BIOGRAPHY It is 2009…. Richenel is back and made the definite switch from Pop/Disco/Dance to his beloved Jazz music. Now it’s time for the new Richenel, and with lots of great jazzy songs he’s been performing, mainly in countries like France and Spain, where he first began touring with pianist Fabio Miano. Recently he made his comeback on the Dutch scene again, warmly welcomed by both those who do, and don't know him, as a new generation appeared since his big hit in 1987. His disco days are over, and to conclude this period a special album has been released by the RPM label in Italy, the dance/lounge CD “ARTIST IN EXILE”, is a compilation of Richenel's recordings made over a decade, with several producers he met during his Exile period. During his early performing years Richenel attracted attention because of his androgynous excentricity. His exotic looks and sophisticated presence have been an inspiration for many creative souls. He began his stage performing career as a "transformer artist", starting the show off with A female silhouette, then gradually changing into androgynous to end as a male. Portraying a female silhouette yet not being a dragqueen provoked questions like: if he was a transvestite or transsexual.., yet his answer was..., "it's strictly business"dááárlinnggg!!! 1979 During the spring of 1979 he was asked to join the fusion funk/rock formation "LUXOR" And became their leadsinger/front(wo)man, singing live on stage. What was supposed to be a one-off, became one of Amsterdam's most popular crossover acts, soon to be the "in-house band of several of the capitol's most trendy nightclubs. Yet before that happened he was supposed to become the leadsinger of yet another Dutch hit formation, "SPARGO", with whom he already started rehearsing, untill their guitarist found out that Richenel performed in "Drag", which made them decide otherwise and take Lilian Jackson instead, which proved to be the right choice after all. Right from the beginning of the 80's Richenel studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy as a stylist first and then changed to theatre-(set and costume design). There he met two of the founders of the multi-media collective "FETISJ", that soon after became the label on which audio-cassettes from different bands were released. 1981 Together with some "FETISJ" musicians Richenel began to explore the new medium: computer, to create electronical sounds and music with. In 1981 "FETISJ" released Richenel's first ever solo project on MC-called "LA DIFERENCIA" containing original material written and co-produced by Richenel. His music stood out during this postpunk/new wave era because of it's funky bassgrooves, 80's actuality and Richenel's outstanding voice. At that time Richenel performed with two bands, "LUXOR"and his "FETISJ"band that worked under the artists name, and with whom he featured as support-act for: KC & Sunshine band / MAZE feat. Frankie Beverly / INGRAMM BROTHERS. Originally both bands attracted different audiences which soon changed into an interesting socio-cultural blend with one main ingredient, Richenel's live performance! Press called him a gender-bender who presented his audience with a "Pop & Peepshow". Returning from a trip to London where he met Richard Coles (Communards) and Sarah- Jane Morris, Richenel literally found a recording contract in his mailbox, send to him by a Belgian independent label "MEGADISC". He signed up but the first demo's were rejected, including the early (Chicago-housetrack) "STATUE OF DESIRE", produced by American bassplayer "Jamaal Adeen Tacuma". 1985 Things changed when Richenel heard a French song on the Brussels radio which struck him on the spot. It was to become his very first single produced by "Dirk Blanchart". Inspite of all warnings against recording such a song instead of a nice discotrack, Richenel went ahead and recorded "L'ESCLAVE ENDORMI", an semi-operatic song where he could demonstrate his vocal abilities. It was released in 1985 and became an overnight avant-gardist cult hit, receiving raving critics from the British music press. 1986 Richenel was proven right by recording the song when in 1986 the prestigious London based "4 AD"label, released a remix version of it, and in 1987 he was awarded the Dutch "Silver Harp Award". Also in 1986 he was approached by producers duo "Fluitsma & v.Tijn"(Mai-Tai), who offered him a contract with them and CBS/Epic label. By the end of 1986 the single "Dance around the world"was released in Holland but failed to get much airplay nor enter the charts. This all suddenly changed when in march/april 1987 from Italy came the news that the single went top 3 right away and Italians loved it! It featured on the debut album "A YEAR HAS MANY DAYS", also including the hitsingles: "TEMPTATION - DON'T SAVE YOUR LOVE". The song, a "SECRET WISH", was covered by the american soul/disco formation "THE S.O.S. BAND". 1989 In 1989 the second album "DEEP AS BLUE" was released, including; "Are you just using me" and "BILLIE", Richenel's tribute to Billie Holiday. (Are you just using me was written by George Michael under his pseudonym R.Phillips). Also in 1989 Richenel featured as leading role in the German Musical "KAMASUTRA". The album "OASIS"was released in 1992, containing the singles "OASIS"and dance-hit "FASCINATION FOR LOVE", which scored high in the French dance-charts and was a hit in the New York underground club-scene. 1994 The album "CLOSER" was released in 1994, but due to a lack of promotion never received the attention it deserved. It included the singles "DEEPER" and "HEY LET ME TELL YOU", while "CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY MIND" was only released on several compilation CD's. 1995-1997 After this disappointment Richenel decided to move to Spain and stop singing all together. During the three year period that followed Richenel hardly sang a note until the summer of 1997 when, while staying on Ibiza he met Spanish producer T. Lopez who convinced him to start recording again. They started recording in november 1997 and by january 1989 the album "ARIES" is finished. To promote the album they formed a band that soon became the hottest local act and selling the album during concerts. Together with another bandmember, keyboardplayer/producer J.E.Nilsson, Richenel records a cover version of the old "Bobby Hebb"hit "SUNNY", which receives good critics and airplay on local and national radio. As part of radio SER promotion they play the Zaragossa (fiesta del Pilar) patron Saint-day for a 250.000 crowd. 1999 Due to internal politics at "Arcade-Spain" recordlabel, the single never gets any further promotion, and soon after the band also splits up due to personal conflicts. 2000 Richenel decides to go to Ibiza in october 2000 where he meets German DJ-JOY who after hearing "SUNNY", invites Richenel to join him on a tour through Switzerland that winter. They meet up again in London in November before starting the tour, and there they record two tracks with M.Perry and M.Schwartz-(Massive Attack). One of the tracks,"RIGHT VIBE", meant to be released by Hed Kandi, but also due to internal politics never materializes. In the period after the split of the band ARIES, Richenel records with different producers. First recording Bowie’s LET’S DANCE, produced by T.Lopez en J.E.Nilsson, released by the "Alabianca label". In September 2000 Richenel records MISSING YOU, JOY AND HAPPINESS en HIGH ON YOU, produced by Joris Peeters for Cruz Productions. The recording sessions finished in Antwerp (Belgium). 2001 On Ibiza in 2001 Richenel records two songs with Lenny Karup from the Ibizarre label :SUMMERSONG en SMOOTH TEMPTATION, both lyrics by Richenel. A remake of DANCE AROUND THE WORLD has been recorded in Italy, on wich "FLASH IN THE NIGHT" became the floorfiller, produced by "Intralazzi" for the DiPiu label in Milano. 2003 For the Reshape label, a sub-label of Dipiu, Richenel records for the Base Boys in 2001 three tracks for the debut album "THE BASE", from which the 12" singles RICH-A-PELLA and GROOVETECH were successfull in the club scene.. In 2003 the Base Boys released the 12"single METAMORPHIC ALLEGORY, also with leadvocals by Richenel. Between 2001 and 2003 Richenel lives in Lugano (Zwitserland) where he records with producer G.Vidali, some of these tracks feature on the album "ARTIST IN EXILE". 2005 In 2005 Richenel records with Hans van Hagen the re-make of TURN MY PAGE. In that period he travels to Italy a lot to record with G. Vidali, -"FREAKY THANG",(released as 12"single on 1st GROOVE Records. "FLIGHT 365", produced by D.Fattahi, and "LOVE GENERATION"produced by Dj FOPP. 2006 For the "MAMBO MENORCA CLASSIC CHILL" album , Richenel recorded two songs WALK ON THE WILD SIDE en RUNNING produced by T.Lopez. 2008 In 2008 the PRESSURE ZONE label released the 4CD-Box "Ultimate Drive" on which you can find new remixes of RIGHT VIBE and SO REAL, originally recorded in 2000. These remixes were made in coöperation with David Clayton, who also worked as a keyboard player on "DEEP AS BLUE". At last, by the end of december 2008, the new album "ARTIST IN EXILE" was released. An album with different kind of disco/lounge songs recorded with several producers between 1995-2005. For Richenel it means farewell to the disco period. 2009 Since 1999 Richenel successfully works the mediterranean jazz scene Richenel decided to move back to the Netherlands due to familiar circumstances. On the 27th of March 2009 his first performance , after all those years, was well received at the trendy Club Dauphine in Amsterdam.
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