Vital Spark (The Music of Kenny Wheeler): Album Launch
Lineup
About the Event
An exclusive concert celebrating the release of the critically acclaimed album Vital Spark (The Music of Kenny Wheeler), featuring the legendary Dave Holland, Norma Winstone MBE and the London Vocal Project.
This is a rare opportunity to hear the final poetry settings of the great Kenny Wheeler, lovingly realised by Pete Churchill from original scores sent to him by Kenny during the final years of his life. The resulting album, co-produced by Dave Holland and Churchill, features UK national treasure Norma Winstone MBE, London Vocal Project and an all-star band: Nikki Iles, Mark Lockheart, John Parricelli and James Maddren.
The programme includes poems by Stevie Smith, Lewis Carroll, William Blake, Langston Hughes and Gill Gladstone, as well as new lyrics by Norma Winstone. London Vocal Project is a choir of twenty-five voices whose sound is skilfully woven into the instrumental texture, with Norma Winstone soaring above, all underpinned by the unmistakable bass sound of the great Dave Holland.
About Dave Holland
Dave Holland is a renowned bassist, composer and bandleader whose passion for musical expression in all its forms, and dedication to creating innovative ensembles, have fuelled a career spanning more than 50 years. A guiding light on both acoustic and electric bass, Holland has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards and Grammy nominations, as well as the title of NEA Jazz Master.
Holland rose to prominence in groundbreaking groups led by such legends as Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Sam Rivers, Betty Carter, Anthony Braxton and Joe Henderson, while also collaborating with artists including Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Jack DeJohnette and John Abercrombie.
Today, he is equally celebrated for his own remarkable ensembles, ran