Lukas DeRungs Sextet

Jazz ensemble

Award-winning pianist-composer Lukas DeRungs, currently living in Mannheim, was nominated for Debut Album of the Year at German Jazz Prize 2023. His sextet line-up features Immy Churchill on vocals, Karim Saber on guitar, Oren Mcloughlin on drums, John Jones on bass, and Laurence Wilkins on trumpet. Six exceptional musicians blend into one body of sound.

Lukas's debut album KOSMOS Suite, a suite for chamber choir and jazz ensemble, was nominated for German Jazz Prize 2023. In 2024, he was awarded the Jazz Prize of Baden-Württemberg. Over the past years he has been an active part of the European jazz scene with his trio de lucs (Jazzopen Stuttgart 2016, Burghauser Newcomer Jazz Competition 2017, B-Jazz Leuven BE 2018) and his British-German quintet.

Aside from his own creative work, he is sideman in different original music projects and works as an arranger for choirs and vocal groups such as Jazzchor Freiburg.

In 2016, Lukas won first prize at both the International Jazz Piano Competition Langnau (CH) July 2016 and the Yamaha Jazz Piano Competition Nuremberg (DE) May 2016. He holds scholarships from the Art Foundation Baden-Württemberg, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Nicky Hopkins Award. In 2021, he graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London with distinction.

Lukas’ compositions express his love for pulse and rhythm, whilst reflecting various influences from contemporary jazz, European choral music and Eastern melodies. His music always maintains a strong identity and distinctive sound, which acts as the foundation for each band member's improvisations.

derungs.de

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Lukas DeRungs (piano)
Lukas DeRungs is an award-winning pianist and composer from South-West Germany. Currently living in Mannheim, he was nominated for Debut Album of the Year at German Jazz Prize 2023, and was awarded the Jazz Prize of Baden-Württemberg in 2024. Read more about Lukas above.

Immy Churchill (vocals)
Immy Churchill is a jazz vocalist, singer-songwriter, lyricist and educator studying at The Royal Academy of Music. She has been described as a “rising star”, striding out in the London jazz scene and playing her own original music at venues such as The Green Note, Pizza Express Holborn and The Vortex. This is also extended to performances alongside Emma Rawicz’s Quintet and Jazz Orchestra at Ronnie Scott’s and The Jazz Cafe. Read more about Immy here.

Karim Saber (bass)
Born and raised in London, British/Iranian guitarist Karim Saber is steadily building a profile as both a performer and composer to watch. Known for his instrumental prowess and creativity, he is in demand as a sideman and regularly tours throughout Europe as part of the Lukas De Rungs Quintet/Kosmos Suite project. In 2021, whilst studying at the Royal Academy of Music, Karim established his band, which features some of the most creative and in demand young musicians in London. His debut album 'Transmission' was released on UK based label Ubuntu music in January 2024.

Oren Mcloughlin (drums)
Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Oren has been a rising player on the UK music scene, including performances at venues such as The Roundhouse, Southbank Centre, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club and festivals across the UK. In addition to live performances, Oren works as a session musician and has recorded at Abbey Road Studios, with Sheku Kanneh-Mason for Decca Records, and BBC Maida Vale Studios for BBC Introducing. WAF regulars will remember Oren from his appearance as part of the Harry Baker Trio at our first Festival Jazz Night in 2022.

John Jones (bass)
John Jones is a London-based bass player who has played at London’s top jazz venues such as The Vortex, Pizza Express Soho and Ronnie Scotts. Born in a family of musicians, John grew up surrounded by music from Joni Mitchell to Chick Corea. He started playing electric bass at the age of nine and picked up double bass when he was seventeen. John studied music at The BRIT School and graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with a Bmus Jazz Bass degree. At the Academy he honed his craft with mentorship from UK jazz heavyweights such as Orlando le Flemming, Tom Herbert and Dave Holland. Since graduating, John has recorded and performed with a plethora of different musical artists across a multitude of genres, such as Karim Saber, Artie Zaitz, Maya Delilah, Tristan Mailliot and Ian Shaw.

Laurence Wilkins (trumpet)
Laurence Wilkins is a trumpeter, guitarist, producer and composer. A recent Royal Academy of Music graduate, Laurence has performed and recorded with the likes of Alfa Mist, Stamina MC, Pyjaen, Lucy Lu and Faye Meana. He plays music in a wide variety of styles including jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, pop and more. He also runs his own band Zeñel, a laptop-based electronic jazz project with whom he's performed at prestigious venues including Ronnie Scotts, Love Supreme Festival and La Petite Halle in Paris. Laurence also works as a mix engineer and producer, creating instrumentals in a wide variety of modern popular styles. Since graduating, he's started to break into the world of film and TV music, landing sync placements with popular brands and shows including Sky Cinema and VW.