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EFG London jazz festival Belle Chen engines orchestra ravel in the forest earth 2024.jpg

BELLE CHEN WITH
ENGINES
ORCHESTRA
STRINGS: RAVEL IN THE FOREST
(LIVE L-ISA HYPERREAL SOUND)
+ ANNA PHOEBE

Mon 18 November 2024
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
EartH Theatre, Hackney, London

Pianist-composer Belle Chen brings her unique immersive live performance to EartH Theatre, reimagining her whimsical and imaginative album ‘Ravel In The Forest’ live with her modern chamber ensemble.
 

This special performance will be presented in L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound by L-Acoustics.


Notes fall like raindrops, quickening pace as the clouds gather. The piano melody splish sploshes into the electronic soundscape; the trees become denser, the journey more profound. Belle Chen's new album ‘Ravel In The Forest’, leads the listener through ancient woodland, quiet clearings and tropical canopies. We're accompanied by birds, a chameleon, a dragonfly – the wonder of the natural world is imbued into this imaginary space.


Praised as an artist that is “Original and provocative… feels like the sense of discovery” (Brian Eno), the Australian Music Prize-nominated artist’s latest album charted at #7 UK Chart (Specialist Classical) and #15 Australia ARIA Chart (Classical).
 

In her live shows, Belle takes a quirky, yet tender approach to musical storytelling. With the unmistakable influences of Maurice Ravel, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Joe Hisaishi’s melodic sweetness shining through, Belle blends sonic synth explorations and free flowing improvisations that feel equally at home on jazz or experimental stages.


In this special performance, Belle is joined by a string quartet from the award-winning Engines Orchestra led by Phil Meadows (Metropole Orkest, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia), multi-instrumentalist Brendan Cox (Imogen Heap, Guy Sigsworth, Patrick Wolf), and Korean piri artist Seayool.


Line-up

Belle Chen Piano, Keys, Synth

Phil Meadows MD with the Engines Orchestra String Quartet

Brendan Cox Keys, Guitar

Seayool Piri, Vocals

With Anna Phoebe


Opening the evening is multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and presenter, Anna Phoebe. Her solo performances are centred around the violin, building visceral soundscapes which are not just heard, but experienced. Anna’s live performance envelopes the audience in a sonic landscape that is at once raw and beautiful, familiar and otherworldly, and serves as a rich immersive musical response to the natural world. 

Anna's music has been championed heavily by the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music and KEXP. 2024 highlights have included selling out her first solo tour of the UK, Radio 3 performances with Jools Holland and a standout hybrid DJ and live collaboration with DJ Mary Anne Hobbs at the BBC 6 Music Festival. 

Ravel In The Forest - Live in L-ISA Hyperreal Audio

'Ravel In The Forest' defies categorization, providing a refreshing experience that reconnects audiences with nature, music, and introspection. 
- Shesaid. so

There are few places more beautiful, or serene than the universe of pianist Belle Chen’s new album ‘Ravel In The Forest’
- ​Flush the Fashion ​​

Belle Chen persistently pushes the limits of musical expression.

Fame Magazine

Her music is not only meant to connect listeners to nature, but to connect them to themselves. 

Metal Magazine

Nature’s melody lingers in Belle Chen‘s music, shining through each composition like a gentle caress of comfort.

c-heads Magazine

She understands how each note is a masterpiece and how every phrase is a musical poem. She gets it. Plain and simple. This is an artist that you listen to on your alone time and ingest. Take in. Absorb. It’s right here.

Jammerzine

Much like the album, from the first keys slowly sprouting like young seedlings, in no time at all, forests and vistas were painted all around us. The performances were immaculate, warm, soothing..

Giles Sibbald

Ravel in the Forest
Composed by Belle Chen
All instruments and programming by Belle Chen
Mixed by Dougal Lott at Platoon7 London
Additional Mixing by Bobby Williams
Mastered by Dave Darlington of Bass Hit Studios NYC
Atmos Master by Stan Kybert of Music Immersive
Produced by Belle Chen & Burke Turner

 
Released on the Platoon Label: PLAT19545
Listen now via your preferred music service

© 2023 Belle Chen

"Chen's touch on the piano is gorgeous"

- Michael Coghlan, The Clothesline Adelaide

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