The Italian pianist Stefano Bollani will be touring the UK this month with his ‘Danish trio’ in support of their well-received debut album for ECM, 2009’s Stone in the Water.

We last saw Bollani on UK shores in November as he undertook a week’s residency at the Kings Place venue as part of the London Jazz Festival. He took that opportunity to showcase his I Visionari quintet as well as duos with accordionist/pianist Antonello Salis and Enrico Rava. April’s tour however will be the first UK dates for this trio, having toured extensively throughout Denmark and Scandinavia.

Widely regarded as among Denmark’s finest rhythm section players, bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund met the pianist in 2002 as sidemen in the band of that other great Italian progressive, trumpeter Enrico Rava. Bollani describes the instant “special chemistry” felt between the musicians, which has driven them to keep working and developing as a trio for over six years. Their upcoming performances will feature original compositions from Bollani and Bodilsen plus re-workings of pieces by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Francis Poulenc – both huge influences on the pianist.
– Peter Horsfall

Providing a fitting end to the tour, Bollani will be visiting Europe’s oldest purpose built concert hall, the Holywell Music Room in Oxford on Sunday 25 April. The other dates are: Nottingham Djanogly Theatre on Wednesday 21 April, Southampton Turner Sims Concert Hall on Thursday 22 April, Manchester RNCM on Friday 23 April and Halifax Dean Clough Crossley Gallery on Sunday 24 April.