Richard Spaven

Richard Spaven is a rhythmic voice of the past two decades, shaping the space where jazz, hip hop, club culture and drum and bass intersect. His technical fluency and electronic sensibility inform his approach to modern drumming, functioning as a tool of expression, enabling him to control density, space and pulse with precision. Across collaborations with Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei, Petter Eldh and Alfa Mist, Spaven's touch is distinct: elastic, deliberate and rooted in groove.

Now entering a new chapter with his signing to Edition Records for Light of Day, Spaven steps further into focus as a bandleader and composer. In the studio and on stage, joined live by Stuart McCallum on guitar and Yves Fernandez on bass, the emphasis is on feel and the pocket, with groove informing harmony and texture informing form. The result is a unified sound built on interaction and restraint, where virtuosity serves the feel and rhythm shapes the direction of the music. This show takes place at Band on the Wall in Manchester on 17 September 2026 at 6:30 pm.