Chapter 4: Los Angeles Calling
A New Era
As the first decade of the new millennium was drawing to a close, I was getting itchy feet again. The community in London didn’t feel as idyllic as it once had, and I was hungry for new challenges and opportunities. I was hungry for change. Personal circumstances brought about an opportunity to move to LA and I jumped at the chance. Especially having grown up in NZ by the Pacific Ocean, after a decade in London, I was ready for some sunshine and open sea again.
Six months into my LA experience, I was invited to a secret jam session in downtown LA, not knowing who would be there or what we would be playing. There, I met a number of my extended community-to-be including string arranger/viola player Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, trumpeter Todd Simon and vocalist Nia Andrews. Nia would also be the person responsible for helping me reconnect with the acoustic piano - an instrument I had all but forsaken over the preceding decade.
A Space Called CHURCH
An early edition of CHURCH at Angel’s Speakeasy, Santa Monica with Trevor Ware, Dexter Story, Derf Reklaw (2010)
“In London, I had a party called Freesoul Sessions and was missing hosting a regular event. I knew I wanted to do something in LA, but wasn’t sure what it was. One thing that had become apparent was that I wanted to move in a more jazz oriented direction, but still incorporating all that I’d done in London.”
I met singer-songwriter Nia Andrews at the secret jam (above) and soon after we began our ten-year relationship as both partners and collaborators. It was Nia who christened the party
‘CHURCH’ and would join me to feature at the shows and help to corral the community. Our personal partnership wasn’t destined to last, but I have nothing but gratitude for our time and endless admiration for her creativity and artistry. (photos 2013-17)
CHURCH was my chance to share the entirety of my musical journey over one night - equal parts jazz club, dance party, remix experiment - I wanted to put it all in the mix and show how inter-related all this music truly is.
LINER NOTES
Fan art from an LA show at the Blue Whale (2012)
CHURCH facilitated so many unforgettable collaborations - included those pictured here: Nai Palm of Hiatus Kaiyote, James Genus, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Nia Andrews, Eric Harland, Terrace Martin, and Moses Sumney (2013-15)
On stage with Kamasi Washington in LA (2015)
On stage with Soweto Kinch and Shabaka Hutchings in London (2016)
On stage with Byron Wallen in London; Nia Andrews, Andrea Lombardini and Josh Johnson in Hamburg; Harvey Mason, Lianne La Havas and Ben Shepherd in LA (2016)
A super special edition of CHURCH presented in partnership with underground dance party TheLIFT when we featured two icons, Grammy-Award Winning singer, songwriter, performer Jody Watley and the late great songwriter, musician and producer Leon Ware (2013)
A few of the CHURCH party flyers (2012-18); The party culminated in the eponymous album CHURCH - featuring both my NYC and LA bands and collaborators, funded through Kickstarter, and released on Ropeadope Records (2014).