Bill Laurance & Michael League – Keeping Company (ACT, 2024)
Bill Laurance and Michael League’s duo collaboration, Keeping Company, is a continuation of their exploration of intimate, acoustic interplay. Best known for their roles in funk fusion band Snarky Puppy, the two musicians have shared a deep musical bond since meeting as students in Leeds, England. Their partnership, which began in 2004 with the formation of Snarky Puppy, evolved through years of touring, solo projects, and collaborations before solidifying into a duo in 2020.
In stark contrast to Snarky Puppy’s energetic, electric and expansive sound, Keeping Company embraces a minimalist, introspective approach. Laurance focuses solely on acoustic piano, occasionally preparing the strings for subtle tonal shifts, while League alternates between fretless acoustic bass and oud. The album prioritizes live performance, avoiding excessive overdubs to capture an organic, spontaneous dynamic.
Following their 2023 debut, Where You Wish You Were, this second album deepens their musical language. The compositions reflect a refined chemistry, with influences ranging from soul jazz to traditional Middle Eastern music. League, largely self-taught on the oud, brings a delightful intuitive approach to ornamentation, shaped by guidance from master musician Ara Dinkjian. Laurance, in turn, opts for lyrical, restrained, exquisite piano phrasing, favoring concise improvisations over grand gestures.
The result is a collection of dazzling miniatures, each piece an open-ended conversation rather than a definitive statement. The album captures the duo in a state of exploration, where the music remains fluid, personal, and unforced. For now, Laurance and League remain content in this intimate format, allowing their long-standing friendship and shared musical curiosity to take center stage.
All songs composed by Bill Laurance & Michael League, except Track 7, written by Rico Rodriguez and arranged by the artists, and Track 11, a traditional piece.
01 Katerina 1:56
02 You 4:03
03 Yours 2:54
04 Escher 3:03
05 How Does It Feel 4:17
06 Stonemaker 5:49
07 Africa 4:16
08 Clay 2:14
09 Where You Wanna Go 3:44
10 Trails 5:42
11 Iki Keklik Bir Kayada 4:27
Musicians: Bill Laurance on piano; and Michael League on oud, fretless bass, vocals.
Buy Keeping Compan.