James Illingworth

An intimate solo piano performance and live recording session.

Come and sit around the piano and join one of New Zealand’s most expressive jazz pianists for an intimate performance and live recording session. A highly skilled musician and versed in many genres, James Illingworth turns his attention to where he can truly shine, the art of solo jazz piano. Weaving together his emotive original compositions with freestyle improvisations, he will share with you his musical concepts, bringing them to life and to tape.

James graduated with a BMus from the Wellington Conservatorium and has worked with many artists and musicians at home and abroad. He can be heard on the NZ jazz album Mantis - The Music of Drew Menzies, with arrangements by Wellington composer John Psathas, which also features Reuben Bradley, Matt Penman, Roger Manins and the New Zealand String Quartet and his McCoy Tyner-esque licks flavour the title track of the Trinity Roots album Citizen.

Not limited to jazz music, James plays and composes for popular Australian hip hop band, Bliss n Eso, and can be heard on their albums Circus In The Sky and Off The Grid both of which debuted at #1 on the ARIA charts.