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ABOUT

Led by acclaimed composer/arranger/guitarist Richard Niles, BANDZILLA is acclaimed a 25-piece jazz-fusion orchestra playing furious funk, sleazy soul, punk jazz and heartfelt ballads. Formed in 1985 to play on Grace Jones' Slave To The Rhythm, BANDZILLA was featured for 10 weeks on the Ruby Wax's first TV series for Channel 4 ('87) and released their first album Blue Movies ('89). Niles & BANDZILLA have since performed and recorded with Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, James Brown, Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Pet Shop Boys, Michael McDonald, Cher, Tina Turner and Deniece Williams.

 

The new CD, BANDZILLA RISES!!! is an unparalleled event - music that defies definition performed by artists beyond category. Soloists include co-producer John Thirkell (Buddy Rich, Jamiroquai, Bruno Mars), Nigel Hitchcock (Tom Jones, Incognito, Mark Knopfler), Mark Nightingale (Clark Terry, John Dankworth), Brazilian artist Clarice Assad, Steve Hamilton (Billy Cobham, Tommy Smith) and Niles on guitar.

 

Singers include jazz trumpet icon Randy Brecker (The Brecker Brothers), hitmaker Leo Sayer (16 top 10 hits), Lamont Dozier Jr. (son of the Motown hitmaker), Paola Vera, Julia Suzanna Sokolowska and Niles himself singing songs with “witty, clever lyrics, challenging melodies and a wealth of emotion.” "BANDZILLA is hip to the bone!" (Jazz Weekly) "ABSOLUTELY KNOCKOUT!" (Gary Husband)

NEW for 2018, BANDZILLA has become a tight 8-piece band featuring the hippest players in L.A. and singer Lynne Fiddmont.

For more information, The Making Of Bandzilla, Who’s On BANDZILLA RISES!!! and more, click here for

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Check out our VIDEOS

Don't miss our videos, directed and edited by that wild and crazy Richard Niles. They may be low budget, but they are still a LOT of fun to watch, especially if you need a laugh to brighten your day! They feature such talents as Randy Brecker, Leo Sayer, Nigel Hitchcock, John Thirkell... and the NEW VIDEO stars the lovely and talented DAISY CHUTE as a girl who's in love with a Toreador who has a secret desire:To be a WAITER.

Go to our VIDEO (promo video) page and start having some fun!

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The BANDZILLA SONGBOOK is HERE!!!

January 01, 2020

THE BANDZILLA SONGBOOK

“…an invaluable resource for musicians…”

Richard Niles

 

Since BANDZILLA RISES!!! has been released, I’ve received a lot of messages from musicians wanting to see the music. The idea began to make a songbook that would distill the essence of the compositions and include transcriptions of the fantastic instrumental solos. Then I realized what a monumental task I was plunging into. Fear placed it’s icy fingers around my throat. Luckily, I made a delicious cup of coffee and started writing.

 

It’s been a bit of a long job but here it is, at last, THE BANDZILLA SONGBOOK.

The book is laid out in a simple format, 3 staves. The bottom two staves cover keyboard and bass lines. The upper stave covers vocals lyrics and instrumental solos, with occasional indications of brass and guitar lines and backing vocals.

 

The transcribed instrumental solos provided me with the greatest challenge. At first, I thought, this won’t be too bad. Then I saw that it was going to be like climbing Everest barefoot in a snowstorm. Then I started enjoying it! These solos from Randy Brecker, Nigel Hitchcock, Mark Nightingale, Steve Hamilton, John Thirkell and myself will bring you into each player’s musical concepts of spontaneous composition – otherwise known as ‘improvisation’.

 

I have introduced each tune with information about the composition process, the recording and photos of the performers. I’ve tried my best to bring the reader into my compositional process - what producer Steve Anderson calls, “a wonderfully bonkers rollercoaster journey into Niles’ expansive musical brain!”

 

This is an invaluable resource for musicians who want to challenge themselves to the limit. Everything I’ve learned from working with such icons as Pat Metheny, Paul McCartney, James Brown and Ray Charles is here – and a lot more. These are my own musical dreams and lyrical fantasies.

 

If you have a sense of humor, and a taste for adventure, this is the book for you - 233 pages of dangerous musical exploration - and a lot of fun! Get it at Amazon:

Richard Niles interview with TheScreamOnline

November 24, 2016

Years ago when Steely Dan’s “Aja” album came out, I couldn’t get enough of it. The musicianship, the arrangements, the energy, the mix—it all blew me away. I don’t know how many LP’s I wore out, and I’ve been listening to it digitally every since.

 

Then along comes “Bandzilla Rises!!!” by Richard Niles. Full disclosure: I’ve known Richard for over 40 years. He and I were both students at Berklee College of Music in Boston during those heady days that saw the beginnings of Weather Report, The Pat Metheny Group, Brecker Brothers, and the Keith Jarrett solo performances. We studied improv from Gary Burton and took Herb Pomeroy’s legendary Line Writing, Duke Ellington, and Jazz Composition courses. We lived on and breathed a steady diet of JAZZ.

 

ZILLA Interview with LONDONJAZZ

November 18, 2016

Dr RICHARD NILES has been described by Pat Metheny as "a great orchestrator and musician and a pleasure to work with.” and by Sir Paul McCartney as “one of the best composer/arrangers around and an exciting musical force.” Richard was on the scene in London, but moved to California in 2012. He has made a new album, "BANDZILLA RISES!!!" with guest artists inclusing Leo Sayer, Randy Brecker and Nigel Hitchcock. The album is released today. Interview by Sebastian Scotney

BANDZILLA RISES – NOW!!!

November 18, 2016

Two years in the making, awaited by fans since their first recording 29 years ago, the new album by jazz-fusion orchestra BANDZILLA is finally released.

 

Composer/arranger/bandleader Richard Niles has worked with artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, James Brown and Pat Metheny, who calls him “a truly exciting musical force”.

 

BANDZILLA RISES!!! features a host of international stars including jazz icon Randy Brecker, popstar Leo Sayer, sax virtuoso Nigel Hitchcock, superlative trombonist Mark Nightingale and trumpeter & co-producer John Thirkell. This might explain why Don Was, President of Blue Note Records says, “Every musician on the planet is going to want a copy of this!”

 

Already acclaimed by respected artists worldwide, it has been called “a masterpiece” (Danny Gottlieb), “super fonky” (Bob Mintzer) and “a very entertaining cool new way of treating the big band” (Dave Koz). Composer and arranger Chris Walden says, “Bandzilla is a monster in every way - monster charts performed by monster players and singers. A monster joy to listen to!”

 

Click below to have BANDZILLA RISES!!! delivered to your home by a huge purple fire-breathing reptile – or your mailman!

The MAKING of BANDZILLA RISES

September 23, 2016

How on earth did this happen????

Bandzilla. The Rising of the Trumpets - Part 1: The Journey

September 14, 2016

How it all came about.

Randy Brecker & Bandzilla

September 08, 2016

Richard Niles spills the beans on You Can’t Get There From Here

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VIDEO

You Can't Get There From Here

LIVE AS ONE

"You Can't Get There From Here" Interview

"Live As One" Interview

CONTACT

Label / Bandzilla Records, info@bandzilla.net 
Management / Booking info@bandzilla.net  

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