Description

THE SOUL WITHIN

"God is a poet, not a mathematician." (Johann Georg Hamann)
As modern and contemporary as it is, the new project by saxophonist and composer Klaus Bru is undeniably inspired by the past, precisely by the ideals of the romantic era of the 1800's and 1900's. Some keywords: Inwardness, introspection, love for nature, love for art and poetry. Or simply: the culture of feeling versus the culture of reason.  

"The subject matter of music is infinity." (E.T.A. Hoffmann)
There is limitless space for musical creation in this music called Jazz, and the one in question can be described as delicate, atmospheric, introspective, spacious, at times peaceful and soothing, at times bewildering and disconcerting, and all of it played with a "romantic gesture", an approach inspired by the ideas of Romanticism. 

"It is through sounds and images, dreams and visions, that the gate to understanding can be opened." (Tim Blanning)
Klaus Bru has composed a dozen pieces that mix acoustic instruments with electronic sounds and blend them into one sonic world. The result may be eclectic, but it?s made from the same mould. The accompanying visuals were hundreds of years ago by the great painters of the romantic era, and Daniel Devlin has prepared them for the premiere of The Soul Within at the Crypt .

"It is only through beauty that man makes his way to freedom." (Friedrich Schiller)
Doesn?t this quote sound absurd in times like these? An instrumental music concert has zero to do with politics, right? But think again: Isn?t it a political move to consciously drown the wrongs of the world in music that makes you forget all atrocities and heals your heart?       

"I return into myself, and find a world." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
What you'll see and feel when listening to The Soul Within is entirely on you. Close your eyes then. Something will resonate.

"Words, like nature, half reveal and half conceal the soul within." (Alfred Lord Tennyson)
Remember this one.

Klaus Bru: Concept, compositions, C-Melody saxophone; Meg Morley, piano; Pedro Velasco, guitar; Jakub Cywi?ski, acoustic bass; Adam Merrell, drums; and Daniel Devlin, visuals and design. 

The Band
Diversity is something that London really can do: A line-up that spans different generations, nationalities, artistic backgrounds, five musicians who all have left their mark on the creative London jazz scene. Concept artist Daniel Devlin has created visuals from romantic paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries to accompany the performance.

Klaus Bru (C-Melody Saxophone), Compositions 
Klaus, the mastermind behind this project, grew up in Southern Germany, and lived and worked as an artist and musician in Austria, Germany, Taiwan, China, the U.S, and since 2015 in the UK. He graduated in Jazz Saxophone from the Music University in Graz/Austria. Some keywords that outline his long career (in random order): Playing Jazz (everything from Mainstream to Free Jazz), Rock, Chart-Pop, Avant-Garde, Folk Music. Scoring for theatre, film, dance. Working as an actor, sound artist, music producer, live sound engineer, mixing engineer, language and music teacher, translator, road manager, promoter, cultural manager, copywriter and author. Klaus exclusively plays C-Saxophones, namely C-Melody Sax and C-Soprano Sax, which became literally extinct in the 1930?s. He brings these beautiful instruments back into play in a modern way, often infusing them with electronic effects seen on the pedalboards of electric guitar players. Over the years, Klaus has devised a number of cross-discipline art projects, and collaborated with a vast number of musicians and bands. He co-led Ka Dao Yin, a world music improvisation ensemble from Taipei awarded the Golden Melody Award (?Taiwan Grammy?). Since he arrived in the UK in 2015, Klaus has been heard mostly with London?s free improvisation and experimental music scene, and several times at the Crypt, among others with ?Elastic Standards?, a project of "stretched? jazz tunes. 
 
Meg Morley (Piano) 
Meg?s approach to the piano is one of rich harmony, refined taste, and a great sense for dramatic development. She is from Melbourne, Australia. Classically trained from the age of two, she has studied classical piano, composition and jazz improvisation, and worked for the Australian Ballet before moving to London in 2010. Since then, various international dance companies such as Matthew Bourne and Pina Bausch have made use of her talents. Meg, who was deemed an Exceptional Talent by Arts Council England, has composed several scores for silent films, which were shown in the UK and at international film festivals. She is currently a house pianist for the British Film Institute at Southbank Centre, and has become the person to turn to for illustrating the dramatic world of silent films with bespoke music. She has released a solo piano EP ("Through the Hours?), and one album with her piano trio ("Can?t Get Started?), with another album coming in June, accompanied by a tour through London music venues.
 
Pedro Velasco (Guitar)
Pedro, originally from Lisbon, Portugal, is a guitar player with a rounded, full tone and a strong lyrical approach, supported by an array of effect pedals that let him enter the realm of orchestral, truly romantic music-making. Pedro graduated with a first-class honours degree in Jazz Performance from Middlesex University, and now also plays other string instruments like double bass, Portuguese guitar and oud. He is a leading member and composer in several ensembles, like the Pedro Velasco Trio, Akimbo, Machimbombo, the avant-garde group Splatter, and most recently his duo with guitarist Harry Christelis, which has just released their first album (?Scribbling?) on Ubuntu Records.
 
Jakub Cywi?ski (Double Bass)
Jakub, who was born and raised in Poland, is a virtuoso on his instrument and accomplished in a copious range of musical styles. Jakub studied double bass at the Royal College of Music in London. His ensuing freelance career has taken him to India, Russia, Lebanon, Romania, France, and Portugal. Jakub explores his interest in collaborating with contemporary classical composers and such diverse artists as singer Ola Onabulé, UK jazz group Partikel, Polish ensemble Power of the Horns, guitarists Nicolas Meyer and James Kitchman, and drummer Phelan Burgoyne.

Adam Merrell (Drums)
Adam Merrell, from the UK, is a young drummer with great skills, open ears and a wide-open mind for any meaningful utterance in the immeasurable field of beautiful music. He draws heavily on influences from Jazz and English folk music. Adam has been involved with some of the leading lights of the UK music scene, including Martin Speake, Tom Challenger, NYJO and Morsyca, and has performed at prestigious venues like Ronnie Scott?s, Cafe OTO and King?s Place.  

Description

Church Street,

Camberwell,

Greater London,

England,

SE5 8RB.