Three
Darren Pickering Small Worlds
Volume One
Released: 30 April 2025
Catalogue: RAT-J-1059
DARREN PICKERING
Darren is a jazz pianist, composer, educator, modular synthesist and session musician. Apart from the recordings made with his ‘Darren Pickering Small Worlds’ quartet, he has produced several solo electronic ambient works, and also enjoys performing with Bits of Beck, Swim Against the Tide, and Wulfie.
DARREN PICKERING SMALL WORLDS
Based in Ōtautahi (Christchurch, NZ), Darren Pickering Small Worlds largely perform works composed by pianist Darren Pickering along with re-imagined reiterations of selected works from other genres. The group mostly focuses on through-composed compositions and improvisation, and the artistic direction is determined equally by all members. The cinematic flavour of their sound is enhanced by the electronic textures of Darren’s ever-expanding collection of modular systems, synths, selected iPad apps and audio manipulation devices.
Their influences include Aaron Parks, Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band, The Cinematic Orchestra, EST, Floating Points, Jacob Karlzon, Kendrick Scott Oracle, Romain Collin, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Slowly Rolling Camera, to name only a few.