Of all the strange things to discover under a bridge in London, on a day scouting for interesting locations to film, Matt came across the incredible Marques Toliver who was busking one afternoon in late autumn. Mesmerised for the entire set, Matt was (and still is!) in complete awe of Marques’ soulful sound. Despite his busy schedule both here and in his native US, Marques was really keen to do a session.
Fast-forward a couple of months… Following signing with Transgressive Management and an acclaimed performance on Later with Jools Holland, we managed to score an evening of Marques’ precious time to try and capture his passionate performance.
The stunning setting for the session was All Hallows By The Tower, an often overlooked gem of a church located, ironically, by the Tower of London. With a history dating as far back as 675 AD, it’s main chapel and crypt lent an amazing backdrop and acoustics for Marques’ voice. Special thanks go to Angela Poppet for allowing us to use such a special space. If you’re ever in the Tower Hill area, be sure to visit this beautiful church. (www.ahbtt.org.uk)
Marques gave us a performance so intimate it moved us all… so much so Bea admitted to tearing up at more than one point! Lucky Matt’s steady hands didn’t fail him!
The accompanying animation came from Matt’s grandfather’s violin and the result of a stroll down Columbia Road flower market one afternoon. Taking inspiration from some of Marques’ most poetic love songs, deep red flowers bloom seemingly from the instrument.
A true gentleman of his craft, softly spoken and endearing, Matt feels blessed to call Marques a friend and working with him was an absolute joy for us all.
2011 looks to be a big year for this amazing artist. We absolutely insist you see him live if you get the chance. You won’t be disappointed. Special shout out to Lilas, Toby and Tim at Transgressive – we hope to work with you guys more in the future! ;)
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