Ivan Hussey

Born to a Zimbabwean father and English mother, Ivan joined the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra at age 17, playing on two of their albums and beginning a career as a session cellist playing and arranging strings on well over 300 albums and singles including UK and US hits by: Mick Jagger, Incognito, Maxi Priest, Take That, Wet Wet Wet, Third World, The Lighthouse Family, Soul II Soul, Gabrielle, Sonique, Lynden David-Hall, Lee Scratch Perry and many others. He also spent time touring with Duran Duran, Gabrielle, The Lighthouse family, Snow Patrol, Shaun Escoffrey, Natacha Atlas and Smoke City. 

In 2001, Ivan released his debut album under the artist name Celloman. Since then, Celloman has released a further six albums.
Under his own name, Ivan has released two albums:

Moods, Broods & Interludes: is a collection of fifteen acoustic compositions written for variations of stringed instruments and recorded in a church.
One of the most interesting features of the album is the use of a style of cello playing that Ivan has named Arpezzato, a combination of the words ‘arpeggio’ and ‘pizzicato’ incorporating many techniques found in the guitar, bass guitar, double bass, harp, oud and the sitar.
“On Kaleidoscope, his tight, hard-edged, triplet rhythm underpins and contrasts with Samy Bishai’s gorgeous violin melody”Bruce Lindsay (All about Jazz)
In live performance, the album is performed by the Celloman String Trio: Samy Bishai – violin, Vince Greene – viola, Ivan Hussey – cello.
Moods, Broods & Interludes Vol.2 is due for release in 2021 (Under the name Celloman).

Ivan currently performs a solo cello show and takes workshops in the style of Arpezzato. Most recently for British Suzuki.

Music for Elastic Theatre: is a culmination of compositions composed for the theatre company Elastic Theatre for two separate productions, Baroque Box and Julius.
‘Baroque Box invites the audience to peep into the imagination of a baroque artist, A large black box becomes the window into seventeenth century ideas about the body in science and art, through a fusion of comedy, dance-theatre and contemporary opera. Originally developed for Tête-à-Tête:’
Watch a video of the production here

Julius, a multiscreen film ‘explores a coming of age story of intrusive thoughts and compulsive rituals. As an adolescent boy in a rural town learns about the life, times and many lovers of the emperor Caesar, he begins to experience recurring mental images and odd behavioural patterns.’

Watch a pop up performance of the production here

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