Bill Laurance (UK) + Zabelov Group (CZ)
For the first time ever, Bill Laurance, an English pianist, founding member of the renowned Brooklyn-based jazz band Snarky Puppy and a triple Grammy Award winner will make an appearance in Prague. The limitless musical creativity of his new solo project speaks for a genre-crossing performance where jazz music interweaves with funk, electro or classical piano phases. Is his music a soul testimony, progressive rock, ambient collage or a visually evocative soundtrack? Pointless to wonder. Bill Laurance melts genres arbitrarily yet skilfully only to cast them into melodies so contagious that it is futile to speculate about the sort of music that is running through your veins.
As a pianist, composer, arranger and producer Bill Laurance has performed with stars such as Bobby McFerrin, trip-hop trio Morcheeba, saxophonist Chris Potter or guitarist Lionel Louek, to name some. After his debut album’s release in 2014 he produced another two records. His most recent one, Aftersun, introduces Bill Laurance together again with his fellows from Snarky Puppy – bassist Michael League and drummer Robert “Sput” Searight.
http://groundupmusic.net/artists/billlaurance/
Zabelov Group
Music of two sides, a musical dialog sharp as the sun over Apennines. At one moment profoundly dramatic, at the other one intimately meditative, yet always dripping with a soaking dense atmosphere. A project by Belorussian accordionist Roman Zabelov and Czech drummer Jan Šikl steps out of customary jazz trails and in a broad and alternative arrangements shows how many elements can be squeezed into the jazz genre. Through their cinematic music, by a rich use of grooves, samples, electronic effects and broken beats, they make their way into spheres of ambient, minimalism and nu-jazz.
Zabelov Group is a fresh project of two classmates from the Prague Conservatory. In 2014 they were highlighted in the survey among music critics as the best new-appearance of the year in the alternative music. So far they have released two EPs 40 000 km and Secret Session. Besides having played as a support band with the Scottish band Hidden Orchestra, they often perform together with various scenic projects. They also cooperate with the Berg Orchestra, exploring the potential of overlapping with classical contemporary music.
ADMISSION AT THE DOOR (UNDER 26 Y.O. / ABOVE 26 Y.O.): 400,- KČ / 650,- KČ