Biography
Paul Cheneour: trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in London UK, under Professor Rainer Schuelein. On leaving college he toured Europe with the Barand Peterson Quintet during which time; he began exploring different musical forms and instrumentation that led to compositions for his 7-piece ensemble The Cornish Connection.
He returned to England in '78, played principal flute in orchestras, theatres, chamber music and jazz ensembles, including the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) in Stratford-upon-Avon. And later Paul founded the Aeona Flute Quartet (4 Flutes) and The Paradise Quartet (Flute, Violin, Viola and 'Cello) that played many prestigious venues and events in London and the South East of England. More recently, he was principal flute for the New Millennium Orchestra with players from the LSO and RPO. N. Nye and S. Austin especially composed Cry of the Unicorn for Paul, premiered at Worth Abbey in Sussex. His own jazz quartet Cheneour (Flutes, Keyboards, Bass and Drums) started in '83 and among their many concerts, including The Edinburgh Festival, London's Festival Hall and Barbican Centres, they were invited to play for the, NSPCC organised, UK Royal Film Premier of Woody Allen's Radio Days in the Odeon Cinema Haymarket and Dorchester Hotel London, which was broadcast on TVAM and GOOD MORNING GREAT BRITAIN the following day. They played and toured the UK, Europe and Middle East, to critical acclaim for 12 years, until Paul's near fatal car crash in '91.
After the accident Paul was diagnosed as suffering from severe PTSS (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) and he stopped performing; it took him three years to recover sufficiently enough to play with any feeling again. But in the process of recovery he was exploring new musical landscapes, trying to use the traumatic experience in a positive way. Then encouraged and helped by his brother and late mother RED GOLD MUSIC Ltd, was formed in Dec '93. The ltd was dropped in 2001. The first album recorded was Sweet Kafka (Flutes, Keyboards, Guitar, Basses, Tabla and Percussion) with all tracks composed spontaneously in the moment. The second and musical watershed cd for Paul was The Time Has Come 16 meditations for solo flutes, débuted and released at the Barbican centre London in '95.
Paul's music is full of narrative especially expressed in the cds recorded in '98 including This Being Human poems and stories of Rumi, the 13th century Sufi poet, with spontaneous music and 2 storytellers. The project was awarded an A4E (Arts Council of England) grant. Then he collaborated with Bangladesh Tabla player Dilly Meah making the cd and video Dance in the Fire. In 2000 Paul and Dominic Glynn formed the groundbreaking Cybajaz recording 'The Devil is an Idiot' cd featuring Dom's electronic wizardry and Paul's concert, alto, bass and new Arab Ney flutes and piano. It was released in 2001, received excellent airplay, jazz chart placing and outstanding reviews.
Paul has also recorded music for films, videos and documentaries, including 'Return of the Unicorn' and 'Ancient Tides' for the Discovery Channel, Egyptian Journeys by Dan Cruickshank for BBC2. The film '6th Happiness' premiered at London's 41st film festival and winning an EMA award for best picture in '97 and also played flutes for the film Hideous Kinky starring Kate Winslet.
While living in Mexico Paul met American guitarist, composer, engineer Kevin Sterchi and finding they shared, a similar musical language completed 10 albums for Northstar Music UK. He was also a member of the Staccato Ensemble of Reynosa and co-founder of the World Jazz fusion group 7Changes and Inner Silence in Monterrey as well as being a regular featured soloist at the Bebop jazz club. He returned to Freelance work in UK in Dec 2004 and in 2005 was voted No 74 in 'The 100 Best Jazz Flutists of all time' by the reader's poll of www.digitaldreamdoor.com.
Since returning to UK projects include Brian Lee's 'Songs of Gaia' and 'Village of Stones' (poetry and music books plus cds) his new jazz- fusion group 4JQ, AEONA Flutes (4 Flutes) New CDs include 'Space 'N Time' with Maquenzie 'Sound Sketches' (solo flutes) and Sound Sculptures with Maquenzie part of the cross channel Transmettre/Transmit art installation in St Omer's Chapel des Jesuits France and Walmer Castle Dover Kent. Also producing and appearing in a DVD short film 'The Painter and the Musician' with Joanna Jones.
Since the beginning of his career Paul has held a firm commitment to teaching and is often invited to give master-classes and workshops for musicians and non musicians, which have included: Caduceus-London, Flutewise London, Healing Arts Brighton, Health and Harmony London and Malta, Music, Mind and Movement London, Brockley Rise- London, CMSP (Complimentary Medical Service for Prisoners) Surrey, Academy Plus-Derbyshire, Peredur Centre-Sussex, Emerson College-Sussex, Sufi Centres-London and Edinburgh, Brahma Kumaris Centre-Oxford, Horn Farm Centre Sussex, Heaven centre Kent, Guilcreast Foundation, St James' Piccadilly London, Skyros centres Greece, Kinston University London, West Sussex music centre Sussex, Lee Valley, Sidcup and Dartford music centres London, Pontius Place Mexico and Inspiration society Haslemere Surrey and Kent Music.
Condensed Biog April 08
Paul Cheneour: flautist/composer, trained at the Guildhall School of Music London under Professor Rainer Schuelein. For over 37 years since then has played, composed, taught, and run workshops and master-classes including CMSP prison work and Skyros, in England, Europe, Mexico, and Greece. He has 37 Cd albums to his credit published by Northstar music UK, 5 major films, including EMMA award winning '6th Happiness' and 'Hideous Kinky'. Best Foreign film winner in 2007 'In The Place of the Dead' 4 videos and 4 documentaries including BBC 2's Egyptian Journeys by Dan Cruickshank.
From 2000-2005 he lived on the Mexico/ USA border, co-founded 7Changes and Inner Silence and was a regular featured soloist at the Bebop jazz club Monterrey. Paul was voted No: 74 in "The world's best jazz flautists of all time" by www.digitaldreamdoor.com readers in 2005.
Since returning to UK projects include Brian Lee's 'Songs of Gaia' and 'Village of Stones' (poetry and music books plus cds) his new jazz- fusion group 4JQ, AEONA Flutes (4 Flutes) New CDs include 'Space 'N Time' with Maquenzie 'Sound Sketches' (solo flutes) and Sound Sculptures with Maquenzie part of the cross channel Transmettre/Transmit art installation in St Omer's Chapel des Jesuits France and Walmer Castle Dover Kent. Also producing and appearing in a DVD short film 'The Painter and the Musician' with Joanna Jones
