Doors 7:45 PM, Music 8:30 PM – 2 set(s) of music
Line-up:
Radhika de Saram – Bass Guitar
Zhenya Strigalev – Saxophone
Max Steinau – Guitar
Ben Brown – Drums
About
A new project by Radhika de Saram featuring Zhenya Strigalev on saxophone, Ben Brown on drums and special guest Max Steinau on guitar. The group will perform Radhika’s original compositions from her upcoming debut album, influenced by jazz, world music and Sri Lankan folk song and rhythm.
Radhika de Saram actively freelances as a violinist in London, touring and recording with orchestras such as London Contemporary Orchestra and Chineke! Orchestra, and performs frequently in prestigious venues such as the Barbican, the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall amongst others and tours regularly In Europe. Radhika also composes and plays bass guitar, and has performed her own original music with her band in various venues around Europe, Russia and Sri Lanka. She has recently recorded material for her debut album which will be out in September.
Zhenya Strigalev has worked with some of today’s most forward thinking musicians (including Eric Harland, Ambrose Akinmusire, Tim Lefebvre, Chris “Daddy” Dave, Alex Sipiagin, William Parker, Aaron Parks, Joseph “Foley” McCreary from Miles Davis fame, Larry Grenadier) and has appeared at many prestigious jazz festivals and concert venues, performing extensively in Europe and South America. He has recorded 4 albums with his groups Smiling Organizm and Never Group and his music is regularly played on BBC radio as well as national radio stations in Europe and Australia.
Having studied at the Royal Academy of Music, Ben Brown‘s creative output encompasses anything jazz and hip hop to electronic music, with particular leaning towards African & Latin American folk music styles. He’s been lucky enough to tour the world with various top international artists like Alfa Mist, Mulatu Astatke, Ashley Henry, Judi Jackson, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Rebello, Dizraeli and many others as far as Australasia, Africa, Asia and across Europe.
His own band Waaju has released two internationally acclaimed albums, where he acts as producer and composer. Both albums were named “Essential Jazz Albums of the Year” upon release across numerous European platforms and the band has been consistently championed by the likes of Jordan Rakei, Gilles Peterson, Jungle Jazz FM and Worldwide FM.
“Ben Brown is, without doubt, one of my favourite young jazz drummers. He is musically interactive, highly creative and really listens and supports a performance from beginning to end with great imagination. This young man has a great future of music making ahead of him” – Jean Toussaint
Max Steinau, born in 1994, is a guitar player and composer living in Leipzig. He studied with Norbert Scholly, Claudius Valk and Werner Neumann and is currently working with his own Modern Jazz Trio, composing music for radio plays and performing as a sideman in various projects in Germany.