Jules Bushell - Biography
Jules Bushell is a musician and creator of bespoke noises who specialises in creating sound for theatrical shows and events. These range from small installations to giant outdoor spectacles, while encompassing traditional theatre venues, film, web and all sorts of multi-media.
He is an unusual combination of artist and technician, giving him a strong sense of the practicalities of how music can and should work with a performance to bring about the best results.
He has a firm and full understanding of the technology of current music production, fully understanding the enormous possibilities provided, but without losing sight of the needs of the project at hand. If delicate tune played on live instruments is the right choice, then the hi-tech wizardry is put aside. He tailors his input specifically to the requirements of the job, whatever the environment.
As a composer he has worked in touring theatre for many years, writing soundtracks for shows ranging from Shakespeare to fully devised and improvised. He can provide simple beautiful underscoring or edgy powerful themes driving the performance. Music can be simple and melodic with tunes to whistle, but can also be atmospheric and layered with effects, evoking other-worldly places and states of mind. His music has been used under scenes and dialogue, for dance routines, corporate events, firework displays, and films with no words.
As a sound designer , he has created specific noises for moments both real and unreal. The king passing by with horses carriage and trumpeters. Prospero conjouring Ariel out of the air. A giant squid crushing the Nautilus. The elixir of life working its magic on a dead rose. A gianthogweed plant eating a fisherman. No idea is too bizarre.
As a studio engineer , Jules has been recording things most of his life. He taught Music Technology for 4 years at the Somerset College for the Popular Music B-tec course. He ran a recording studio in Somerset, where he has produced albums for all manner of artists, with all manner of styles. Rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, classical, and several that frankly defy categorisation! He has a particular affinity with acoustic music, and his motivation is to capture the energy and dynamics of a performance.
As a performer , he learned trumpet classically as a youngster, moving over to the guitar/mandolin family as a teenager, and has been playing double bass now for many years. The Thunderbridge Bluegrass Boys is his current main live project, and they play at festivals and packed houses all over the country. He also recently toured with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Kaos Theatre as MD composer on-stage musician and Egeus. As well as the Thunderbridge Bluegrass Boys, Jules is half of Green & Bushell, plays with Hattie Hatstar, Jason Baxter’s Little Big Band, and occasionally with Kidnap Alice.
