Lukas Akintaya

Lukas Akintaya is a Berlin-dwelling drummer and composer, who has gained attention not only as a sideman, but also as co-leader of diverse projects on the international stage. Born in 1991 in Lüneburg, Germany, he had been drawn to various musics from a young age on and started playing drums at the age of six. Following a majorly classical upbringing, he gained interest in improvised and more beat-driven music in his early teens. After high school, he earned a bachelor's degree from the jazz institute berlin (UdK). He further lived in New York City, where he earned a master's degree from the New York University.

During his time in New York, he had the opportunity to work with a row of inspiring artists. This is where HUES started; a project reflecting on his experience of moving to this new place. Arriving in New York, going through the process of re-orientating, absorbing and recalibrating, searching for a connecting line between the dots. It illuminates the journey of growing deeper roots and taking in new perspectives; a stream of thoughts at a given moment in time. HUES gathers bassist/guitarist Simon Jermyn, tenor saxophonist/clarinetist Jeremy Viner, guitarist Keisuke Matsuno, saxophonist Billy Drewes and pianist/synth player Elias Stemeseder.

The album will release on May 28 on Brooklyn-based indie jazz label Skirl Records.