RICHIE STEVENS

Smudge All Stars is Richie Stevens' audio intelligence collective, his musical vision writ large. A gifted drummer, percussionist and producer in his own right, Richie’s talents have found him in constant demand working with everyone from Horace Andy and Joss Stone to Boy George and Damon Albarn. Now, with Smudge All Stars, Richie leads a funk/soul ensemble that draws on his friendships with many leading black British, Jamaican and US musicians. 

Their upcoming debut is a party album in the old school P-funk tradition, all instrumentation is recorded live with Stevens calling on the original “Horny Horns” Fred Wesley and Peewee Ellis to help build a fat brass groove for the authentic P-Funk vibe and George Clinton vocals for the ultimate seal of funk approval.

The collective’s debut single, ‘Our Lives’ marries funk and reggae’s vintage relationship and is a ray of sunshine in the soft heart of the album. It’s a revivalist anthem showcasing instrumentation from Dennis Bovell and vocals from the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Leftfield/Dreadzone collaborator Earl Sixteen. The track is a rallying cry to the distinctive sound of Jamaica.