| Biography | Born in London 1983, Arthur Lea was awarded a scholarship to study Jazz Piano at Londons Royal Academy of Music, where he graduated in 2005. In 2003 he led the Arthur Lea Hiptet around various venues including the 606 Club, City of London Festival, and Dean Streets Pizza Express.
Since 2005 Arthur has toured, written, and recorded for Crème Anglaise, the soul jazz sextet of Supertramp saxophonist John Helliwell, also featuring Mark Hart of Crowded House.
Arthur plays piano, Eb horn and composes for Anglo-German quartet Paragon. With regular European tours winning them the Prix du Public at Avignon Festival 2006, the group released their second album Quarterlife Crisis in early 2010.
A founding member of Seb Pipes Life Experience, Arthur has recorded two albums and toured extensively with the M-Base inspired quartet, gaining airplay on Radio 3s Lineup, and critical acclaim.
Arthur performs and acts as Musical Director for Last Mango In Paris, a poetry led musical outfit, featuring female Beatbox Champion of the World, Bellatrix. Their comic angles on controversial issues have resulted in productions at Londons Southbank Centre, various theatres, and the V&A. He also plays every month at regular spoken word event Tongue Fu.
Since 2005 Arthur has been a member of RDA, on keyboards and lead vocals, performing soul folk-styled originals at major festivals across the UK. January 2010 saw their first eponymous release on Arthurs own Shakewell Records:
October 2007 saw Arthur in Argentina, and the formation of contemporary Anglo-Argentinian quartet Grito On The Corner, a popular Latin American repertoire leading to radio and cable TV play in two weeks.
Arthur performs prolifically around London and the UK, both publicly and for private events. Past engagements have taken him from Hong Kong to Kensington Palace to Geneva. He leads his own piano trio, The Way That You Do It, and also works in duo or solo. He recently started gigging with his sister Frances in eclectic covers and originals outfit, The Deep Southeast. Arthur holds a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music to teach piano, has several private students, and has worked for Lewisham Music Service since 2005. |