Project Race!

You might have seen a few blogs around about the project I am working on with Race Wong, she has already done a few blogs about it. In between family, studio, and work from the UK I have finally managed to sit down and blog about the project.

Race and I met through AnD (Thanks Patrick!) and after quite a few meetings and emails decided to work on Race's solo album project together. This is not just any album, this is a complete relaunch/re-brand of Race as an artist. Spencer Douglass has been busy behind the scenes setting things up, and getting more people involved. Arne Venema has been filming the behind the scenes footage and interviews for us as well. Jennifer Chiang is working with Race on performance training and choreography.

We have been in the studio (Thanks to Jon Lee @ ThisMusicStudio) for 3 weeks now and have some very exciting and fresh songs, I encouraged Race to write the songs with me, and with the help of a Cantonese lyricist (Chan Wing Him) we are made some very very good music!

Let me re-iterate, this is not like any other HK album you have heard. We have had a few AnD people stop by the studio to say hi and listen to the songs (Patrick Lee, Marsha Yuan, Jun Kung, Robin Chi, Desmond So, plus a few more coming in the next few weeks) and they all agreed it was something very different, but still very exciting and commercial for the HK music scene.

So below are some pics from some of the sessions. You will see that there are quite a few AnD artists involved in this project in different ways. This is a true AnD collaborative project and I will be updating more and more as the project takes shape. There will also be video footage and interviews soon... so stay tuned and any support from all you AnDer's is greatly appreciated!

Race behind the mic


Dance & Performance trainging with Jennifer Chiang

Desmond So came and interviewed Race

Patrick Lee in the House!

Robin Chi (Warner Record) & Herman To (Warner Chappell) stop by to listen

Myself with Lyricist Chan Wing Him

Race with Arne Venema who took a step in front of the camera

Race telling Spencer Douglass to shut up!

Throwing down some gang signs!!

N-Dubz... Round 2

So... I am finally back from a 5 week stint in London working for NDubz. These are the same band I originally blogged about in January who went Platinum. Well to date that first album has sold just over 500,000 copies... pretty impressive for a debut album.

Anyway, the guys had said after the first album that they wanted to work with me again. So on September 20th I flew back to London to work again with them on their second album. This album is now a major release for Universal/ATTW (UK) and so the pressure was on. The last year N-Dubz had been huge with a No. 1 single and TV, press, and radio coverage. As well as winning two MOBO Awards for Best UK Album and Best UK Act.

I was originally meant to go for 2 weeks to mix the album, but when I got there they still hadn't finished recording and producing some of the songs. So I was also asked to help record some tracks and vocal produce the big ballad track.

Anyway below are some pics and video from the sessions... The album "Against All Odds" is released on November 16th. I mixed 12 tracks on the album in a great studio called The Chairworks in Leeds, UK.

On the first night in Leeds, they had a gig at Leeds University, there were over 2,000 people going crazy at the gig. Thank god I was on the balcony.

One of the UK's biggest gossip magazines (Heat) come up to the studio to do a photoshoot. At the end of the shoot I managed to persuade the photographer to take a couple of photos with me and N-Dubz (L-R Fazer, Me, Tulisa, Dappy)

A cool pic from the photshoot!

Deep in mix talk with Dappy

Discussing one the tracks with Dappy, their assistant manager, and the producer of the track (in the chair)

Here is a quick video from my iPhone (sorry bout the bad quality) of the great studio I was working in. The 2 guys in the video were my studio assistants Tom and James. If you wanna see a proper studio then make sure you watch!!!

So I have high hopes for this album, and so do the band. I definitely think it will go number one in the UK, and hoepfully will go double or even triple platinum (900,000). I will keep you posted, and any of you in Europe or North America.... grab a copy!! I am pretty sure you will enjoy the album

We'll Make Your Album

Hi everyone.

Sorry, it's been a while since I last wrote anything. Been busy both Professionally and personally.

But I am back, and just thought I would update you all on a feature in Time Out this month that I am in. It's called "We'll Make Your Album" that Time Out HK are holding in conunction with Diesel:U:Music and I am one of the judges along side Steve Wong Ka-Keung (Beyond), Anthony Wong Yiu-Ming (People Mountain, People Sea), and Wong Chi-Chung (Commercial Radio).

Bands were asked to submit 3 tracks and we (the judges) were asked to pick our top 3. I was surprised that in HK there were so many independant bands. It was a good sign.

Anyway.. to find out who won and to see more info please buy the lastest Time Out and support HK's independant bands.

Time Out Home Page

And the feature

Time Out Feature

Behind the scenes and interview Van Ness Wu

So... I am sure there are lots of people on this site waiting for this. Sorry it took so long, I have been so busy. But a good friend of mine put together this small video of the 3 days in the studio in June I did with Van Ness, there are photos, an interview with Van Ness, and a couple "behind the scenes" video clips.

I hope you all enjoy!

Kelvin Avon: Beijing's Soul Sister Tia Ray.... What a voice!

So... I just got back from 6 days in Beijing. It was my first time to go so I was looking forward to the trip. The main purpose of the trip was to work with an artist called Tia Ray... and wow... what a singer. A very, very talented young lady. It was a real pleasure to work with.

The day I arrived was also the AnD launch with Tom.com in Beijing and Tia was performing so I went down to say hi to all the AnD guys (Pat, Raffi, Steven) and also Terence, Daniel, Andrew, and Conroy. What a great bunch of guys... I gotta say, all the AnD people have made we so welcome in HK and also in Beijing.

Here are a couple of pics from the night

Me and the beautfil Tia Ray.. hey that's my hat!!!

Man.. this girl can SING!!

Aww... is that smile just for me?! lol

Backstage with Tia and MC Jin... OMG!!

Terence, Daniel, Andrew & Conroy talking after the performances

So.... the after party.... On a rootop in Beijing.. nice!

Hey Patrick... MGMT!!! You sang it to me all night..lol

Ah... finally got my hat back!!

Well... that was the first night. I was nursing a little hangover the next day and we had to get up early to go to the Forbidden City. I was looking forward to this as had read a lot about it. Tia come along and also the talented for Nick Wong who came up with me from HK to play keys on the tracks.

Me and Nick outside the FC

Taking a break in the Beijing Sun!

Why do I always look crap in photos?!

I'm so small!!!!

Tia getting ready before the evening studio session!!

FC baby!!

As much as so far it looks like I have been doing no work.. work was still to come. We spent 5 days in Universal Records Studio (Thanks!) but as we were working in the evening there was no A/C (they turn off the A/C in the building after 6pm)... So begin 5 evenings of profuse sweating alongside serious creativity.. I gotta say that ain't a great mix but we made 2 amazing tracks

Some photos of the sessions

Nick and Tia deep on songwriting!

Running the session!!

Seriously.. this girl can SING!!

Tia getting some help with the Mandarin lyrics

At the end of 5 days.. This is how hard I work with vocalists... Tia will probably kill me for putting this up... but I just had to! lol

Anyway... what a trip. Really enjoyed myself... got to see the sites and made some great music. I look forward to my next trip (except for the bumpy flight!!). And stay tuned for some GREAT new music from Tia... she really is one to watch over the next year!!

www.alivenotdead.com/tiaray

If only.... (I would be really short if I was in the NBA!)

Soon Tia.. Soon!!

I WANNA SING!!

Yes.. we climbed the Great Wall... and I didn't buy one of those tourist T-Shirts!

Got home to my beautiful daughter and put her in the chinese pyjama's I bought her!! So cute!