Vertaal

“You need to go hunt this down. They’re making incredible music!” Tony Minvielle – Jazz FM A shared love of groove, nu-jazz, and artists as diverse as, Bonobo, Yussef Kamaal and Badbadnotgood bonded session drummer Ajit Gill and keyboard player Theo Howarth when they met as teens in their hometown in Hertfordshire. The resulting burst of shared musical ideas traversing spiritual nu-jazz, Dilla-inspired hip-hop, broken beat and neo-soul, gave birth to Vertaal, the duo developing a passion for the freedom and raw expression of the music. As a youngster living in the capital, Ajit was exposed to the contrasting musical worlds of East-Coast hip hop, d‘n’b and rave culture mixed with traditional music from his family’s Indian heritage. A fascination for complex rhythms and patterns developed, defining the unique style and beats he weaves into Vertaal’s sound. Touring with an iconic disco band, Theo was mentored in live sound from a young age, meeting various artists and producers which led to work in various studios whilst pursuing his own sound. Early Portico Quartet and Bonobo inspired a electronic project Triplet Code in which he developed a passion for writing and producing, developing a unique sonic footprint and the formation of Vertaal. Their day-jobs (both are producers, Theo is also a sound engineer and Ajit, a session drummer), have meant they are able to combine their skills to fashion an ever-shifting musical journey. For live gigs they are augmented by an ever changing line-up of guest instrumentalists who change the flavour of every show, stretching and expanding the arrangements. This informs their studio journey as their catalogue is constantly re-evaluated, re-recorded and re-released as part of their unique journey as an ever-evolving band. Vertaal have been a notable presence in capital over the last 18 months. Tipped as “ones to watch for 2019” by Jazz Re:freshed, Vertaal played an exclusive pick of sold out shows at prestigious venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Soho and the Jazz Café, before COVID! They have also supported the likes of Mark Guiliana (David Bowie), & Pete Ray Biggin (Level 42) and finished off 2019 guesting for Richard Spaven at The Cambridge Jazz Festival.

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