Jack Jennings & Omar Puente 'Allied with Nature' Album Launch
In collaboration with Martyn Stewart ~ Wildlife Sound Recordist
Two of the most electrifying virtuoso's of the UK scene, creating new music inspired by the world's biggest natural sound library. It's a powerful electric band led by Guitar and Violin, combining Raga themes of Indian Classical Music, with a Jazz/Rock rhythm section of Domenico Angarano on bass, Arthur Newell on drums.
Bringing Nature’s voice to the project is Martyn Stewart and The Listening Planet - a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to preserving the Earth's most fragile soundscapes. Martyn has spent a lifetime traversing the globe, recording the raw, untamed voices of the wild - from the haunting call of an Arctic wolf to the rhythmic symphony of a rainforest at dawn.
This collaboration doesn’t just feature nature’s sounds - it weaves them into the fabric of the music itself. The Listening Planet's vast archive of field recordings transforms the album into a living, breathing conversation between musicians and the natural world. Each note, each rhythm, is in dialogue with the calls, cries, and whispers of creatures that have sung for millennia.
More than an artistic fusion, this album is a call to action. A portion of proceeds will support The Listening Planet’s mission to protect endangered species and the fragile environments they call home. By integrating these soundscapes into the concert experience, we invite the audience to listen with new ears - to hear the undeniable connection between Music and Nature, and to be reminded that every voice, human or otherwise, deserves to be heard.
Omar Puente ~ Electric Violin
Omar is one of the world’s leading violinists and a well respected artist of the London Jazz and Latin music scene. Beginning his career in the late 80’s as the 1st chair violinist of the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, he then toured American and Mexico with the ‘Jose Maria Vitier Jazz Band’ and moved on to play with leading members of the Buena Vista Social Club. In 1997 he moved to the UK and had a tremendous impact continuing to work with the best in business and making his name as a band leader and solo artist.
He has played with Nigel Kennedy, Eddie Palmieri, and collaborated on a jazz project with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Among other well known musicians he has played with are guitarist John Williams, pianist Robert Mitchell, Jools Holland, Kirsty MacColl, Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo of the Buena Vista Social Club. Puente is a regular member of the band of saxophonist Courtney Pine, who produced his debut solo album From There to Here (2009).
Omar is one of the world’s leading violinists and a well respected artist of the London Jazz and Latin music scene. Beginning his career in the late 80’s as the 1st chair violinist of the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, he then toured American and Mexico with the ‘Jose Maria Vitier Jazz Band’ and moved on to play with leading members of the Buena Vista Social Club. In 1997 he moved to the UK and had a tremendous impact continuing to work with the best in business and making his name as a band leader and solo artist.
He has played with Nigel Kennedy, Eddie Palmieri, and collaborated on a jazz project with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Among other well known musicians he has played with are guitarist John Williams, pianist Robert Mitchell, Jools Holland, Kirsty MacColl, Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo of the Buena Vista Social Club. Puente is a regular member of the band of saxophonist Courtney Pine, who produced his debut solo album From There to Here (2009).
Omar Puente ~ Electric Violin
Jack Jennings ~ Guitar
Jack is a disciple of world-renowned sitarists Roopa Panesar and Shakir Parvez Khan, who have guided him to develop a deep Classically-rooted approach, while exploring the potential of the guitar as a new voice within Indian Classical music.
He has worked closely with other great Indian musicians such as Pandit Sanju Sahai, Manish Pingle, Gurdain Rayatt, Kuljit Bhamra and Chandra Chakraborty. Also from the London Jazz scene Omar Puente, Shanti Jayasinha, Domenico Angarano and Arthur Newell are involved in his upcoming live and studio projects.
Under the name Nataraja, a live album titled 'Spirit At Play' was released in March 2024 on Geomagnetic Records. This album was recorded in full, on stage, with no second takes whatsoever. It is this creative, spontaneous environment that gives the music its power. Imagine Jimi Hendrix following in the footsteps of Ravi Shankar, that's the spirit of this music.
Jack is a disciple of world-renowned sitarists Roopa Panesar and Shakir Parvez Khan, who have guided him to develop a deep Classically-rooted approach, while exploring the potential of the guitar as a new voice within Indian Classical music.
He has worked closely with other great Indian musicians such as Pandit Sanju Sahai, Manish Pingle, Gurdain Rayatt, Kuljit Bhamra and Chandra Chakraborty. Also from the London Jazz scene Omar Puente, Shanti Jayasinha, Domenico Angarano and Arthur Newell are involved in his upcoming live and studio projects.
Under the name Nataraja, a live album titled 'Spirit At Play' was released in March 2024 on Geomagnetic Records. This album was recorded in full, on stage, with no second takes whatsoever. It is this creative, spontaneous environment that gives the music its power. Imagine Jimi Hendrix following in the footsteps of Ravi Shankar, that's the spirit of this music.
Jack Jennings ~ Guitar
A wonderful coming together of artists, creating one of the finest examples of Indo-Jazz music. An experience not to be missed!"
Pravinder Singh - Milap
Honoring the Roots: Nature and Raag
Indian Classical Music has always echoed the rhythms of the natural world. According to ancient texts, each note—each swar—is connected to an animal sound. A peacock for Sa, a goat for Ga, an elephant’s call for Ni. Even the seasons are expressed through Raag. Monsoon rains. Desert winds. Evening stillness. Here’s how the Indian scale sings through nature:
Re – the push of the bull – full of eager movement
Ga – the bleat of the goat – round, warm, human
Ma – the call of the dove – balanced, peaceful
Pa – the cuckoo’s song – sweet, attention-catching
Dha – the horse’s neigh – brave, passionate
Ni – the elephant’s trumpet – powerful, reaching for return
By bringing these sounds back into the music—literally—we’re returning to the source. Rewilding the music. And reminding ourselves that if we lose these voices in the real world, something essential in art will be lost too.
A wonderful coming together of artists, creating one of the finest examples of Indo-Jazz music. An experience not to be missed!"
Pravinder Singh - Milap
Domenico Angarano ~ Bass
After graduating in Jazz at the Naples Conservatory of Music, Domenico Angarano attended various improvisation workshops in Italy, New York and London, with artists such as Medeski Martin & Wood, Cyro Baptista, David Fiuczynski.
Since relocating to London he has moved into the world of contemporary dance, as well as continuing to specialize in arrangement and composition. He has composed and played for Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter, Hannes Langolf, Becky Namgauds, Jorge Crecis, the Hong Kong Academy of Arts,, English National Ballet and for choreographers Riccardo Buscarini, Jean Abreu, Marso Riviere, Hagit Yakira, Lee Brummer, Leila McMillan, Krishna Zivraj, Stefano Rosato, Marie Forbes, Stefan Jovanovic.
In the last 20 years he acquired knowledge of music from South Italy, West Africa, India, Southern Europe, Brazil, Cuba and the Middle East.
All of these cultures inform his creative process to aim towards a new form of western contemporary music infused in these traditions. Music that shows how connected human beings are, in a world that is politically moving towards a more fragmented and individualistic society.
Education to different cultures and consequently to different music styles can bring diverse audiences together. Both music and dance can become more accessible to areas of society that otherwise don’t see these forms of art as representative of contemporary society.
After graduating in Jazz at the Naples Conservatory of Music, Domenico Angarano attended various improvisation workshops in Italy, New York and London, with artists such as Medeski Martin & Wood, Cyro Baptista, David Fiuczynski.
Since relocating to London he has moved into the world of contemporary dance, as well as continuing to specialize in arrangement and composition. He has composed and played for Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter, Hannes Langolf, Becky Namgauds, Jorge Crecis, the Hong Kong Academy of Arts,, English National Ballet and for choreographers Riccardo Buscarini, Jean Abreu, Marso Riviere, Hagit Yakira, Lee Brummer, Leila McMillan, Krishna Zivraj, Stefano Rosato, Marie Forbes, Stefan Jovanovic.
In the last 20 years he acquired knowledge of music from South Italy, West Africa, India, Southern Europe, Brazil, Cuba and the Middle East.
All of these cultures inform his creative process to aim towards a new form of western contemporary music infused in these traditions. Music that shows how connected human beings are, in a world that is politically moving towards a more fragmented and individualistic society.
Education to different cultures and consequently to different music styles can bring diverse audiences together. Both music and dance can become more accessible to areas of society that otherwise don’t see these forms of art as representative of contemporary society.
Domenico Angarano ~ Bass
Arthur Newell ~ Drums
Arthur Newell is a London based drummer and percussionist. He has worked with numerous artists around the world either touring or in the studio. Including Adam Wakeman (Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne), Jordan Rakai, Mohamed Gueye, and Namvula. Arthur is able to work across genres and has developed a unique style influenced by his studies in jazz, West-African, and Brazilian musical heritages.
“Omar Puente’s contribution to 20th and 21st century violin playing has now become legendary. His generous nature, his commitment to good music, his enjoyment of life and his respect for his colleagues are all characteristics which make him a true violin great”
Nigel Kennedy
