Pianist Neil Cowley has played with some huge music names from Adele to Professor Green. Here he talks to Ramsgate Music Hall owner Jules Bigg ahead of a gig there this weekend.

You have played for some diverse artists – Professor Green, Adele and the Stereophonics to name a few. If you could reboot your career, would you choose another genre?

I don’t really associate the music that we do with jazz. To me that is the sumptuous swing of someone like Errol Garner or Ahmad Jamal. I love playing jazz, but it’s a far cry from what we do on stage. We dip our toes in many genres. If I had to choose it would be soul and funk.

Adele’s 21 album was huge. How did you come to play on it?

I got a call one afternoon in 2007 from producer Jim Abbiss. His manager knew me from my days with the Brand New Heavies. He explained he had a new singer called Adele, so in I went. She set up on one side of the studio, I set up on the other and within 15 minutes we had Hometown Glory recorded. That’s how we did it from that day on, just me and her in a room with other elements added later. Easy to do when you have someone who always delivers like her.

You also played on Zero 7’s When it Falls LP. What are your memories of working with them and did that shape your own future?

The downtempo movement did have a fundamental effect on me. I had two albums of my own at the time under the moniker Fragile State directly linked to that sound. A friend of mine had their first LP and said ‘you gotta hear this’. Then I got a call asking me if I wanted to play. I was reluctant at first, but ended up spending a year with those lovely guys and of course they had the now hugely famous singer Sia with them.

What was it like playing Shostakovich at the age of 10 in the Queen Elizabeth Hall?

I remember it was a concert of two halves and being the only soloist, and featuring in the second half. I spent the entire first half backstage on my own whilst the orchestra played. I just paced around, sweating and going to the loo. My first taste of intense nerves – before then I had no idea I was addicted to performance. That planted the seed. I still love Shostakovich.

What other instruments can you “wing” playing live?

None. I’m a one instrument man. The piano would never allow it. She’s very jealous.

If you could get in a Tardis who would you see in their heyday?

I would see Frank Zappa. That’s my big regret, I just didn’t get it together. I shall never forget seeing James Brown at Wembley Arena. I am grateful to be amongst the relative few that saw him do his thang!

DETAILS

Neil Cowley has released six original albums with his trio, the latest of which is Spacebound Apes. The concept album contains some of his most impassioned music and has an 11-chapter book to accompany it. The Neil Cowley Trio will be at Ramsgate Music Hall on Friday, March 3, at 7.30pm. For tickets at £19 visit ramsgatemusichall.com.