Multi-award-winning trumpeter/bandleader Henry Spencer’s album The Defector received an abundance of critical praise around its release in September 2023. Featuring fellow stalwarts of the British jazz scene Ant Law (guitar), Matt Robinson (keyboards), Andrew Robb (bass) and Dave Ingamells (drums) – as well as a string section – one review by Jazz in Europe even described it as ‘a masterpiece’.
Spencer and his band have since toured music from The Defector in France, Spain, Germany, Romania, Serbia and the UK. His next major performance, perhaps the most exciting yet, will be at jazzahead! 2025 later this month, where he is one of just THREE British artists performing a showcase (and the only one from England). He previews that and some other upcoming concerts in this exclusive interview…
UKJazz News: Your most recent album, released in 2023, is called The Defector. Can you give an overview of what that project was about?
Henry Spencer: I wrote the album The Defector inspired by the unbelievable bravery and moral courage of defectors. Originally, I was focused on North Korean dissidents, whose decision to face life-threatening danger and escape into the unknown, rather than live under dictatorship and oppression, left a lasting impact on me. From there, I began thinking about other types of defectors – the soldier who deserts an army committing war crimes, the partner who escapes an abusive relationship in search of freedom, or the politician who challenges their party to protect democracy. While I can’t fully relate to the suffering and bravery of these defectors, I’m deeply inspired by their moral courage, strength, and determination to change their lives for the better, and to help others around them.
UKJN: You work quite a bit with the other featured artists on the album. Talk about them and what they bring to your music…
HS: I love this band, firstly because they’re awesome people to hang with – which is pretty key on tour – and secondly because they’re all incredible musicians with amazing skill on their instruments. But most importantly, each of them brings a unique, personal musical approach that contributes to the band’s performance. I find it really exciting – and honestly pretty satisfying – how much overlap there is between the kind of music I’m drawn to, the music I’ve written, how I perform and improvise, and what they’re into musically. That’s what makes gigs so special – especially the spontaneous moments – where you get these really unique instances of improvisation, both individually and, even more so, as a group.
UKJN: They form the core of your band, but you also incorporate string orchestrations, electronics and a high production level. Is there something in particular that inspired that BIG sound?
HS: I’ve always wanted to draw the audience in so that they really engage with, follow, and are emotionally moved by the music. I aim to pull them into the music’s narrative with as much emotive and evocative clarity as if there were lyrics being sung. I write the music as a way to process my own experiences, but, just like with lyrics, I want the listener to connect the music to their own life and emotions. On the records and albums, all the extra instrumentation, orchestration, strings, additional production, and synths are there to enhance the original intent of the composition and to draw the listener in. The extra instrumental layers are often so subtle they might not be noticed by a casual listener – but, importantly, you’d notice if they weren’t there. They’re there to heighten the overall impact of the music’s intent.
When making records, I feel there’s almost a greater responsibility – or maybe a slightly different kind of responsibility – to engage the listener, so that they want to follow the narrative and be moved, compared to performing live. During live shows, there’s a much more tangible sense of the energy exchanged between the performers and the audience. There’s more communication – musically, through the visual element, as well as through the chat between tunes. This is why, when it comes to making recordings, I put a lot of effort into both the sound and the impact of the composition.
UKJN: Since its release, you have performed The Defector project in France, Spain, Germany, Romania, Serbia and the UK, including headline shows at Ronnie Scott’s and EFG London Jazz Festival. What were some of your touring highlights from those places?
HS: That’s right! I love touring with the band and I love performing for different audiences in different countries – there have been quite a few highlights for me.
In the UK, my first headline show at Ronnie Scott’s with my own band felt particularly significant. I’d played at Ronnie’s several times before, including with my band as a support act, but headlining was different. It’s always been a special place for me – not just because it’s an iconic jazz venue, but also because it’s the first jazz club I visited in London when I was about 12 – though I’m not sure that was technically legal!
I really enjoy touring abroad and experiencing the unique ways audiences respond in different countries. I nearly always challenge myself to do all of the chat on stage in the language of the country we’re in. It’s often a surprise to audiences, especially since I’m English – and we, probably quite fairly, have a reputation for being terrible at speaking foreign languages. It feels like the audience warms to us more quickly when I make the effort, though it can also lead to some pretty funny situations.
It’s pretty normal for them to hear foreign artists say the basic “hello” and “good evening” in their language – though sometimes just that’s enough to shock them. What really surprises them is when I keep speaking, or at least try to speak, their language. I remember in both Serbia and Romania, the audience went completely quiet at first – maybe out of surprise or confusion – before breaking into applause. A similar thing happened in the Basque region of Spain when I spoke in Basque/Euskara instead of Spanish or English. It’s like I can see the genuine surprise and confusion on their faces, and then, as the gig goes on, I think it becomes entertaining for them to watch me struggle!
I’ve been heckled a bit – like in Romania, where I got lost in my Romanian script and, out of panic, slipped into Italian. A guy in the audience then shouted that my Italian was better than my Romanian and that I should just stick to that. So from then on, I ended up doing this strange mix of quasi-Italian, Romanian, and a bit of French – just because we’d been in France a week before. In France, I fully expected them to be disgusted with me butchering their beautiful language, but they were surprisingly supportive. Though, at the end of the night, a lady came up to say I’d been using the wrong word for “song” the entire time.
I genuinely love getting stuck into the culture of the countries we tour – but, admittedly, this usually focuses on the food. I always do a bit of research on the local cuisine before visiting a new place. I love trying everything, and I always ask for local dishes if they’re offered by our hosts. In Serbia, an awesomely kind woman went out of her way to gather a big selection of local specialities for me to dive into after our show.
UKJN: Were you able to bring that large-ensemble-sound to live audiences with what I assume was a smaller band, or did you take a different approach for the tour?
HS: We’ve performed – and sometimes still do – with string ensembles and orchestras alongside the band. But when it’s just the four of us, I think we’re able to create a big sound thanks to the intensity and energy of the performance – which, as I sort of referred to earlier, is nearly impossible to replicate on a recording. We also use some simple but effective guitar FX pedals, an extra keyboard synth, and I put careful attention into the arrangement and orchestration of each composition.
UKJN: You are, rather excitingly, one of only three UK-based artists performing a showcase at jazzahead! later this month. What is the story behind how that came about?
HS: That’s right! It’s actually relatively rare for a band from England to be part of the European Showcases, so it feels really special to have the opportunity. It also feels like good timing – having released a couple of albums, received some international press, toured in Europe, and built connections over the past few years at jazzahead!. Now that I think about it, that probably all helped with getting selected – I’ve heard the application goes through quite a few panels. I’m really grateful for the opportunity.
UKJN: The band will be you with Ant Law (guitar), Matt Robinson (keyboards) and Jamie Murray (drums). Will you play music from The Defector or another project or a bit of both?
HS: We’ll perform music from both the latest album The Defector as well as some from the previous album The Reasons Don’t Change and the EP The Survivor and The Descendant.
UKJN: Will this be your first time at jazzahead! and what are you most looking forward to about playing a showcase there?
HS: I’ve actually been to jazzahead! quite a few times over the years to meet and build relationships with booking agents, festivals, and promoters. So it feels like great timing to be selected for a showcase this year, especially after having gradually built awareness of the music and made a lot of connections during previous visits. It’s brilliant to now be able to invite both familiar faces and new contacts to see the band live – especially since they might not otherwise get the chance unless we’re touring in their city or country.
UKJN: What other performances are you looking forward to?
HS: I’m looking forward to performing with my band at the beautiful venue in London, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens on 6th June, then we’re performing in Poole at The Lighthouse Theatre on 27th June and in Cambridge on 16th October.
UKJN: What else is next for you – are you working towards any other projects or recordings?
HS: Absolutely, we’re working on expanding our international touring, especially across Europe. Also, I’m really excited about the new album that we’re currently working on, and in the process of recording!
Henry Spencer’s showcase at jazzahead! 2025 will take place on 26 April (full showcase schedule below). His subsequent performances in the UK include World Heart Beat Gardens on 6 June, The Lighthouse Theatre in Poole on 27 June, and in Cambridge on 16 October (booking links, where available, are also below).
