Mark de Clive-Lowe

Musician and producer Mark de Clive-Lowe, half New Zealand and half Japanese, began classical piano training at age four and developed an eclectic musical vision blending jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop. Moving to London in 1998, he connected with seminal West London musicians including Phil Asher, IG Culture, Bugz In The Attic, and 4 Hero's Dego—meetings that proved fateful in shaping his emergence as a key figure in the "new jazz movement," where he combines 21st-century urban rhythms with jazz, funk, and ethnic music through broken beat, drum and bass, house, and techno. His 2000 debut album Six Degrees received critical acclaim, leading to extensive world tours and collaborations with DJ Spinna, Kenny Dope, 4 Hero, Cesaria Evora, Tony Allen, and Pino Palladino. Over four years he contributed to over 100 compositions, performed at major festivals including DEMF, Amsterdam Drum Rhythm Festival, and London Jazz Festival, and featured on Verve Remixed. His 2005 second album Tide's Arising featured Bembe Segue, Pino Palladino, and Kaidi Tatham, further solidifying his reputation. Known for creating music "anew" during live performances—building from simple beats into complex rhythmic structures layered with electronic keyboards and vocals—Mark regularly hosts Freesoul Sessions in London. As Giles Peterson noted, he is "a man who has been involved in creating a million amazing compositions," and The Times described him as firmly standing "in the front ranks of the new jazz movement."