Daniel Inzani is a composer, pianist and producer based in Stroud, UK.
His musical upbringing was a mixture of touring, collaboration and recording in an eclectic variety of musical styles, predominately as a pianist and also as a harpist, bassist, guitarist and vocalist. As a self-taught musician and mathematician he experimented with combining rhythmic and harmonic structures from different parts of the world with live ensembles and improvisation. The majority of this period of development was in Bristol with the experimental music collective Bloom, which is where Daniel’s groups Spindle Ensemble and Tezeta formed.
Since 2015, he has focused primarily on contemporary classical composition for chamber music and audiovisual works. He also records and produces the majority of his own works using a specialised location recording studio consisting of vintage ribbon microphones.
Currently, Daniel is working on a new era of work to released in his own name (rather than as a band leader) and performed with different ensemble line ups.
‘This is cinematic music of a high calibre, executed with eloquent musicianship.’Songlines Magazine review of ‘BEA’ by Spindle Ensemble (4 stars)
‘Bea is a masterful piece of work filled with musical innovation and pastoral aspiration performed by musicians at the top of their game. All in all a perfect demonstration of exciting and modern classical music.’Line of Best Fit review of ‘BEA’, by Spindle Ensemble
‘If you love to be delighted by fluid and sparkling musical arrangements and instrumentation you’ll greatly enjoy this record‘ Nick Luscombe on ‘Inkling’ by Spindle Ensemble
Composition
Daniel’s composes a varied output of works for string quartet, piano trio, extended chamber ensembles and instrumental bands. He performs a solo artist with different line ups in these various styles and with his chamber quartet Spindle Ensemble. His chamber works have been best described as Neo-Impressionist, that is contemporary classical chamber music influenced by the Impressionist era in Paris championed by Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Daniel’s compositions are also heavily influenced by the community of musicians from the Bristol based experimental music collective Bloom which he has collaborated with since 2010, as well as music pioneers such as Moondog, Charles Mingus, Mulatu Astatke and Jonny Greenwood.
Daniel also led the Bristol based 8 piece group Tezeta (disbanded 2022) who combined Ethiopian jazz, world fusion, cinematic prog and group improvisation.
Performance
Daniel is a performer, arranger and the live band musical director for Cosmo Sheldrake, he also toured with Yola and Count Bobo. This is in addition to his solo piano performances and concerts with his groups Spindle Ensemble and Tezeta.
He has also made collaborative releases and performed with Alabaster dePlume, Leonie Evans, Cloudshoes, Dubi Dolczek, Simiah, Ellie Gray, Stevie Toddler and Edward Penfold.
In addition to work with the above musical artists, Daniel has performed world wide with theatre and circus productions including an Australian tour of ‘Bianco’ with No Fit State Circus, performances at Mayfest with Contact Gonzo (Japanese physical theatre group) and being musical director of the closing ceremony for Sanctum (Theaster Gates).
Recording
Daniel records and produce his own music using a specialised location recording studio which he take to churches and concert halls to capture 3D immersive sound images of live chamber music. The mobile setup consists predominately of ribbon microphones from Extinct Audio and X-Audia, combined with high definition digital capturing hardware which is then mixed, produced and mastered at his home studio.
His recordings, compositions and performances have received critical acclaim in various respected music publications and been played on various radio stations including BBC 1, 2, 3 and 6.
Audiovisual
Daniel has been a keen collaborator with visual artists since 2016. In 2021 he was a runner up in the Cameraless Film Competition by On8Mil and the David Lynch foundation. His entry was an animated music video for his group Tezeta, created by scratching, painting and applying inks directly onto 16mm film with post digital editing.
He has performed live with a selection of artists using digital art, kinetic painting, altered slide projections and analogue film visuals. He has created a series of videos with artist ‘Narna Hue’ and also collaborated with Marie Lechevallier (Aardman Studios), Fred Reed (Oscar and Grammy winning director of photography), Karen Dews, Paul Blakemore, Whitney Conti and Panther Panther.
Watch videos: http://danielinzani.co.uk/audiovisual/
Curation, commissions and outreach work
Alongside his musical output Daniel has curated a variety of events, performances, recordings and exhibitions, he is also the co-founded of Hidden Notes Records and the Bristol based experimental music collective ‘Bloom’. Curated activity includes:
Bloom Presents | A series of audiovisual concerts presenting experimental music in Bristol, Brighton and Stroud.
Solitone | Concert of chamber music in Churches in Gloucestershire
The Jester art exhibition | Presenting a collection of artwork created in response to the collaborative vinyl release with Alabaster dePlume at The Folk House, Bristol.
Sanctum (Theaster Gates) | Curation of the closing ceremony performance bringing together a diverse group of Bristol musicians.
Commissions include:
‘Caligo’ arrangement | London Symphonia (Canada)
Brass, woodwind and string quartet arrangements for Cosmo Sheldrake
Works for Spindle Ensemble and Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan (Ontario Arts Council)
Sounds for the Unseen | Piano day release (TEDx)
Live score for Tokyo based contemporary dance group ‘Contact Gonzo’ (Mayfest)
We All Live Together | Lockdown collaboration (GANE trust)
Live score for silent movie (Bath Film Festival)
Spindle Ensemble x Panther Panther | Audiovisual collaboration (Sharp Teeth)
Daniel is passionate about taking music into smaller communities and engaging with marginalised/disadvantaged audiences. He has run workshops and performed at SEN schools, hospitals, care homes and rural touring venues, often working with arts charity ‘Live Music Now’.
Projects as a band leader
Spindle Ensemble
Tezeta
Solo piano work
String Quartet works
Daniel Inzani Piano Trio
Projects as performer/recording artist
Yola
Dubi Dolczek
Alabaster dePlume
Harriet Riley
Ellie Gray
Ed Penfold
Toddler
Count Bobo
Count Bobo presents: Rocksteady Honeybuzzard
Past projects and collaborations
The Jester (vinyl release with Alabaster dePlume)
We All Live Together (lockdown collaboration)
Mission: Mahavishnu (performing the works of Mahavishnu Orchestra)
Leonie Evans
Cloudshoes
Lap of Honour
Simiah
Beth Porter
The Mandibles
Releases
2023 ‘Live In Toronto’ Spindle Ensemble x Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan
2022 ‘Fractals’ Spindle Ensemble x Tess Tyler
2021 ‘Inkling’ Spindle Ensemble
2021 ‘Sounds for the Unseen’ Piano Day release commissioned by TEDxStroud
2020 ‘Bird of Paradise’ vinyl release by ‘Count Bobo’ (Downbeat Melody)
2020 ‘Genie’ solo piano audiovisual collaboration with ’Narna Hue’
2020 Rocksteady Honeybuzzard Vol.2
2019 ‘Okemah Sundown’, Spindle Ensemble audiovisual collaboration with ‘Marie Lechevallier’
2019 ‘Chase’, Spindle Ensmeble music video directed by Fred Reed
2018 Rocksteady Honeybuzzard Vol.1
2018 BEA vinyl release by ‘Spindle Ensemble’ (Adderwell Music)
2015 ‘Seventh Place’ by ‘Tezeta’ (Bloom)
2013 ‘The Jester’ collaborative vinyl release with Alabaster dePlume (Debt Records)
Touring and notable performances
2023
CCB, Lisbon
St Ambrose, Bristol
2022
Jazz Stroud (supporting Hailu Mergia)
Hidden Notes Festival (solo piano set)
Bathurst Art Centre, Toronto (Spindle Ensemble commission with Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan)
KOKO, London
Cobalt, Newcastle
Pianodrome, Edinburgh
Strange Brew, Bristol (Tezeta’s final show)
2021
St Georges concert hall, Spindle Ensemble album launch
Graham Norton Show
Smugglers Festival
Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival
Bristol Beacon
2019
Various European tours with Yola, including:
Glastonbury festival live broadcast on radio 2 and BBC 1 with Yola
Cheltenham Jazz Festival
The Paradiso, Amsterdam
The Academy, Dublin
The Sage, Newcastle
100 Club, London
Bergenfest, Norway
PIP Festival, Norway
Black is Back Festival, Madrid
Hidden Notes – contemporary classical music festival with Spindle Ensemble
St Georges concert hall with Spindle Ensemble
2018
Southbank Centre with Spindle Ensemble
Americana UK award show with Yola
Celebration Days, France with Count Bobo
Contact Gonzo physical theatre production at Mayfest
2017
Jazz Stroud with Tezeta and Spindle Ensmeble
Shambala Festival with ‘Spindle Ensemble’, ‘Tezeta’, ‘Alabaster dePlume’ and ‘Dubi Dolczek’
Union Chapel with ‘Spindle Ensemble’
Spindle Ensemble with ‘Panther Panther’ audiovisual collaboration (Sharp Teeth Theatre)
2016
Glastonbury Festival, with various artists
Shambala Festival, with ‘Count Bobo’ and ‘Tezeta’
Lamer Tree Festival, with ‘Count Bobo’ and ‘Tezeta’
2015
Sanctum Arts festival (Theaster Gates), Bristol with various artists
Glastonbury Festival, various artists
Green Man Festival, with Tezeta and Count Bobo
2014
Australian tour of big top production ‘Bianco’ with ’No Fit State’ Circus