Erik Leuthäuser is a singer/songwriter/arranger based in Berlin and Arta Jēkabsone a Latvian born, New York based composer and curator who develops interdisciplinary projects. In 2018, the duo released their first studio album Yesterday Still Lies Between the Floorboards which utilised soundscapes through vocals, improvisation & electronics.
“Music full of overwhelming beauty and artistic daring.” Rolf Thomas, Jazzthing Magazine
In 2022 Erik Leuthäuser & Arta Jēkabsone have arrived on Irregular Patterns to release BEACHFINDS a collection of ten songs inspired by the poetry of Dean Wilson.
Erik Leuthäuser discovered the first volume of Dean Wilson’s poems while visiting a bookshop in London and introduced Arta Jēkabsone to his work while they were recording in New York. Instantly they fell in love with the simple, funny, emotive words and decided to write a song using a poem as lyrics and adding their beautiful voices and sparse, clever Instrumentation. One song became three, which became ten, and, now, here we are. Erik and Arta have never met Dean. They’ve never even spoken a word to each other. These Songs say all that is required.
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Arta Jēkabsone has won the prestigious Montreux Shure Jazz Voice Competition and added 3rd prize at the Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Voice Competition. A New York City-based vocalist engaging listeners with an emotional and honest, adventurous, and joyful expression of music. Her compositions are infused with the folk melodies of her homeland, Latvia. The music on her album, “Light” and “Reflections”, brims with intimacy, warmth, and crystal-clear focus. A vocal artist of the highest order, Arta regularly presents new works at the Jazz Gallery, one of New York City’s premier venues where she has recently been awarded the Jazz Gallery Residency Commission Grant 2021.
Erik Leuthäuser is an award-winning German singer, songwriter & arranger based in Berlin who uses his native language and electronics to create his own concept of music somewhere between modern jazz and experimental pop. Erik honours the jazz tradition by diving into lesser-known jazz standards. In May 2018 he released his 2nd studio record “Wünschen” on the prestigious record label MPS. Produced by American bass player Greg Cohen featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Joey Baron (drums). Erik has also provided background vocals for Quincy Jones, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Jacob Collier, as well as, recording albums with Jazz legends Alan Broadbent and Ken Peplowski.
