Bill Laurance Group feat. Michael League and Robert "Sput" Searight

Establishing a solo identity while being an original member of such a big-time band as 2014 Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy is a tough call... but pianist Bill Laurance has stepped right up to it !

It’s possible to get hung up on genre, especially with the jazz police lurking around every corner. Noteworthy is the fact that Snarky has a Grammy nomination this year for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (better known as the Jazz Category). 

The slow pull that English pianist Bill Laurance exerts on his audience is an absorbing testament to his imagination and craftsmanship. Laurance is a young maestro making pieces that sound like movie scores (he’s also a TV and film composer) replete with earthy soul, funk and jazz grooves. He covers all the bases with insightful command, finding gold at each turn.

The hip rhythm section of Snarky bassist Michael League, drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Felix Higginbottom are invaluable assets. The result is bluesy note-bending improvisation and space-music keyboard effects that buzz with intelligent twists. This alchemy confirms how deftly Bill Laurance marries improv and extensively composed music. The melodies and grooves of this project hook themselves into your brain and don’t let go !