Short Biog
There are many one-man-and-his-
guitar outfits in Irish music, but none quite like Dubliner John
Lambert. Blending the acoustic (guitar) with a clutch of electronic
flourishes, his 2008 album Penny Black received much critical acclaim.
The album by this accomplished graphic artist united the visual and
aural to create a portfolio of instrumental moods. Synth and percussion-heavy
melodies are spliced with Lambert’s
Spanish-style guitar plucking. It’s a compact set-up, but one
that produces a huge, orchestral sound. Sinead Gleeson, The Ticket,
The Irish Times
Chequerboard is the nomme de guerre of
Irish musician & artist John Lambert. Having studied Graphic
Design at Dun Laoghaire College of Art & design,
Lambert then released his debut Chequerboard
album 'Gothica' in
2002 which featured a surreal illustrated story set in a gothic icey
dimension, populated by a mute boy, a robot, a fink,
a hammerhead and a bumbling King
of dreams.
In 2005 , the 6 track mini-album 'Dictaphone
Showreels' surfaced on dublin label Lazybird. A set of stark
haunting
guitar pieces set to a backdrop of field recordings and incidental
sounds. Something of a diamond in the rough, it gradually found a
dedicated, discerning and passionate audience.
The opening track ‘Konichiwa’ subsequently found
its way onto two separate Irish electronica compilations including
R na G’s Cian O Ciabhain’s acclaimed ‘An Taobh
Tuathail Vol. 1 compilation'.
In 2006 Chequerboard went on to recieve endorsements
and radio-play from the likes of John Kelly, Cian
O Ciobhain & Donal Dineen. This led to the teaming up of Lambert
& Dineen for a series of 'Small
Hours picture Shows' with Dineen
providing visuals and Lambert the music.
The Chequerboard live show is simply Lambert, his guitar and
a series of guitar pedals building lush, textured, soundscapes that
paint an evocative world of their own. During this year Lambert was
invited to play at The Electric Picnic and has been asked back each
year.
In 2007, Lambert received a music fellowship from the Model Arts & Niland
Gallery in Sligo where he spent the year working on Penny Black.
Taking up where the mini-album left off, Penny
Black brings the
listener through a series of textured and meticulously crafted guitar
led passages.
Penny Black was released in March 2008 to glowing reviews.
In November of 2007, Lambert held his debut Chequerboard
art exhibition which featured a series of textured and intricate
montages mapped over old vinyl record jackets, themed
on the sound of Penny Black (view here).
Some of these pieces were then featured in the artwork of Penny
Black. A second show followed recently at the Art 08 expo
in the RDS, Dublin.
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