Roberto Sánchez - Lone Ark

Lone Ark is Roberto Sánchez´s solo musical project. He is a producer, engineer, musician and singer from Santander (North of Spain), deeply influenced by the roots sounds of the 70´s and early 80´s.

As a musician and producer working for himself and for other producers at his own A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio, he is influenced by the sounds of the reggae golden era; deep and raw sounds with a message within... the sound of Black Ark with Lee Perry and The Upsetters with Boris Gardiner and Mikey "Boo" Richards, the sound of Channel One with Scientist and Roots Radics, the sound of Joe Gibbs with Errol Brown and Lloyd Parks, and the sound of Studio One with Jackie Mittoo firstly and then with Pablove Black. He is also deeply influenced by Augustus Pablo in terms of musical production.

Productions

As a singer he has a unique roots vocal style, always with positive lyrics. His influences are singers like Johnny Clarke, Willie Williams or Freddie McKay and gropus like Cultural Roots, The Meditations or Black Crucials.

Vocals

Bio

He started listening reggae music in 1990. Borja Juanco and Roberto formed their first band called Lone Watti in 1995, where he started singing reggae and playing instruments like drums, bass guitar and keyboards. Lone Watti released two works: the demo Foggy Times 1996 and the album The Same Wrong Thing in 1997. With that album he created A-Lone Productions label alongside musician Borja Juanco.

In 1997 formed alongside Sergio "Afro" Sainz, Emilio "Collie" Sainz and Borja Juanco Better Collie, a studio group focused on dub. Better Collie built their own recording studio counting just with four track recorder. There they recorded dozens of riddims and made hundreds of mixes. We find some of those cuts in the album Loud and Lone – Better Collie & Loud and Lone 1998-2001.

In 1999 Borja Juanco and Roberto Sánchez created Loud & Lone, with the aim of keep on doing roots reagge and dub with their own riddims and productions. After buying a half inch 16 track recorder in London, the duo created A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio. They released the LP Showcase Vol. 2 in 2001, after releasing some demos under the name of Loud&Lone (demos like Showcase Vol.1, Meets the Masters and Lone Melodica Melodies.

At the same time they created Sound Dealers band, alongside musicians like Dubby Ambassah´, Robetro Bartolomé and Iñigo Elexpuru. The aim was to make live shows playing their own songs and riddims, while the sound engineer was dubbing it. Another excellent album by Loud&Lone is the work recorded alongside the great basque producer Iñaki Yarritu/BDF; the album BDF Meets Loud & Lone (Brixton 2002), where Roberto taked part as the lead singer, musician and engineer.

Loud & Lone Showcase Vol II

In 2002 Roberto created Lone Ark, his solo project focused again in roots and dub sounds from the 70´s and early 80´s. He kept recording at the new built A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio and releasing his works on A-Lone Productions label. In 2003 Lone Ark released Countryside (Brixton 2003). In Countryside (showcase album) Robetro created a deep and solid sound committed with the roots of this music. The influences on this work are bands like Revolutionaries or The Upsetters, studios like Channel One, Joe Gibbs, Harry J, Randy´s or Black Ark, engineers like Sylvan Morris, King Tubby or Scientist, and producers like Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo or Dennis Bovell.

Lone Ark Countryside

In 2002 Lone Ark Riddim Force was formed too: the live and studio band with musicians like Iñigo Elexpuru, Rubén Diez, Robetro Bartolomé, Dubby Ambassah´, Gorka Fernández, Jaime C., Aratz Diez, Saioa Jorrín, Charlee García y Ferrán Cocera. Lone Ark Riddim Force has been doing a great work backing artist such as Horace Martin, Earl 16, Alpheus, Kiddus I and Earl “Chinna” Smith or Linval Thompson during the last years.

In 2004 Roberto also started releasing on 10” records some of his productions on A-Lone Productions label with artists like Kenny Knots, Afrikan Simba, Rod Taylor, Earl 16, earl Zero, Ranking Forrest, Ben Jammin and himself.

Earl 16 Holy Land/Roberto Sánchez Mankind/Ranking Forrest Mankind Round 2 (ARK10"-003/A-Lone 2008)

In 2006 Roberto released his second LP as Lone Ark: Oil and Water and Oil and Water in Dub (A-Lone/ FAK 2006), a stunning double set including self productions y compositions recorded between 2002 and 2006 alongside different artists. In this album we found Kenny Knotts with Mighty One on a classic riddim by Revolutionaries for Grogory Isaacs, this time re-built by Lone Ark riddim Force; we also hear Ben-Jammin´ on Helping Hand, or Roberto with Mankind alongside drummer Sly Dunbar.

Lone Ark - Oil and Water

In 2008 Roberto started working on one of his deepest productions alongside roots veteran Earl Zero. After releasing Root of David (ARK10”004), the first tune by Earl Zero for A-Lone productions, the artist kept recording different songs completing a wicked pack of roots tunes completing an album. In 2010 A-Lone Productions released that album called And God Said To Man, a showcase album including original riddims by Roberto and the original song by Earl Zero None Shall Escape the Judgement, internationally known by Johnny Clark´s version for Bunny Lee.

In 2007 he started working with great singer Alpehus. Then Roberto started creating some wicked rocksteday and early roots riddims for him with Studio One, Treasure Isle and Randy´s sounds in mind. The same year he voiced Glen Washington and Ranking Forrest and relased four singles with two of those new riddims. The studio works with Alpheus kept going during 2008-09 and finally in January 2011, A-Lone productions released one of its finest albums called From Creation. We find some original riddims and some re-licks of classic Studio One, Treasure Isle and Phill Pratt riddims, amazingly ridden by Alpheus and produced by Roberto.

Alpheus - From Creation

Roberto is actually recording his third album with Lone Ark and keeps working on three different fields:

- As engineer, producer and musician working at A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio for different labels, producers and bands.

- Producing and releasing material on A-Lone Productions label.

- As a musician and singer performing live alongside Lone Ark Riddim Force, singing his own compositions and backing other artists. Also writing and singing songs for different labels such as: Roots&Fyah, Vyne Yard, Raggattack, Truth Town, and others...

Roberto Sánchez - Lone Ark

YouTube Gallery

ALPHEUS - FAR AWAY (Studio Session)