Daniel Luke Album Launch

Daniel Luke Album Launch

Thursday, 25 May 2023, 7.30pm

Daniel Luke plays his first ever London show to celebrate the release of his debut album ‘Shadow Dance’.

On the Irish Times ones to watch list 2023, Daniel Luke is one of the most interesting artists coming out of Ireland today. In celebration of the release of his debut album ‘Shadow Dance’, Daniel heads out on the road for his album launch tour to The Duncairn, Belfast (Thursday 18th May); Levis Cornerhouse Ballydehob, West Cork (Friday 19th May); Alter Roter Löwe Rein, Berlin (Tuesday 23rd May); Servant Jazz Quarters, London (Thursday 25th May); and The National Concert Hall, Dublin (Tuesday 30th May).

BANDCAMP:
https://daniellukemusic.bandcamp.com/album/shadow-dance

SPOTIFY:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5SSa3yMZdWPtXP7LcSjTvA?si=NNyLJsWjQAKYrZwDoL_QGw

From the very first notes, it's clear that ‘Shadow Dance’ is a work of exceptional beauty and emotional depth. Daniel's playing is delicate and expressive, imbuing each composition with an intimate warmth that draws the listener in.

What sets Daniel's work apart is his ability to blend musical styles and influences into something entirely his own. Drawing on his classical training, he incorporates elements of jazz, contemporary, and neoclassical music, creating a uniquely playful and vibrant sound.

Speaking on the album, he says “Shadow Dance is a culmination of a few different influences. My classical training, along with the years I spent in bands and the jazz lessons all contribute to what I would consider quite concise, melody driven pieces; playful and esoteric at times, and leaning towards the ambient and mediative at others. I have also taken inspiration from some of my favourite modern pianists, Chilly Gonzalez, Joep Beving, Olafur Arnalds and Lubomyr Melnyk to name a few. And classically speaking, my greatest influence would be the piano music of Chopin.”

The album itself is very personal and intimate to Daniel, “a lot of what you hear is me discovering my voice on the piano. The recording process was also a personal and intimate one.

The album was written and recorded in my childhood home, and my brother James (J Smith) recorded and engineered it brilliantly. It was a cathartic experience, and it felt like the culmination of a long journey, recording the album where I had spent countless hours learning to play. We recorded the album over two days in 2022.

The album was mixed and mastered by Ben Rawlins, a good friend of mine. Ben is extremely knowledgeable in both the classical world and in the world of recorded sound. His maxim is that performance is king, and once that is right everything else usually falls into place. He is happy to let the performance do the talking, and then he just makes it sound as good as it can. James did a great job recording the album, and Ben’s mix was exactly right.”

ABOUT DANIEL LUKE

The pianist, composer, and arranger from Dublin was a founding member of Gypsies on the Autobahn, releasing two critically acclaimed albums and touring Ireland and the UK extensively for over a decade.

A multi-instrumentalist, Daniel spent many years playing drums and keys in various Irish projects. In 2017 he moved his focus to piano, achieving the highest diploma available for teaching with the Royal Irish Academy of Music. More recently his piano playing has featured on J Smith’s debut album, and on tracks with Stevie Appleby.

In his childhood home in Cabra in early 2020, Daniel Luke began work on a project of solo piano music.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellukepiano/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanGota
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7MqR9hflQxb3YzurijtPB3

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Daniel Luke - Shadow Dance

Published by Louise Barker on 15 May 2023

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