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Brudenell Piano Sessions @ Left Bank

Ruben & Alana + Jay Chakravorty + Tom Blankenberg + Simeon Walker

Brudenell Piano Sessions return for another captivating evening of exceptional and varied music centred around the piano. For our May event, we are delighted to feature an eclectic line up consisting of Ruben and Alana - a Leeds-based piano/vocal duo exploring the sounds of jazz and folk through improvisation and spontaneity; Jay Chakravorty - a multi-instrumentalist composer, writing music for string ensembles, analogue synths and pianos; and Tom Blankenberg - a composer, sound designer and director from Duesseldorf/Germany

Hosted & curated as usual by pianist & composer Simeon Walker, we are grateful to have been supported for this event by Leeds Inspired.

Leeds Inspired is part of the city’s cultural programme that celebrates arts events and projects throughout the year, supporting high quality, accessible cultural experiences for Leeds’ residents and visitors. Founded in 2012, Leeds Inspired supports culture in the city through grants schemes, commissions and a ‘What’s On’ events website. Leeds Inspired is part of Leeds City Council: www.leedsinspired.co.uk

Join us for another intimate and cosy evening at the Brudenell, as we continue to enjoy listening to the range and variety of music that the piano affords musical creation and performance. Doors at 6.30pm with music beginning at 7pm. 


Ruben and Alana

Ruben and Alana are piano/vocal duo fusing traditional song from the British Isles with jazz harmony. They first began collaborating at Leeds Conservatoire, Alana studying Folk Performance under the tuition of Nancy Kerr and Jim Moray, and Ruben studying Classical Composition and performing regularly within the Leeds jazz scene. Their performances are powerful and atmospheric, with reflective piano playing and evocative vocals. They unearth ancient songs and poems, focussing on those which speak of the natural world in all its ruggedness and beauty. Ruben and Alana seek to treasure the strength and simplicity of the folk tradition, whilst bringing a fresh perspective to these old stories. At the heart of their sound is improvisation and jazz-inspired contemporary harmony, and each rendition of their songs is unique. Ruben and Alana listen intently to each other and the audience, collaborating together to create timeless and peaceful performances to warm the heart.

https://www.instagram.com/ruben_and_alana/ 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Pp3qRnaAVnc9iIqQ6BE8w 


Jay Chakravorty

Welsh-Indian-Irish composer and multi-instrumentalist, Jay Chakravorty writes emotive post-classical music for pianos, analogue/modular synths, and string ensembles. Since releasing his debut album "A Map With No Memory" in 2021 on Berlin-based label Unperceived Records, he has received airplay on BBC 6 Music, Radio X, and KEXP Seattle, as well as performing live sessions for John Kennedy and The Line Of Best Fit, and being put forward for The Welsh Music Prize and the Music Producers Guild Awards. 

In 2022, he will be bringing his live show to audiences around the UK thanks to funding from Arts Council England, PRS Foundation, and Help Musicians UK.

One of Stuart Maconie's picks for 'Best New Music In 2021' on BBC 6 Music

“utterly gorgeous” - Lauren Laverne, BBC 6Music

“Is it electronic? Is it classical music? I'll tell you what it is, it's absolutely beautiful.” - John Kennedy, Radio X

https://www.instagram.com/thejchakravorty/ 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu9nHulclqjW2LgG3PgWHQA  

http://jaychakravorty.com/ 

https://twitter.com/thejchakravorty 

https://www.facebook.com/thejchakravorty 

Tom Blankenberg

After more than 20 years as pianist of the Düsseldorf indie band Subterfuge Tom Blankenberg began composing his solo piano program "Piano Monologues" in the mid-2010s. his solo piano program "Piano Monologues", a free mixture of classical, jazz, avant-garde, pop and minimal music.

An English music critic described one of his concerts in London as "...as if Bill Evans were communing with Arvo Pärt.” His 2019 album "Atermus" has been enthusiastically received worldwide.

During the lockdown in the summer of 2020, Blankenberg worked on his second work "et", which was released in April 2021. "et fills the space with something that can only be described with the word "beauty".(D-dorf Pop Day). The video for his second single "kashmir" has been invited to many music video film festivals and has already won several awards. In addition, Blankenberg received for his music in 2021 the Förderpreis der Stadt Düsseldorf and is nominated for the popNRW award in the category "Outstanding Artist". 

https://linktr.ee/tomblankenberg                       

https://www.instagram.com/tomblankenberg 

https://www.facebook.com/tomblankenbergmusic 

https://youtu.be/TPRBWqQlfXM 

Simeon Walker

Leeds-based pianist & composer Simeon Walker has quickly emerged as a leading light in the burgeoning Modern Classical scene, following the release of Mono and Winnow, his two albums to date. In recent years, Simeon has regularly performed & toured across the UK and Europe; supported a variety of artists including S. Carey, LYR, Sebastian Plano, Loscil, Erland Cooper & Taz Modi; and performed notable live sets at Latitude & Timber Festival (UK), Q3Ambientfest (DE), FAN Festival (PT). His latest single ‘Reverie’ features on the first official Piano Day compilation by LEITER, alongside Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds and Chilly Gonzales.

His music receives regular broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 shows including Unclassified & NightTracks, alongside BBC 6Music, KEXP and Soho Radio, with his music boasting streaming figures in excess of 15 million times across platforms. He also founded and continues to curate Brudenell Piano Sessions; an intimate and varied live music series highlighting the diverse music being composed and performed on the piano, hosted at Leeds’ iconic Brudenell Social Club.

Simeon’s recent EP release Imprints represents a return to the calm, introspective piano-based instrumentals that first thrust him into the limelight; inviting the listener to find stillness, beauty and meaning as much in the spaces between the notes as the notes themselves, as musical stories are woven with each tender, intimate performance.

Links:

http://instagram.com/simeonwalkermusic

http://facebook.com/simeonwalkermusic

http://twitter.com/simeonwalker

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jEGjnI2WdRyJSUICQQIrK?si=FPkelOefT9aHHYqnHgdOPA

Sunday 22nd May 2022

Price: Pay What You Can

Doors 18:30

Band Links



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