PVibez Maverick Soul Man

Groundbreakin Award nominated Paul 'PVIBEZ' Morgan is a London based Producer, keyboard player/multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter.

He showed an early inclination for music by creating his own makeshift drum kits and creating original songs and melodies around the age of six. Poetry and rhyme and creative writing was also an apparent natural inclination. Creative writing and art was his primary formative interests alongside football during his formative years but the music was always there just waiting for the day he would eventually get the instruments he needed to express the music inside. Creative writing is still to this day an interest.

Jazz, Gospel, Blues, Dub, Trip Hop, Nu Jazz, Down tempo and Alternative rock ie RadioHead and White Denim are some of his very strong influences outside of the realm of Soul/R&B.

He grew up listening to many different genres of music. Even classical and folk styles were native to his ears at an early age. His mother was a revered church singer, and hymns and church music were a staple thing on a Sunday.  PVibez came from a multi-racial area, where colour-boundaries blurred and a sharing of cultures and music was shared and discussed.

It wasn't just the music of course, it was also the comedians, poets, writers and political figures of the time as well. He had  many friends from various backgrounds including India, Lebanon, Italy, Sweden as well as the African and Caribbean diaspora, who introduced him to sounds and artists he was not yet exposed to. Certain friends who were into more guitar-dominated material introduced him to a plethora of underground Punk and Indie rock artists that he had never experienced or heard of before. All of these experiences helped to broaden his musical spectrum beyond the Top 40 of the day alongside the influences he picked up via his big sisters collection of soul, funk, reggae, lovers rock and dub.

And it was through theses records that his curiosity of the recording process and studio began. Produced by, Written & Arranged by, Engineered by etc planted a seed of wonder in his young mind as he listened to the various musicians and checked their names on the credit roll. In some instances it was incredibly just one person doing all the work ie Stevie Wonder, Prince and a few others from different genres. 

It stands to this day why Stevie Wonder, Prince, Todd Rundgren, Parliament/Funkadelic and Lewis Taylor spends much time on his pod. They embody the epitome of eclecticism merging soul, funk, gospel, jazz, rock, blues, folk and soundscapes that laid the groundwork for many to follow.

Then there's the electronica influences from B-Boy electro and Hip hop to Drum n Bass, Trip Hop and independent labels like Warp. Artists like JDilla, Pete Rock, DJ Hi-Tek, The Roots, Mr Scruff, Goldie, Karsh Kale, Nithin Sawney and progressive-acts like Tangerine Dream add another aesthetic to his musical approach.

Being a London soul man, and a mostly self contained musician-a big influence from early on and to this day is ‘UK legend’ Omar, alongside his talented contemporaries Don-e, Lynden David Hall (RIP) and Carl McIntosh of Loose Ends fame.

Across the pond he lists Thundercat, D'angelo, Frank McComb, Zo! Dwele, Nicolay (Foreign Exchange), Jarrod Lawson, Taylor McFerrin, Anderson Paak, Van Hunt, Oh Mas Keith, Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu, Laurnea,  Angela Johnson, Jill Scott, Rahsaan Patterson, PJ Morton, H.E.R, Adrian Younge, Adi Oasis as faves.

In the realm of the old school (Stevie ‘The King’  Wonder aside) Marvin Gaye center stage, Curtis Mayfield, Shuggie Otis, The Isleys, Sly Stone, Larry Graham, Roger Troutman, Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, The Ohio Players, Earth Wind and Fire, Cameo, Barry White, Junie, Isaac Hayes, Chaka Khan, Minnie Ripperton, Deniece Williams, Gladys Knight, Joni Mitchel, Bill Withers, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, are favorites from his confessed favorite era of music The 70's.

From the 60's rock/rnb/folk period he lists Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Stones, The Byrds, Sly & The Family Stone & Richie Havens as iconic influences. 

PVibez is a huge Jazz afficiando and people like Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Patrice Rushen, Roy Ayres, Jeff Lorber,  John Coltrane, Doug Carn, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Weather Report, Return To Forever,  Wes Montgomery, Bud Powell, Bill Evans,  Marcus Miller, Al Jarreau, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billie Holiday,  Linda Williams aka Aziza Miller, Dave Grusin  are strong influences and staple players on his record player.

PVIBEZ was also an original member of the critically acclaimed London Jazz Fusion band The Shez Raja Collective.