Stephen Caudel

Stephen Caudel is a brilliant British multi-instrumentalist that first came to prominence back in the early 80's.

His debut album was released just about the time that the CD format started to break in the UK. Entitled: ‘Wine Dark Sea’, the LP was recorded in collaboration with ‘Tubular Bells’ producer Tom Newman and released in the mid 80's on Coda's ‘Art Of Landscape’ imprint.
The work was premiered in London with a full orchestra conducted by Louis Clark.

Easily the best of all of the Coda label group releases in the 80's, music from ‘Wine Dark Sea’ was regularly featured (almost on a daily basis!) on televisions' ‘Art Of Landscape’ programmes.

Stephen toured all over the world performing for audiences that were already familiar with his music through that TV series and his superb debut album. He also supported superstars such as Art Garfunkel at high profile concert venues such as the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Caudel ’s early music could only be described at the time as "one man rock symphonies" that started in the realms of Progressive Rock and crossed right over the music spectrum to touch on Classical music, with its rich, at times grandiose displays of craftsmanship intricate guitar work and superb sweeping keyboard orchestrations.

Had Mike Oldfield not emerged from the depths of Virgin's Manor studios with his ‘Tubular Bells’ epic under his arm, then Stephen Caudel may have made it big with his own brand of melodic multi-instrumental sound painting, but I dare say Richard Branson may not have been too happy about that!

During the 80’s, DJ Alan Freeman gave ‘Wine Dark Sea’ his full support on his then Virgin Radio ‘Rock Show’ –and knowing “Fluff's” musical tastes as we did back then it was hardly surprising he was championing Caudel's music.

In 1988 Stephen released his follow-up to ‘Wine Dark Sea’ with ‘Bow Of Burning Gold’, then during the 1990’s a couple of acoustic guitar based albums were issued, followed in 1997 by his self-released Symphonic Rock epic entitled: ‘Earth In Turquoise’, a concept album of sorts based on episodes in the life of King Arthur.

It was a majestic symphonic work similarly structured in some ways to his debut album and featured both ethereal and dramatic movements within any individual track, ranging from passages of atmospheric synthesizer music to sections where searing electric guitar solos and percussion take centre stage. Other featured sounds included choirs, flute and brass synth effects.

After that Stephen pulled out of the music business altogether to concentrate on family and a new business venture.

In 2016 – 30 years will have passed since the release of ‘Wine Dark Sea’.  The last decade and more has been spent building a successful Web Design & Marketing company, but Stephen Caudel is about to re-emerge onto the Progressive Symphonic Instrumental music scene once more with a planned new album.

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s Stephen Caudel became one of CD Services’ best selling artists. Fans of Austria's massively popular multi-instrumental genius: GANDALF derived much pleasure from the music of this wonderful UK composer, as did lovers of Steve Hackett's magical merging of electric/acoustic guitars, keyboards and percussion. Mike Oldfield was also another good reference point, but Caudel's music was much more majestic, considerably less quirky and more orchestral structured than earlier Oldfield material.

* Audio Samples of Stephen Caudel's ‘Earth In Turquoise’ album are available in our Online Store at: http://www.cd-services.com/downloads.aspx *