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Neil Cowley

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic, old school R & B in a number of bands whose members had come from, or went on to great things. By the age of 17 he turned his back on formal training altogether, and entered the world of pop. He went on to record and tour with some of the best soul and funk bands of the day, including The Pasadenas, 4 years with the Brand New Heavies, and Zero 7, until in 2002 he formed his own band, Fragile State.

As one half of the Fragile State production duo, Cowley set the world of jazzy chill-out music alight and produced two critically acclaimed albums, from which came Four-Four- Four, a track that was later licensed by Vodafone for a nationwide commercial. When the record company dissolved, Cowley continued to make music; his incredible versatility as a composer saw him producing themes to a number of television programmes and documentaries, drawing on desert blues, chill, jazz and orchestral soundtrack.

Cowley soon began to find the experience of extracting music from a computer chip unbearable, so set forth with his dear friend the piano and a renewed enthusiasm to present creativity without technological hindrance. Cowley began composing and eventually realised a long-standing vision, and formed the Neil Cowley Trio with Richard Sadler on double bass and Evan Jenkins on drums.

In June 2006 Cowley formed his own label, Hide Inside Records, and released the trio’s debut album Displaced, an outstanding album of original recordings that established him as a dazzling pianist and stunning composer. Through his examination of the possibilities of the acoustic piano trio, Cowley created a unique trademark sound that delivered, powerful music of massive dynamic range and contrasts ??" where ferociously forceful, hook laden melodies sit side by side with reflective, tender pieces capable of heart shattering tenderness. The album was released to huge critical acclaim, and won the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Album.

In February 2007, the Neil Cowley Trio undertook their first full UK tour, revealing Cowley’s instinctive flair and ingenuity as an entertainer. At the heart of their captivating live performances is Cowley’s marvellously English wit, mischievous humour and remarkable rapport with his audience.

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24
Album Review

Neil Cowley Trio: Spacebound Apes

Read "Spacebound Apes" reviewed by Phil Barnes


The impact of ambition and competitiveness in a creative pursuit can be double edged. As a spur to action, an attempt to fulfil potential it is surely a positive--think of the mutual admiration and competition between say Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney in the mid-1960s for example. But there are times when a competitive nature can be destructive--a need always to be “right," to force your ill-considered views on others irrespective of the facts and, frankly, to be a bit ...

1
Album Review

Neil Cowley Trio: Touch and Flee

Read "Touch and Flee" reviewed by Vic Albani


Benedetto dalla “sacra incisione" della Naim britannica (titolare di uno dei grandi saperi della filosofia high-end nel campo dell'alta fedeltà), ecco il nuovo lavoro di Neil Cowley con il suo fedele trio. Vale a dire un altro di quei grandi nomi della musica britannica moderna, in concreto misconosciuto al di fuori dell'isola per eccellenza. Da anni però, chi è un po' più attento e riesce a seguire e tenersi aggiornato sulle vicende della musica della terra d'Albione, riconosce il nome ...

47
Extended Analysis

Neil Cowley Trio: The Face of Mount Molehill

Read "Neil Cowley Trio: The Face of Mount Molehill" reviewed by Dave Sumner


Neil Cowley TrioThe Face of Mount MolehillNaim2012The danger of composing tunes with catchy hooks and enthusiastic infusions of a string ensemble for a jazz album is that it gets dismissed as gussied up pop music; not jazz, just jazzy. Either unaware or unconcerned with the risk, pianist Neil Cowley presents a series of warm tunes that wear their heart on their sleeve. It's not the first time that unguarded sincerity overcame risk ...

145
Album Review

Neil Cowley Trio: Radio Silence

Read "Radio Silence" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


With this British trio's third album--and perhaps its finest hour to date--a heartwarming assault on the customary jazz piano trio format surges onward. Here, pianist Neil Cowley merges rock, pop sentiment and mainstream jazz into a stylistic enterprise, aided by a highly rhythmic undercurrent. Cowley injects a sense of antiquity into the program, via his slightly rustic sounding piano, shaded with a honky-tonk, full-bodied tone. It's an uncanny dimension that casts an earthy keynote into the grand schema, while enhancing ...

180
Album Review

Neil Cowley Trio: Radio Silence

Read "Radio Silence" reviewed by Karl Ackermann


In recent years, a number of piano trios have done an admirable job filling the void left by the untimely passing of Esbjörn Svensson and, by consequence, his pioneering trio, e.s.t. The Tingvall Trio, more than most, along with Sebastian Liedke, Marcin Wasilewski and Colin Vallon, have all overseen efforts that encapsulate a similar style and spirit. Notably, these trios are all European-based, as is the UK's Neil Cowley Trio. Virtually unknown in the United States, Cowley's longstanding group has ...

515
Album Review

Neil Cowley Trio: Radio Silence

Read "Radio Silence" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


Since it formed in 2005 the Neil Cowley Trio has developed its distinctive sound across two well-received albums. Displaced (Hide Inside Records, 2006) won the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Album, while the follow-up, Loud, Louder, Stop (Cake, 2008), gained additional plaudits. Radio Silence is album number three and it finds the Trio at the peak of its power, staking a real claim to being one of the most impressive piano trios in contemporary jazz. The ...

1,023
Interview

Neil Cowley: A Rock and Roll Take on Jazz

Read "Neil Cowley: A Rock and Roll Take on Jazz" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


It's not an observation based on hard evidence, but the jazz world seems to be more awash with piano trios than it has been for many years. Whether it's a whim of fashion, a response to economic recession, a reaction to the over-digitization of music technology, or something else entirely, is far from clear. But there do seem to be a lot of them about, and many of them are extremely good.

So how does ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic, ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic, ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic, ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today! As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today! As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Jazz Musician of the Day: Neil Cowley

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Neil Cowley's birthday today!

As a young boy, London-born Neil Cowley studied classical music at the prestigious Royal Academy, and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens, Cowley had joined a friend in a Blues Brothers tribute band, “as a way” he says “of getting into pubs”, yet the London pub circuit served him well—he learned to play classic... ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Neil Cowley Trio:...

Hide Inside Records
2016

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Spacebound Apes

Hide Inside Records
2016

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Touch and Flee

Naim Label
2014

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The Face of Mount...

Metropolitan Room
2012

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Radio Silence

Naim Label
2011

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