole
Who are you?
MJ Cole. My friends call me Matt.
What have you been working on lately?
Am in the middle of new MJ Cole Album. Have been producing for a few people too. DJing as much as ever.
What are your current top 5 tunes?
Groove Armada – Pull Up
Compound One – Arkanoid
MJ Cole feat Digga – Gotta Have It
Micky Slim – Hit The Club
AppalOOsa – The Day (Todd Edwards Remix)
What three things would your ideal bar have to have?
Booze, toilets and an exit
Describe your ideal evening chilling at home…
A mellow round of Tiger Woods accompanied by some light lagers and a good portion of spag bol.
Favourite places?
Anywhere underwater, Bordeaux, San Fran, bed.
What are you reading these days?
Just read “hippopotamus” by Stephen Fry also “Dead Man’s Footsteps” by Peter James
What would most like to achieve over the next five years?
Productions on number one albums in the US and UK.
Highlight of your life so far?
Today.
At a festival – tent, B&B, or hotel for you, and why?
Hotel without a doubt. I have done the tent thing far too many times!
What was your best Big Chill moment?
It’s hazy….
Describe the essence of The Big Chill in a few words…
The organisation that reaches the parts other events can’t reach!
I’m just on my way to the bar – what I get you?
A Sambucca shot and a bottle of beer please.
When are you next performing?
This Friday. Private party. Should be fun.
MJ Cole – Biography
MJ Cole began setting the music precedent for all to follow way back in 1998. Phenomenal success was achieved in the release of instant anthems – Flava Fever/Guilty and You’re Mine on Matt’s self-owned label, Prolific Recordings. You’re Mine was shortly followed by the release of epic single Sincere, a track eagerly sniffed out by Pete Tong and quickly named Pete’s essential tune four weeks running.
Being prolific by name and prolific by nature, MJ Cole exploded into the UK garage scene as the genres prodigy and primary innovator with his Mercury Prize nominated album Sincere in 2000. The album, which also won him the accolade of Best Producer from the prestigious Muzik and Mobo magazine awards, sold over 100,000 copies in the UK alone and spawned two outstanding Top 15 singles.
His accolades and appraisal is owed to the many years spent tempering and championing an unusually wide and all-encompassing professional path. His student days were spent studying classical music at LCU and the Royal College of Music where his student nights were devoted to raving to hardcore and jungle at Telepathy and Raindance. In that same diverse and contrasting spirit Matt went on to combine his skills as a studio engineer with string arranging; song writing with DJing; and the sophistication of classical composition with the raw energy of bass-powered sound systems which has brought him to where he is today.
Matt is not only urban legend and pioneer of the UK garage scene, but a definitive sound artist who is just as at home honing beats with hip hop head Rodney P as he is collaborating with renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie. Collaborations and remix work with Jill Scott, Tom Jones and Marian Carey are not only flavourful additions to MJs long catalogue of acclaimed productions but a true testament to his talent. Perhaps that’s why he has vast more collaborations forthcoming, including one with Jocelyn Brown.
MJ Cole has DJ’ed across the globe and has seen his gig list grow and grow aver the past 2 years. With regular visits to Australia, Japan, the U.S. and Europe his eclectic sound continues to win more and more fans. With a vast array of talented vocalists at his side, and a deep understanding for music as a whole, MJ Cole is the summation of musical excellence.