Charlie Winston ? Charlie for Chaplin, Winston for Churchill- was born into a family of artists. Brother, Tom Baxter, sister Vashti Anna, also sing divinely and his parents... Well, his parents were singers from the sixties and seventies themselves and raised their family in one of those fantastic places that you can only imagine exist in England: an improbable hotel in Suffolk. Enchanted, the young Charlie grew up surrounded by weekend orchestras, Wednesday chess players, blossoming actors, secret society meetings, harmless drunks and other local characters... this myriad of stimuli made a lasting impact on Charlie. At 8 years old, he began to play the drums. The first blues jams were with the kids from the block, and then he formed his first real band "Body Clock", mixing up inspiration he found in bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana with Tower Of Power, Brand New Heavies and then a little Bach.

At 17, he packs his bags for London! Two years at Brunel University, a school of music, where he indulges in jazz piano. Charlie gets up everyday at 6AM to play the entire day. He composes for the Marie Rambert Ballet School and the London Symponietta, two London dance companies. He meets Ben Edwards, the incredible harmonica player that still stands by him today. Out of college and pianoless he takes to the electric bass and forms a band with his brother fusing the influences of Bob Marley, Jeff Buckley,Roni Size, and also takes his place as singer and entertainer with the "National Youth Reggae Ensemble"; completing his musical cultivation by familiarizing himself with the likes of Lee Scratch Perry, Junior Marvin, King Tubby...

At 21, Mr Winston leaves for India, where he learns to play Tabla and studies Indian raga. Upon his return, he composes for short films, theatre (collaborating with Almeida Theatre, Sadler's Wells Theatre, the Notting Hill Gate Theatre), does a cover of Steve Windwood's "I'm a man" for a Volkswagen commercial, plays piano, bass, and percussion, produces and generally say?s yes to everything with his unique flair and style... and then rejoins his brother Tom Baxter's band, already on its way to success. He sets the hottest London clubs on fire, and writes relentlessly... Charlie Winston, the Artist, is finally ready to get his life rolling.

He meets Peter Gabriel during a recording session at the illustrious Real World Studios, and upon hearing Charlie?s music, decides to take him under his wing: a contract in his hand and a European Tour with Peter in 2007, Charlie puts together the album, "Make Way?... recorded and produced by the man himself.

In 2008, there is the first encounter with Atmospheriques, who introduces him to Mark Plati (David Bowie, Alain Bashung, Louise Attaque, The Cure...). The "Hobo" sessions take place primarily in Paris, at the Pigalle Studios. Brass and strings are added in London. The foundation is simple: Charlie on guitar, piano, and "vintage" keys (Wurlitzer-Celest-Hammond), Ben Edwards on his harmonicas, Daniel Marsala on the bass and Medi on the drums.

Enchanted by Charlie's voice and his arrangement talents, Mark Plati spends several weeks in his own New York studio with Mr Winston finishing and perfecting the tracks, preserving their identity and rich mix of influences.

Far-reaching, seductive (Tongue Tied), romantic but thought provoking (I love your smile, Soundtrack to falling in love), cheeky (My life as a duck), and ironic, Charlie Winston's album is the image of Charlie himself. The invocative melodies and his jubilant voice are the keys to a second and more reflective reading of song writing that is at times grave, (In your hands, My name), captivating (Generation spent), and always profoundly human (?Kick the bucket?, ?Like a Hobo?).

You see his way of looking at the world right from the get go; with the album title Hobo. It is a tribute to the life philosophy of hobos, those people who, while searching for work or odd jobs, are distanced from all material values, following their internal truth and resolutely having to take their lives into their own hands... The hobo, a mythic and romantic figure of American Culture in the early 20th century, has never ceased to inspire artists, from Kerouac to Bob Dylan and Charlie Chaplin.

There was a time, not so long ago, when songs that had a soul got greater recognition. Charlie Winston reinstates this lost tradition of the "soul men", after the fashion of the legends: Ray Charles, Randy Newman, Richie Havens, Tom Waits...

The first album of a young 30 year old, with ears and eyes wide open...