Simon McKechnie
B I O
Simon McKechnie (pronounced Makeknee) is a composer, arranger and musician who is based in London, UK. His new progressive rock album Retro was released on Bad Elephant Music on March 19th. Simon has written for BBC television, classical ensembles Golden Section and The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments, and written arrangements for Roberto Pla's Latin Jazz Orchestra. He was the leader of the jazz fusion group Azul whose 2004 tour with contemporary dancer Genevieve Grady was Guardian Jazz pick of the week. His 2011 release ‘London Reborn’ is a collection of interpretations of old London folk songs which The Telegraph called ‘an interesting and original piece of music’. Simon released his first progressive rock album ‘Clocks and Dark Clouds’. This was followed by ‘Newton’s Alchemy’ (2014) and ‘From My Head to My Feet’ (2016) which Progression Magazine described as 'about as accomplished an independent work as you're likely to encounter'.
M Y
M U S I C
M Y
V I D E O S
Album Reviews
Progression Magazine
"From My Head to My Feet from British composer/multi-instrumentalist Simon McKechnie is about as accomplished an independent work as you’re likely to encounter. This is McKechnie’s third release, a solid collection of daring musical adventures as melodically rich as it is lyrically eccentric."
Nick Tate issue 69
Exposé
"Like a fractal design, the closer you look, the more details you make out, be they melodic fragments cropping up in multiple pieces, unexpected combinations of sounds, or off-kilter rhythmic twists. Newton’s Alchemy is an outstanding accomplishment in progressive rock, free of cliches and strikingly original without sounding stuffy or fussy."
Jon Davis 4/20/2015
Background Magazine
"...It is much stranger when you come across an album that you like so much that it induces the opposite kind of writer's block: albums that you play over, and over, and over again, that you love to pieces, but that leave you clueless as to how to catch the fascination in words. After this introduction, it may not come as a big surprise; here we have a specimen from the latter group of rare albums."
Carsten Busch
Prog Rock Music Talk
“Simon McKechnie is an amazing talent who spans multiple genres, and his latest release, Clocks And Dark Clouds is a great showcase of that talent. The album is an excellent progressive rock album that any fans of Yes or Rush will enjoy. Clocks And Dark Clouds is an album worth checking out.”
Craigg Kid 29/08/2013
Sea of Tranquility
"From My Head To My Feet is an excellent progressive rock album that will appeal to music fans looking for something a little different."
Jon Neudorf 4/22/16
Neoprog
"Simon offers a beautiful alternative to contemporary progressive rock, mixing diverse influences to impose a style that is unique until the end. To be discovered urgently."
Le Classico 2/03/16
FolkWords
"There's a vast 'time-scape' feel to this album. Its span and dimension holds you entranced. It has sweeping vistas and changing places. It is street theatre. It is folk art for your ears. It is London.”
Tim Carroll 1/23/12
Telegraph
"The story-songs have a freshness and humour about them which is very London."
Martin Chilton 23/01/2012
GALLERY
Commercial Work
Composer, producer, arranger, engineer
Simon has written production music for many clients throughout his career, including the BBC, The Science Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum and Cambridge University. He has written arrangements for Roberto Pla Latin Jazz ensemble and Singer Morgan James, and piano transcriptions for Cayman Music Inc,.
Below is one of a series of movie shorts that Simon set the music to that were released to celebrate Cambridge University’s 500th anniversary.
