Brian Clemens Big Band Meets Tawanda

Brian Clemens

Brian Clemens is a London-based jazz pianist, arranger, and bandleader, originally from Los Angeles. After earning his master’s degree in California and studying under Grammy Award-winning pianist and arranger Bill Cunliffe, Brian established himself as a prominent figure in Los Angeles’ vibrant music scene. He has headlined renowned international jazz venues, including Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Jazz Grill and Istanbul's Nardis Jazz Club, as well as performances spanning from Los Angeles to Barcelona.

Now based in London, Brian leads his acclaimed jazz band, Luminoso, which recently completed a successful European tour. In addition to reimagining classic standards, he contributes original, infectious melodies to the band’s repertoire, evoking the timeless charm of the Great American Songbook. Brian also directs the Brian Clemens Jazz Orchestra, a production currently touring theatres across the UK.

In 2023, Brian released his debut album, Beneath the Blue, showcasing dynamic big band and smaller group arrangements of standards and original compositions, featuring some of Los Angeles’ finest jazz vocalists. The album earned praise from All About Jazz. In early 2024, he followed up with a live album recorded at London’s iconic Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho, featuring London-based vocalist Francesca Confortini. This release marked the beginning of Luminoso and set the foundation for their growing acclaim.

Tawanda
Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim is a first-generation New Mexico native singer and songwriter, currently based in sunny Los Angeles, California. An alumna of Santa Fe University of Art and Design with a focus on jazz vocals, she has won multiple prestigious awards, including first place in the Sarah Vaughan Vocal Jazz Competition (2021) and the BISTRO Outstanding Achievement Award for Jazz Vocalists (2023).

Her debut jazz album, Smile (2022), was made with love at Beverly Hills’ Resonance Records and is available on all streaming platforms. Additionally, she has been featured on Ivan Lins’ Grammy-nominated album My Heart Speaks (2023) and is looking forward to releasing original music soon.

Tawanda is proud to be a featured performer with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. She recently joined their Spring and early Summer 2024 tours in the US & beyond. Born to a German mother and a Mozambican father, Tawanda proudly embraces her heritage as the child of immigrants and strives to live up to the meaning of her name, "we are more."

For more information, check out tawandamusic.com.

"Tawanda seems to go from zero, to belonging in the esteemed company of Veronica Swift, Cecile McLorin Salvant and Cyrille Aimee in negative time, if that could be measured." AllAboutJazz.com