After 10 years performing on concert stages across the UK and beyond, Meraki Duo’s debut album will be recorded in July 2025 in Edinburgh by dream label, Delphian Records. 

However, we remain short of Delphian’s budget. We truly hope this Kickstarter campaign will help us raise critical remaining costs so that we can record our debut album. 

Supporters' donations will fund costs of: production and engineering, mastering, manufacture, photography and video from the recording session.

On 19/7/24, Delphian Records released an album of new compositions and arrangements by Arthur Keegan setting poetry of Thomas Hardy. RPS' Young Artist of the Year, mezzo Lotte Betts-Dean, is joined by James and Ligeti Quartet. Released to critical acclaim with reviews in The Guardian, Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine, the album entered the official UK charts at No.5 in Specialist Classical, was Presto Music's Record Of The Week, and featured on several BBC Radio 3 programmes. For details.

With 12-piece band Agbeko, of which James is co-founder, James had the honour of performing for the opening concert of WOMEX 2024 at The Bridgewater Hall as representatives of the band's hometown, Manchester: this year's host city to the most diverse global music meeting in the world. WOMEX took place shortly after Agbeko had returned from their debut performances in Spain in October.

In August 2024, James makes his debut in the BBC Proms: playing electric guitar in Paraorchestra's world premiere performance of The Virtuous Circle, at Bristol Beacon for 'Proms At...'. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, combined with dancers in an array of choreographic formations, is delicately threaded together with new compositions from Ivor Novello Award-winner, Oliver Vibrans, which abstract the DNA of Mozart’s opus. Click here for information

In 2023, James' Meraki Duo with flautist Meera Maharaj were awarded 1st prize in the International Chamber Music Competition for Flute & Guitar: held in Burriana, Spain. Meraki Duo have dedicated the prize money towards the recording and release of their forthcoming debut album.

Agbeko toured their sophomore album There Must Be Another Way in late-2023. It has been featured on BBC Radio 6 and BBC Music Introducing as well as stations across USA, Ghana, Australia, France, Italy, Switzerland, Czechia, Spain. Songlines Magazine printed: 'the spectacular chemistry shared by this large band is electric and emotive, and the talents of each member/instrument are well-balanced in the mix'. Have a listen here. In 2024, they recorded their follow-up album at Giant Wafer Studios prior to festival performances including Kelburn Garden Party and Kendal Calling.