Neil Cowley was featured in one of our earliest Jazz Cafe showcases, and it seemed like a good time to find out what he’s been up to lately. A  classically trained pianist, he began performing at age 10 and continued to develop his style as he added keyboards to his arsenal.

He played with soul and funk acts like the Brand New Heavies, and a jazz-rock outfit. He recorded Foxbury Rules under the pseudonym Diamond Wookie before forming a duo, Fragile State, with Ben Mynott. They recorded 3 albums together.  His next project was the Neil Cowley Trio, focused on ambient, hook-laden jazz. From 2006 to 2018, he released eight albums with the trio before putting that project on pause. He’s released two solo albums since. The latest, Battery Life, was issued in March 2023, which Louder Than War calls “an artifact of ephemeral beauty.”

As a side musician, he's performed with the likes of Adele, Birdy, and Stereophonics, among others.