‘Instead of doing drugs or joining a gang, I played piano’ Francois Pierron went from sleeping rough to starring on The Piano after teaching himself how to play and tickling the ivories at St Pancras

Since his previous English album My Name Is Michael Holbrook limped into the UK charts at No.57 in 2019, Mika has appeared to focus on the French side of his Paris/London dual upbringing. In 2023, Que

There’s a trepidatious growl from the contra-bassoon. Soon, it is joined by French horns, strings and timpani; the sound rumbles, snowballs – and then: abrupt silence. The piano sings into the stillne

The unconventional instrumentation favoured by Tortoise is an indicator of how many different lineups have always jostled for space under the jazz umbrella. The national treasure that is The Pete Alle

When the first pianos made it to India around the 18th century, during the heyday of the East India Company, their usage was confined to British colonisers and a small minority of aristocratic Indians

CAROLS are playing softly, their melodies floating into the kitchen where Miranda is standing at the hob, gently stirring mulled wine. From the bubbling pot, the smell of cinnamon and clove wafts thro