Bill Laurance – Live At Union Chapel (GroundUP Music, 2016)
Live At Union Chapel is first live album as a bandleader from British keyboard maestro Bill Laurance. The virtuoso musician and composer is best known as one of the keyboardists for the groundbreaking band Snarky Puppy.
On Live At Union Chapel, Laurance played music from his first two solo albums at London’s wonderful Union Chapel. For this performance he had a stellar lineup of musicians. Laurance treated the audience to a masterfully-performed and arranged set of instrumental pieces rooted in various traditions: progressive jazz, funk, classical music, fusion and electronica.
Although Laurance has developed his own style, you can hear influences from Lyle Mays, Snarky Puppy and connections to the new wave of innovative piano-led British jazz groups like GoGo Penguin.
Laurance uses acoustic piano and an arsenal of electronic keyboards such as the mesmerizing Fender Rhodes electric piano and spellbinding synthesizers. A real treat for keyboard lovers.
Throughout the album, Laurance gave plenty of space to all the musicians: Snarky Puppy bandleader Michael League’s skillful bass lines, the rhythm machine of drummer Robert “Sput” Searight, an exquisite string ensemble, and a delightful French horn player named Katy Christie. The French horn was an excellent choice as it provided an adequate classical contrast and pleasurable tone.
The physical edition of the album comes with the audio CD and a very well produced video on DVD.
The lineup includes Bill Laurance on piano, Fender Rhodes, ROLI Seaboard, Mood Little Phatty, Korg MS2000, and Nord Stage; Michael League on electric and acoustic bass, and Moog Bass; Robert “Sput” Searight on drums; Felix Higginbottom on percussion; the West Side Trio (Vera Van Der Bie on violin; Isabella Petersen on viola; and Annie Tangberg on cello); and Katie Christie on French horn.
Bill Laurance’s discography includes Flint (GroundUP, 2014), Swift (GroundUP, 2014), Aftersun (GroundUP, 2016), Cables (Flint Music, 2019), Live at the Philharmonie, Cologne (Jazzline, 2019) and Live at Ronnie Scott’s (Flint Music, 2020).