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Pianist/composer Kit Downes exploded onto the British Jazz Scene playing with the band Empirical, taking him through Europe and America, and then with Troyka, Fraud and Acoustic Ladyland. Now, two years on, Kit has moved on to his own trio project and this debut album sees him developing as a strong voice both as a performer and composer. Joined by his two Royal Academy colleagues award winning bassist Calum Gourlay and rising drum star James Maddren the music displays a level of understanding and intelligence between players that can only come from working closely together for a number of years. They read each other perfectly. The band has spent these years developing their own personal sound. The music is immediately arresting and stands repeated listening. It uses melody, inspired from a range of sources ranging from Bela Bartok to Keith Jarrett to Rufus Wainwright, and endeavours both to celebrate the classic piano trio tradition as well as develop it.

Track Listing

Sales Points

• Young band
• inspired from a range of sources ranging from Bela Bartok to Keith Jarrett to Rufus Wainwright

Press Quotes

his sound on the piano is so strong and personal, his touch both definite and graceful, the shifting dynamics continually surprising. I urge you to buy this disc - it really is not only the bee's knees but the bee's ankles, hips and all the other bee-like joints, too

     —Peter Bacon, The Jazz Breakfast

a release that looks set to secure Downes' reputation as an accomplished composer and virtuoso improviser supremely comfortable inhabiting a contemporary acoustic piano setting

     —Dan Spicer, Jazzwise

Downes offers a cultivated musical intelligence allied to a determination to find bracing things to say

     —Peter Vacher, JazzUK

an exceptional talent

     —Stuart Nicholson, The Observer

Virtuosity without showing off - The trio makes a cool, refined sound, overlaid with the soft patter of drummer James Maddren and punctuated by the deft, understated bass of Calum Gourlay. They're ideal partners for pianist Kit Downes, whose touch at first seemed as elfin and light as the man himself. This gig was a reminder of what makes him special...a hot virtuoso

     —Ivan Hewitt, The Telegraph

Their music displays a level of understanding that only comes from working closely together for a number of years

     —Martin Barber, BBC Website

It's going to be a fascinating career to watch

     —Seb Scotney, Daily Telegraph Blog

world-class stature

     —John Fordham, The Guardian

Kit Downes is about to emerge as a formidable force in his own right...his originals were haunting, and his hypnotic, Mehldau-influenced playing fizzed with ideas that got hotter by the moment. Three to watch

     —John Fordham, Jazz UK

A brilliant soloist who builds ideas slowly into cascades of melodic ideas...His prodigious keyboard skills avoid obvious neo-bop tendencies with highly imaginative tunes and expansive, melodic solos

     —Mike Flynn, Time Out