Support from Lily Mackay

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 Sultzman, 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.

BIOGRAPHIES 

Bruno Heinen – Piano

Professor of jazz piano and composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Bruno has worked with artists such as Shabaka Hutchings, Eska, Julian Siegel, Denys Baptiste and Reem Kelani amongst others.

Coming from three generations of classical musicians, Bruno started playing piano at the age of four. He started composing pieces early on and was introduced to the world of jazz through the music of Bill Evans by his uncle (jazz pianist Johannes Heinen) in his late teens. His compositional voice has been informed by his love of composers from Duke Ellington to Béla Bártok and from Wayne Shorter to György Ligeti.

In 2019 he was awarded an AHRC-funded practice-based PhD at the RNCM with the title ‘Counterpoint in jazz piano with specific relation to the solo work of Fred Hersch’. In 2009, Bruno was nominated for the Paul Hamlyn Composers Award.

He recently held the piano chair for two performances of Bernstein’s Wonderful Town at the Barbican Centre with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. The performances were recorded and released on ‘LSO Live’.

Heidi Vogel – Vocals

Heidi Vogel made her professional debut touring with Cirque du Soleil. She then joined The Cinematic Orchestra as lead vocalist and has toured with the group for over 5 years.

By 2007, Vogel had toured extensively worldwide and ended the year with a sold-out concert at The Royal Albert Hall. Festival appearances include: The Big Chill UK, North Sea Jazz, Coachella, Gilles Peterson Worldwide and Blue Note Jazz Festival.

Andrea Di Biase – Bass

Italian double bass player and composer Andrea Di Biase has worked with Dave Liebman, Julian Arguelles, Stan Sultzman, Antonio Zambrini and Norma Winstone.

Together with pianist Liam Noble, Andrea played in the last trio of the legendary British trumpeter Kenny Wheeler.

Festival appearances include: The London Jazz Festival and The Hague Jazz Festival. He is a prolific composer and his own group, Dugong, have toured extensively.

Gene Calderazzo – Drums

Currently residing in the UK, New Yorker Gene Calderazzo has established himself as one of the busiest drummers on the international jazz scene.

Notable collaborations include Pharoah Sanders, Steve Lacy, Steve Grossman, Eddie Henderson, The NDR, Bheki Mseleku, Sting, Radiohead, James Moody, Benny Golson, Wayne Krantz and Eddie Gomez.

SUPPORT FROM LILY MACKAY 

18-year-old singer and composer Lily Mackay is making already making waves with her incredible voice which emotes a soulfulness that’s hard to put into words. Her music has been described as ‘blending jazz and neo-soul into reflective songs with catchy grooves and melodious instrumentation’; CLOUT magazine says she has “a big future ahead of her” as an emerging British Neo-Soul artist.

Set times

Doors: 6.45pm

LILY MACKAY: 7.00pm

THE W: 7.30pm

This is an external hire. 

VENUE: CENTRE FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES THEATRE, EXETER COLLEGE

*Subject to a £1.50 ticketing system charge. We don’t charge this to make a profit. Find out more >>