UK Artist drops in and switches on

International music artist and producer Spider Johnson is in Australia as part of Brian Eno’s Luminous Festival, performing with Lee Scratch Perry at the Sydney Opera House. He’s taken some time out of his hectic schedule to record music with some of the young music artists from ICE’s Urban Music Project.

Young music artists Vuli and Bheki Mkwananzi (True Vibe Nation) and Ben Nitiva are currently working with Spider to finish production on the songs recorded through ICE’s Duets project. With the CD due for completion and release later this year, Duets features some of Australia’s leading urban music artists writing new music and recording with young emerging music talent from Western Sydney.

Spider Johnson is currently working with renown producers Mad Professor and Adrian Sherwood, and started his career assisting Peter Tosh on tour. Spider is a musician, composer, singer and producer who has performed with Mad Professor, Madness, King Tubby protege – Scientist, Rico Rodriguez and Bad Manners.

Spider has produced for Ezra Bang and Hot Machine, Estelle, UK Apachi, and Killa Kela. He is based in the UK where he also produces and conducts masterclasses with young talent for Urban Development.

[Article posted 15 June 2009]