James Lascelles

James Edward Lascelles (born 5 October 1953 in Bayswater, London), styled The Hon. James Lascelles, is a British musician and the second son of the 7th Earl of Harewood and his first wife, the former Marion Stein (now Mrs. Jeremy Thorpe). His father was a first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II, and he is 50th in line to the British throne.

Contents

Music

When young, Lascelles had classical piano and drum lessons, and claims that "John Tavener 'taught' him to improvise" by performing duets on a church organ.[1]

He then became interested in jazz, blues and rock & roll

Global Village Trucking Company

Lascelles was a co-founder of the Global Village Trucking Company, known to its fans as "The Glob's", in the early 1970s. The band, the road crew and their families all lived together in a Norfolk commune, and undertook numerous benefit concerts and free festivals, playing extended free-form jams,[2] making them a well known UK live act. The band shunned record companies, but played on the Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwalls Dance Hall benefit album in 1973, and in 1976 they recorded an eponymous album.

In 1973 the BBC made a documentary about Global Village Trucking Company, their communal living and their aim to make it without a record company. The BBC updated the documentary for the What Happened Next series, shown in May 2008, which included their first gig in 30 years.[3] This re-union led to other Global Village gigs at Glastonbury 2008 and other festivals.

Later career

Lascelles then became a session musician, until in 1980 he joined The Breakfast Band, a jazz/funk band, which released two albums Dolphin Ride and Waters Edge, and had a dance hit "L.A. 14".

He then took an interest in world music, recording tribal music in North Africa and New Mexico, and releasing this on his own label, Tribal Music International. He also started composing music for theatre, The Footsbarn Travelling Theatre Company and Tiata Fahodzi,[4] and film. He now plays keyboards, for Cockney Rebel and his own world music band, Talking Spirit, and works with disaffected inner city children.[1] As of 2011 Lascelles was appearing with Mike Storey as "The Ivory Brothers"[5]

Personal life

Lascelles has been married three times. Firstly, on 4 April 1973 in Wortham, to Frederica Ann Duhrssen (born 12 June 1954 Newport, Maine). They had two children before divorcing in 1985:

Secondly, (in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772) on 4 May 1985 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Lori "Shadow" Susan Lee (29 August 1954, Albuquerque – 29 June 2001). They had two children:

Tanit Lascelles is excluded from the line of succession due to being born before the marriage of her parents and Tewa Lascelles is excluded because the marriage was in contravention of the abovementioned Act. James and Lori divorced in 1996.

Lascelles married, thirdly (also in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772), Joy Elias-Rilwan (born 15 June 1954 Nigeria), on 30 January 1999.[6] The Hon. Mrs. Lascelles is an actress and is actively involved in efforts to combat AIDS. She has four children, and is a member of the Yoruba noble family of Elias of Lagos.

Ancestry

Discography

Global Village Trucking Company

The Breakfast Band

Solo

Mandyleigh Storm

Notes and sources

  1. ^ a b James Lascelles biography on jameslascelles.com retrieved 25 November 2008
  2. ^ a b Allmusic Review of Global Village Trucking Company album by Dave Thompson retrieved 25 November 2008
  3. ^ What Happened Next - BBC retrieved 25 November 2008
  4. ^ Tiata Fahodzi programme 2007 Retrieved 28 August 2009
  5. ^ "Barsham and Albion Fairs Revisited". Diss Cornhall. http://www.disscornhall.co.uk/programme/eventdetails.php?progid=1271. Retrieved 16 August 2011. 
  6. ^ The Peerage – Joy Lascelles

External links

British royalty
Preceded by
The Hon. Edward Lascelles		 Line of succession to the British throne
James, Rowan & Sophie Lascelles		 Succeeded by
The Hon. Jeremy Lascelles