Described by the Musician’s Union as “one of the UK’s most exciting and versatile musicians”, Lee Westwood is a guitarist and composer whose wide-ranging output stems from a long-term tenacity for musical exploration. Far from ordinary, Lee’s works span from the Music-Geometry crossover of his multimedia exhibition ‘A Hidden Order’ to a vast back-catalogue of works for solo guitar; from headlining festival stages with Hip-Hop groups and Prog Folk acts to commissions from some of the UK’s leading soloists, ensembles and choirs.
On stage, Lee currently performs in the Art / Math Rock duo Two Sided Shape, and the experimental no-input pedalboard duo Noise Peddler. As a guitarist, Lee has shared the stage with countless guitar and folk legends, and has toured his music extensively throughout the UK and Europe. Lee played for five years with Songlines Award nominees Dizraeli & The Small Gods and experimental trio Le Juki, and regularly performs and records with Art Rock group Moulettes. He has released an extensive back catalogue of albums, both solo and collaborative, and a book of selected works for solo guitar.
Outside of the concert hall, Lee is one half of the music production company Nimzo Studio, working closely with clients such as Magnum photographer Olivia Arthur (‘Stranger’; ‘TiChan’; ‘The Stop Game’) and the BBC (‘The Windermere Children’; ‘Joan Of Arc: God’s Warrior’).
Lee received Arts Council support for the exhibition ‘A Hidden Order’, a collaboration with geometer Sama Mara exploring the relationship between music and geometry. Manifesting as a collection of large-scale prints, an album, a video installation and an interactive platform, the exhibition centres around a multimedia performance of a new suite of chamber works, whereby geometric artwork responds in realtime to live music.
Lee’s music has been supported and commissioned through organisations including Arts Council England, PRS Foundation, LSO Soundhub, Sound and Music, Making Music, Composit New Music Festival, John Armitage Memorial Trust, University Of Sussex and Cheltenham Composer Academy. Alongside many years of touring his own solo guitar works, Lee’s music has also been performed by members of the LSO, Riot Ensemble, Joby Burgess, New Music Players, Workers Union Ensemble, MusArc, The Chapel Choir of Selwyn College Cambridge, Notes Inégales, Adam Swayne and Hidden Order Ensemble.
Lee is currently a Lecturer in Music at the University of Sussex.
WEBSITES
Lee Westwood Spotify Artist Page
https://www.instagram.com/leedwestwood
www.facebook.com/leewestwoodmusic
www.leewestwood.bandcamp.com
www.youtube.com/leewestwoodmusic
OTHER SITES
http://nimzostudio.com/
https://www.noisepeddler.com/
http://musicalforms.com/
http://lejuki.com/
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DISCOGRAPHY
Florilegium (2023) – compilation
Vignettes EP (2017) – flute & oboe/cor anglais
The Visitor EP (2016) – cello & piano
Miniatures EP (2016) – piano solo
A Hidden Order (2014) – mixed ensemble (flute, cor anglais, marimba/percussion, cello)
Selected Works For Solo Guitar (2010) – book
Dragon (2009) – solo guitar
Nymph Suite & Other Stories (2008) – mixed ensemble (guitar, flute, violin, cello, double bass)
To Sleep (2006) – solo guitar
OTHER ALBUMS
Nimzo Studio (2024) – debut release (work in progress)
Noise Peddler (2023) – debut release (work in progress)
Moulettes – Xenolalia EPs (2020) – Experimental / Art Rock
Leonie Evans – Collaborations, Vol.II (2020) – w. Le Juki
Riot Ensemble– Chest Of Toys (2018) – Contemporary Classical
Le Juki – Capillaries (2013) – Experimental / Prog Folk
Dizraeli & The Small Gods – Moving In The Dark (2013) – Folk / Hip Hop
Dizraeli – Engurland (City Shanties) (2009) – Folk / Hip Hop
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PRESS
“…one of the UK’s most exciting and versatile musicians.”
– Keith Ames, Musician’s Union
“Westwood is prodigiously talented and able to create musical landscapes that are abstract, yet always energetic.”
Patrick Regains, Minor 7th
“…an emerging acoustic instrumentalist with blazing technique, ensuring the fingerpicking tradition remains in safe hands.”
– Owen Bailey, Guitarist Magazine
“…a brilliantly talented young artist, with a broad palette of styles mixed seamlessly together on this album… anyone with an appreciation for the fusion of ideas should love ‘To Sleep’.”
– Sam Wise, Acoustic Magazine
“…the common thread running throughout this work may very well just be beauty… This artist has already accomplished much and is apparently still growing exponentially.”
– Fred Kraus, Minor 7th
“Nymph Suite is a collection of songs of rare discernment, completely immersed in an evolved sense of art that I wouldn’t be surprise to find debuting at Royce Hall… In short, a masterpiece”
– David N Pyles, FAME
” A breath of fresh air, indispensable…”
– J.V., Guitarra Total
“A prodigious talent indeed.”
– Live review, Crackerjack
“…he’ll be a name to know in the future if he keeps this up: remember you heard it here first!”
– Guitar & Bass
“…the listener is guided through an artistic journey like none other.”
– Timothy Smith, Minor 7th
“Thank goodness for Lee Westwood, whose ‘To Sleep (Farewell Songs)’ will have guitar players giving up in despair and the rest of us delighted. Very rarely is technical wizardry on an instrument used to say something that otherwise could not be said. Lee manages that and it’s a pleasure to hear. One man, an acoustic and (apparently) four hundred thousand fingers.”
– Giles Duffy, Rocks Magazine
“…an astonishing acoustic guitar talent, Lee Westwood presents his very own approach to music. Lee surely impresses as a guitar player and composer, as well as with his new album ‘To Sleep’. Check him out!”
– Henk de Veldhuis, Bridge Guitar Reviews