James Heather
I would certainly recommend seeing Heather live in concert- even if classical piano isn’t necessarily your jam
Lee Harper
On Tuesday night I returned to one of my favourite venues, spending the evening at Norwich Arts Centre (NAC) to see the wonderful James Heather. Heather is a British pianist and composer based in London and is currently touring following the release of his second album ‘Invisible Forces’ in 2022. Seeing this performance live was something really different for me, as it’s not my usual preferred genre of music, yet Heather undeniably proved that classical piano really can be enjoyed by everyone, with his music providing a critically acclaimed multi-dimensional listening experience.
Heather’s music draws on a range of influences and inspirations, with roots in classical and jazz, beautifully entwined with accents of electronic and even post rock flavours, making for the perfect infusion of post-classical sound. Touring with ‘Invisible Forces’, Heather’s newest album focuses on the awareness of how the unseen agencies around us help to deepen our self- understanding, in relation to our association with the world around us. It is clear that Heather’s style is entrenched in the energies of nature and the natural world- his music creating a beautiful sense of the sublime- a feel reminiscent of the intricacies and poetic nature of romanticism.
It appears that lots of Heather’s music centres around self-discovery, with initial inspirations derived from the height of classical with composers such as Beethoven and Debussy, Heather has developed his style to produce a fresh and innovative take on piano music- rendering him a flourishing artist in the post-classical piano scene. His performance at the NAC featured a beautifully comprised set list of new pieces and also those from his debut album. Each piece was incredibly intimate and personal, a feeling reflective of the audience filling the NAC. A personal favourite of mine was a piece called ‘Biomes’, which wonderfully paints the picture of everything that the natural world could and should be- a rendition of Heather’s clear connection with nature, providing the audience with a snapshot into Heather’s beautifully brilliant mind.
The night was a hugely enjoyable experience and I would certainly recommend seeing Heather live in concert- even if classical piano isn’t necessarily your jam, Heather’s fresh take on the style shows it can be enjoyed by all.
Full picture gallery HERE
