What Is Zenith Café?

We are an independent record label and publishing company based just outside of Cambridge started and run by Paul and Nikki Turner. Zenith Café was a natural progression from Zenith Publishing Ltd, which the Turners started in 2000. That was the time when Paul and Nikki Turner decided that their private collection of music from brilliant but relatively unknown artists from all over the world really should be readily available to everyone. But 2000 was also the time that the major labels were down sizing, the industry was adapting to the idea of ‘downloads’ (legal and illegal) and traditional record sales were down. Not the best time to get new artists signed. So the Turners bit the bullet and set up their own label.

What kind of music does Zenith Café produce?

We are a very eclectic label. Having started in publishing we were already working with all different styles of writer/artists. So when we became a label, we stayed on the same road. The artists and styles we have at the moment include:

We also publish the excellent music of Hungarian instrumental duo Tatrai&Pavalogyi and we hope to be able to release their music in the UK soon.

What age groups will like Zenith Café music?

We think everyone will like it. We believe very strongly that people don't go deaf at the age of 25. There is a vast audience out there who were brought up listening to the Beatles, the Stones, Led zeppelin, Black Sabbath etc. etc. and these people still want good new original music today.

Similarly, being a teenager doesn't automatically make someone a bubblegum junkie addicted to manufactured pop!

Good music goes right across the board. We've found ladies in their 40's who really liked the break beat tracks on the Airbiscuit album and we've found 16 year olds who really like the celestial tracks of Ciro Perrino. Everyone has different tastes - the important thing is the quality and Zenith Café aims to produce only top quality music.

Why are we called the Zenith Cafe

When we were just Zenith Publishing Ltd. We made a point of inviting all the artists and writers working in the studio to sit down and eat lunch every day. Nikki Turner, having lived in Italy for many years was adamant that she would bring some of the Italian life style back with her. Not only do the communal lunches give everyone a pleasant break during the working day, they also give everyone a chance to discuss what they are doing; sort out problems; get advice and collaboration from other artists. All in all it's good for everyone and a civilised way to run a company!

Whenever Phil Watts from Elevated was in the studio he used to shout through to the kitchen "is the Café open yet"? So, when we asked our artists and writers what we should call the new label, they all said very simply 'Zenith Café'.

The Café lunches are offered to all our visitors as well - many a journalist or producer has enjoyed one of the Zenith Café Italian lunches.

What is Zenith Café hoping to achieve?

We hope that the label will grow in the traditional way of the great 70's labels like Island and Chrysalis. We don't choose our artists because they are beautiful, or young, or trendy - we choose them because of their music. They wouldn't win 'pop idol' but they will hopefully build up a great following from real music lovers.

All the team at Zenith are musicians in their own right so they have a genuine love for what they are doing and the artists they are promoting. Only the MD, Paul, is not a musician but he has the most important ingredient needed for running a record label - he has 'ordinary ears'! This means he can identify good music with mass appeal. It was with these ears that Paul built up another Zenith, 'Zenith Lighting and Production' in the 70's. All through the 70's and 80's Paul found great bands before they were well known and helped them get their show on the road. Then, when they were famous, they stuck with Zenith. Artists that worked with Paul and Zenith include: Bob Marley, Dire Straits, Robert Palmer, The Jam, Fleetwood Mac, Tina Turner, Thin Lizzy and Bruce Springsteen.

Now Paul's ears are going to make the Zenith Café just as successful!