Glebe

Emerging fully formed into the creative hotbed of the young London scene, Glebe is a new project by two outstanding young player/composers - guitarist Kieran Gunter and multi- keyboard player Chris Bland. They first met at Leeds Conservatoire and later went on to house share in a quirky flat above a fish and chip shop on Glebe Place. It was during this memorable time of regular jamming, practising and listening to music together that they discovered a joint appreciation for the music of guitar/piano lead groups such as the Pat Metheny Group and The Impossible Gentlemen. Inspired in particular by the beautiful and revered compositions of Metheny and Lyle Mayes, the quintet that is Glebe was born. Supported by excellent and much in demand players on the London scene, their original music is characterised by highly emotive melodies, evocative soundscapes and a fascinating balance between sections of heavily detailed arranging and sections of great improvisation and spontaneity. Their debut album Gaudí showcases everything that makes the project unique, as a real band with its own clear identity, standing out from the contemporary scene both with its accessibility and with its originality. Packed full of memorable melodies and dynamic virtuoso performances, the album shows how Glebe has all the strengths of a true collaboration, drawing on a shared vision that always amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Diverse influences include contemporary jazz, Brazilian music, folk, and sophisticated pop. Gaudí shows throughout that Glebe has already established its own strong personality and are absolutely ones to watch the next few years. “Glebe takes its inspiration from, among other sources, Lyle Mays/Pat Metheny and Maria Schneider. It produces a clean, uncluttered sound that uses complex harmonies and time signatures to pack a punch, without slipping into aimless noodling.” Rob Ryan, Camden New Journal