Ubuntu Music is proud to announce the signing of the innovative piano trio Meraki, to release their eponymous debut album worldwide on 28th August 2020.

Meraki is led by multi-award-winning pianist and composer Jacky Naylor, double bassist Nick Jurd and drummer Jonathan Silk. The trio effortlessly travel through the various moods, emotions and complexities of Naylor’s original contemporary music, whilst dynamically interacting. They completed an Arts Council funded tour in April 2019, and subsequently recorded their debut album at Real World Studios. The album has been mixed by August Wanngren (Phronesis, Marius Neset, Kenny Wheeler) and mastered by Peter Beckmann (The Printmakers, Julian Arguelles, Gregory Porter).

"Jacky Naylor is a fantastic creative musician, both as a player and as a composer, leading his own exciting and dynamic trio.” -- Kit Downes

Jacky Naylor grew up in the Yorkshire Dales, where the worlds of jazz and professional music were remote. He started studying with Mark Donlon, towards the end of his time at secondary school. In 2012 he received a Leverhulme scholarship to study a BMus (Hons) at Birmingham Conservatoire. During years one and two, Jacky was lucky to receive 1-1 tuition from John Taylor, a gold-standard role model both inside and outside the teaching room. In his third year, Jacky won the Conservatoire’s Composition and Arranging prize, judged by Judy Niemack (New York/Berlin), and was awarded a lesson with Maria Schneider. This interest in big band composition led to his debut album, Rough Boundaries, which sought to capture the characters of five contrasting cities through the diverse sounds and moods of a jazz orchestra. The album received four-star reviews from major jazz publications as well as being featured on Radio 3 and Jazz FM. The album was launched, subsequently, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, and The Vortex, London. For one piece in particular, ‘Bilbao’, Jacky won the Dankworth Composition Prize in 2016. It was part of a formative year as Jacky made a significant step from student to professional performer, reaching the semi-finals of BBC Young Jazz Musician, and graduating from Birmingham Conservatoire with First Class Honours.

Nick Jurd is a double and electric bassist based in Birmingham and touring internationally. He plays most regularly with Soweto Kinch, Trope, The Destroyers and Hansu-Tori, and freelances regularly around the UK jazz scene. Past performance and recording highlights include playing with Ernest Ranglin, Paul Dunmall, Andrew D'Angelo, ESKA, Stan Sulzman and Juice Aleem.

Jonathan Silk is a Scottish drummer, composer and band leader living and working in Birmingham. He has released two albums with his own big band and string orchestra to critical acclaim and worked with world-renowned composers Vince Mendoza and Maria Schneider as well as a host of other nationally and internationally renowned musicians. Awards include BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year award in 2014, the Yamaha Jazz Scholar Award 2011.

“One hears shades and echoes of Kenny Wheeler, Gil Evans and Maria Schnieder as well as the improvisatory flexibility of Graham Collier and Django Bates” --LondonJazzNews

Jacky explains how Meraki came together: “I went to see Nick Jurd and Jonathan Silk play most Sundays at the Old Joint Stock when I first arrived in Birmingham to study at the Conservatoire. It was another three years before we began to play together—on my debut album, Rough Boundaries featuring Birmingham Jazz Orchestra.

“Piano trios formed my path into jazz, from Bill Evans to Keith Jarrett to John Taylor, and then on to more modern outfits like Phronesis and Enemy. The space and freedom to improvise is quite unique, as well as the scope for both writing and improvising. I usually seem to write music that I can’t quite play and take it to Nick and Jonathan to figure it out together, it probably helps that we’re good friends too!

“I wanted to have a name for the trio, as it makes it feel more of a collective. Meraki means: ‘The soul, creativity or love you put into something: the essence of yourself that is put into your work.’ We think that sums up our music and approach to playing together pretty perfectly.”

Concerning their new relationship with Ubuntu Music, Jackie explains, “It’s incredibly exciting to be joining the Ubuntu Music family. With musicians like Tom Cawley and Andrew McCormack releasing with them, I think pianists are in safe hands! But I was also very keen to join Ubuntu because it’s a young label, helping young artists to stake their claim in the industry. It’s an honour to become part of a family stuffed full of energy and optimism. It’s also brilliant working with Martin Hummel. His support and enthusiasm are legendary and infectious. It’s a fantastic opportunity to have him fighting our corner.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes, “The moment I met Jacky and listened to Meraki’s music, I was immediately impressed. There’s an energy that takes over between these musicians and delivers something special. It reminds me of the early days of Phronesis, which is a wonderful pedigree. We’re so happy to welcome Meraki as the latest member of the Ubuntu Family, and we expect big things.”

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