Miles Pillinger - Debut album and UK tour dates.

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Drummer and composer Miles Pillinger will release his debut album "Belonging" on 23rd October 2026. He will play a short series of UK live dates during September and October.

We have received the following press release;

Belonging by Miles Pillinger featuring Olivia Cuttill, Tom Harris, Benjy Sandler and Josh Vadiveloo

Miles Pillinger
BELONGING
Miles Pillinger Music - MP001CD
Release date (D/CD/LP): Friday 23 October 2026

Live shows;

15 September - Leeds, Heart Headingley

17 September - Manchester, Carlton Club

20 September - London, MAP Studio

18 October - Cambridge, The Lab

20 October - Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Late Late Show Upstairs (album launch)

Belonging is the debut album from drummer and composer Miles Pillinger, bringing together original jazz compositions inspired by the people, places and musical traditions that have shaped his life. Recorded with Olivia Cuttill (trumpet), Tom Harris (piano), Benjy Sandler (tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, flute) and Josh Vadiveloo (double bass), with guest appearances from Thandanani Gumede (vocals), Emma Marsh (percussion) and Helen Pillinger (tenor saxophone), the album reflects Brazilian and South African musical influences within a modern jazz setting.

The title track introduces the album’s central theme, taking inspiration from Pharoah Sanders, Joyce Moreno and Abel Selaocoe. Featuring guest vocalist Thandanani Gumede, it expresses the album’s message of community and hope. Inspired by Pillinger’s time in Brazil, ‘Olinda Meu Amor’ celebrates the music, dance and culture of Olinda and Recife through the frevo rhythms of Pernambuco, while ‘Mysterious Meat’ offers a light-hearted account of travelling as a vegetarian in Brazil.

Family is another recurring theme throughout the album. ‘Beryl’, dedicated to Pillinger’s grandmother, features a guest appearance by his mother, Helen Pillinger, on tenor saxophone, reflecting his family’s musical heritage. ‘Elvin’s Beat’ pays tribute to drummer Elvin Jones, one of Pillinger’s greatest musical influences, while ‘Momentary Peace’ explores the brief sense of fulfilment that follows hard work and achievement.

The album concludes with the companion pieces ‘The Other Side’ and ‘The Other Other Side’, written during a challenging period in Pillinger’s life. Together they reflect on uncertainty, resilience and personal growth, bringing the album to a thoughtful conclusion. “My whole life I’ve often felt like an outsider,” says Pillinger. “Rather than focusing on that, I wanted to celebrate what makes each of us different and the people and experiences that make us who we are. This album is about belonging - not fitting in but finding joy in what makes you uniquely yourself.”

Belonging is released on Miles Pillinger Music in association with ECN Music with support from Help Musicians. It was recorded on 10 & 11 March 2026 at The Nave, produced and mixed by Ben Macdonald and mastered by Chris Sharkey.

Miles Pillinger: https://pillingermiles.wixsite.com/miles-pillinger

Manchester-born drummer and composer Miles Pillinger is a graduate of Leeds Conservatoire. Following the release of his EP Sunrise in 2023, he has established himself as an in-demand performer, working with Olivia Cuttill, Tara Lily, Mica Millar, Chip Wickham and Nikki Yeoh as well as the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO). Recent appearances include Love Supreme Festival, Ronnie Scott’s, the Vortex Jazz Club and Peggy’s Skylight. In 2025 he received the Peter Whittingham Award for Jazz from Help Musicians, which supported the recording, release and promotion of Belonging.

ECN Music: https://ecnmusic.com/

Distribution via ECN Music/Proper Music: https://propermusic.com/