Bruno Heinen Band

Bruno Heinen piano/keyboard
Heidi Vogel wordless vocals
Andrea Di Biase bass
Gene Calderazzo drums

Memorable lines, melodic grooves and diverse references inform the debut album by Bruno Heinen’s The W, released on Ubuntu Music. Through original compositions – each one telling a personal story and featuring some of the UK’s hottest and most in-demand players, The W is a newly-established London-based contemporary jazz quartet of outstanding musicality creating chamber jazz that is as exciting and inventive, as it is elegant and sophisticated.

As vocalist for the Cinematic Orchestra for over 15 years and the go-to vocalist for acts such as Thundercat, Soweto Kinch and Chick Corea, Heidi Vogel has long been a critics' choice for her extraordinary voice and velvet tone. Her sublime wordless vocals bring a contemporary, stylish sound to The W. On drums is London-based New Yorker Gene Calderazzo, a leading figure on the international jazz scene whose vast portfolio include performances with Pharoah Sanders, Radiohead and Wayne Krantz to name a few. On double bass is Italian Andrea Di Biase who has performed with many leading figures in British jazz such as Stan Sulzmann, Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler.

The group is led by composer and improvising pianist, Bruno Heinen, who has worked with the likes of Shabaka Hutchings, ESKA, and the LSO. The Independent describes him as "a consistently intelligent linking voice", a fair summation of the way in which he brings these four unique musicians together through his original compositions. Like the four equal lines that make up the letter ‘W’, the four members of the group come together as one to create a perfectly balanced and compelling new sound. They are a band in the true sense of the word. They meet regularly, learning the music by heart and shaping Bruno’s distinctive compositions together.

Demonstrating that originality doesn’t have to be complicated
Observer

6.30pm Support - Juliane Deil 
Main show