Neal Richardson, Managing Director, Executive Producer
The company is run by pianist/composer/producer Neal Richardson, whose
passion is for high quality music from the heart, using real instruments
wherever possible. Neal is a well-travelled Producer and piano/vocalist in
his own right, having played over 2,000 gigs around the world in 51
countries and on 15 ships including the world's most expensive ones i.e.
Silversea, Radisson etc. He was also chosen to play for George Clooney and
Brad Pitt's private yacht party at the Cannes Film Festival 2007!
Sue Richardson, Company Secretary & In-House design guru
Neal is married to amazing jazz trumpeter/singer/songwriter Sue Richardson
(www.suerichardson.biz), whose Quintet opened the 2007 London Jazz Festival
at the Royal Albert Hall. "Sweet-toned vocalist, dynamic trumpet player and
classy arranger" Jazzwise magazine (Mar 2008)
David Sinclair, Jazz Photographs
Leica "Lisa" Barnard, Office Manager
The hero! Runs everything.
Andy Drudy, Guitarist, Music Consultant, Morale Booster
The ideas man + general good egg
David Hentschel, Producer Extraordinaire
The star Producer
Terry McDonald, Director of Licensing and Business Affairs
Plans & advises on strategic moves and Publishing Synchs
Michael Swinchatt, Accountant/Book-Keeper
Keeps the books up to date... that's how they got Al Capone
Stuart Murray, Accountant
Fends off the taxman
Murray Buchanan, Music Lawyer
Keeps us legal with all those contracts
Laurence Thomas, Business Link, Business Advisor
Guardian angel!
Neal has had a dream to run his own Record Label since he was 15! The opportunity came in 2003 when Neal and guitarist Andy Drudy went to a gig to hear the astounding Liane Carroll. They offered to record her in Neal's newly-finished studio, whose piano he had spent two years searching for "to get just the right sound". Liane said yes and the rest, as they say, is history.
Splash Point is a beautiful place (Neal's favourite!) on the South coast at the start of the Seven Sisters white chalk cliffs... hence the name was chosen for the Label.
Following the success of the first release (Liane Carroll's Billy No Mates) the Label has gone from strength to strength, enjoying a first class reputation in the jazz world. Just a few years on and the Label has a string of successful albums, Tours, BBC Jazz Awards, plaudits, and a great reputation for quality recordings. It has recently decided to embrace greener technology and the latest products are now as eco-friendly as possible, using greener inks, recycled cardboard packaging and a minimal amount of plastic. Also, unlike major labels, a much higher percentage of the profits are given to the artists recorded.
In 2005 the Label was incorporated into Splash Point Music Ltd, which now also encompasses the British independent jazz publishing company, Splash Point Publishing. 15 of the UK's finest composers are now signed up, and music is being placed on BBC Radio, TV, and films in UK, Europe, Hollywood and Bollywood.
The company is now branching out into broadcasting with Splash Point Radio... Following the demise of theJazz station, Neal is presenting a weekly 2hour jazz show (another one of his dreams!) in collaboration with a local station seahavenfm.com Each show is then made available as a podcast on www.splashpointmusic.com