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James Heather

London-based contemporary pianist James Heather performs reflective, reverb-soaked compositions that take influence from the structure and ambience of electronic music and post-rock. His music is inspired by world news stories, as on the Billboard-charting 2017 full-length debut Stories from Far Away on Piano, as well as personal loss and existential rumination, with releases like 2021's Modulations: EP2. His connections to the world of electronic music include a longtime association with Coldcut's Ninja Tune label, as well as collaborations with Dawn Richard and the Cinematic Orchestra, among others. James Heather grew up in Southampton, England. Grandparents on both sides of his family taught him how to creatively play piano, and he started composing on his own at the age of 11, taking inspiration from classical composers like Beethoven and Debussy as well as an acid house pirate radio station and local jazz groups. He began working at Ninja Tune in 2003, and was later involved with promotional campaigns for artists such as Actress, Thundercat, Bonobo, and label founders Coldcut. After moving to London, he was injured in a near-fatal traffic accident, which caused permanent damage to one of his fingers. As he recovered, he began taking his music more seriously, and his compositions became more reflective of his personal feelings. Signing with Coldcut's relaunched Ahead of Our Time imprint, he released Modulations: EP1, recorded during various times and emotional states, in 2017. This was followed by Stories from Far Away on Piano, a more unified full-length conceptually based on various news stories. The album reached number 14 on Billboard's Classical Crossover chart. Heather performed at festivals like Glastonbury and Wilderness, composed a score for Iskra Strings, who accompanied him at his sold-out headline show at London's St Pancras Old Church. He played piano on Dawn Richard and Mumdance's 2018 single "Guardian Angel." Later in the year, he released Reworks, which included self-arranged string quartet versions of material from his albums, as well as interpretations by Mary Lattimore, Sarah Davachi, Chihei Hatakeyama, and others. Heather appeared on the Cinematic Orchestra's 2020 release To Believe (Remixes), reworking "A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life." In 2021, Heather released Modulations: EP2, a collection of five pieces rooted in live improvisation and recorded in single takes.
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Discography

17 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller

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