dartington recordings

Dartington Recordings is a label set up specifically to bring the widest possible attention to the vast array of musical talent that already exists in the South West.

It achieves this by releasing compilation albums that are given away on magazines, at conventions and public gatherings and supplied to music industry professionals.

The first compilation album was released in 2004 when 500 CDs were produced featuring young acts that took part in the Dartington Plus Bandit summer school.

In 2005 12,500 CDs were produced for a South West Sound sampler that was cover mounted on Music Week (the music industry’s trade magazine) and resulted in national radio play and deals for several of the acts featured. Also in 2005 a further 4000 CDs were produced for the inaugural Plymouth Music Week.

2006 saw a second South West Sound Music Week CD and a special unsigned only CD to tie in with the South West Sound Bristol Fringe, in partnership with Venue Magazine, a total of 25,000 CDs.

Over 60 South West acts have benefited from inclusion on these CDs including Seth Lakeman, Jane Taylor, Fortune Drive, The **** Lovers, Show of Hands and Jim Moray amongst the names now on the national stage.

To submit a track for consideration for a future Dartington Recordings release send an mpeg to r.rogers@dartington.ac.uk or post to Rick Rogers, Dartington Recordings, Chimmels, Park Rd, Dartington, Totnes, TQ9.

South West Recordings

A new joint venture between Dartington Recordings and Sawmills Studios, South West Recordings has been established to take local acts one step further. Part of the label’s mission is to sign promising musicians, singers and groups to 1 off single deals. The singles are released commercially and the acts get to work with professional music industry people including producers, promotions and public relations companies, professional photographers and video directors.

The goal of each release is to bring enough attention to the artists from the established music industry to enable the act to move forward in their careers whilst learning how the business works and what is expected from them. Whilst the first releases are from relatively unknown acts, South West Recordings can offer this unique opportunity to more established acts from the region who are looking to move onto the next level.

Scheduled releases on South West Recordings are:

Indie Ford - 15 January 2007 (Bristol)

The **** Lovers - February 2007 (Totnes)

Nick Tatham - April 2007 (Salisbury)

For further information contact r.rogers@dartington.ac.uk