The One Ensemble started as a solo recording project of Daniel Padden.
Two albums were released as The One Ensemble Of Daniel Padden. The first, self-titled, on Catsup Plate Records in 2002, followed by ‘The Owl Of Fives’ on Textile Records in 2003.
As it turned out, several requests were made to perform live, which meant a search for other musicians, resulting in the 5-piece ensemble which toured and recorded ‘Live At VPRO Radio’ (Brainwashed 2005).
Since then The One Ensemble has reduced to a quartet and toured extensively around the UK and Europe. ‘Wayward The Fourth’ was released by Secret Eye in early 2007.
The current quartet is Shane Connolly (drums and percussion), Peter Nicholson (cello, voice), Daniel Padden (guitar, piano, voice etc.) and Aby Vulliamy (viola, accordian, voice).
‘Other Thunders‘ was a specific piece created to be performed at Le Weekend Festival in Stirling, and Venn Festival in Bristol in 2007. It featured an expanded 7-piece line-up (The One Ensemble Orchestra) including 2 extra vocalists and 2 bass clarinets. This piece was then the starting point for the ‘Other Thunders’ album, released by No-Fi in 2009.
The One Ensemble & Sarah Kenchington ‘Dummy Jim’ was released late in 2009 on Unshaped Led (a label set up by Daniel Padden and film-maker Matt Hulse). Daniel Padden received funding from the Scottish Arts Council to create music based on the story of James Duthie, a profoundly deaf man from near Fraserburgh in NE Scotland, who in 1951 cycled over 3000 miles to the Arctic Circle and back, and wrote a journal of his trip. This was the inspiration for the film Matt Hulse is making, and the music on the album will form the basis of the soundtrack. The website for the overall project is www.dummyjim.com
