Three

Darren Pickering Small Worlds

2026 BEST JAZZ ARTIST (finalist)

Following their critically acclaimed Volume One (2022) and Volume Two (2023), Darren Pickering Small Worlds continue their through-composed improvisational explorations into the melding of jazz and song-based structures, incorporating the “cinematic sonics” of modular synthesisers. Their music features lyrical melodies over shifting textures grounded in modern jazz harmony.

Darren Pickering (piano, synth, modular)
Heather Webb (guitar)
Pete Fleming (bass)
Jono Blackie (drums)

GRAHAM REID’S ELSEWHERE REVIEW

All compositions by Darren Pickering © 2025
Produced by Darren Pickering Small Worlds
Recorded at Rapaki Studios, Christchurch (NZ)
Engineered and mixed by Alex Harmer
Mastered by Steve Garden
Cover art ‘Sign of Life’ by Harry Harrison
Design by Unklefranc
Printing by Studio Q

This music was composed, performed, recorded, and produced in Aotearoa (NZ)

1. Green Blinking Light 03:13
2. What If 06:26
3. Tauhou Waltz 07:00
4. Soft Life 03:10
5. Hjartdal 02:38
6. Randall 07:54
7. Taylor Time 08:34
8. Folly 08:31
9. Push Bliss 01:41

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.