Monday January 26 @ Aisle 5 Speakeasy presents… Venna 7pm / $25 / All Ages After learning piano from the tender age of six, a young Venna moved onto the Alto Sax at 12 years old, and the rest is history; attending performing arts school to hone his craft, joining bands for a number of different acts. Having worked with the likes of Wizkid, Burna Boy, 6lack, Snoh Aalegra, J Hus, AJ Tracey, Greentea Peng, Tiana Major9, Knucks and many, many more, Venna is a well known presence behind the scenes in the music world applying his magic to records & artists from the UK, Europe, Africa, the US & beyond. Venna is making the kind of tracks that leave you wanting more and never has that been more apparent than on his debut project ‘Venology’ the chance to finally release his own music after leaving his coveted stamp on the creations of others came in the summer of 2021. In 2020, Venna was nominated for a prestigious Grammy Award for his work on Burna Boy’s ‘African Giant’ album on which he worked on “Anybody” with P2J. The trio reunited again for Burna Boy’s “Twice as Tall” album on “Alarm Clock” which was also nominated but this time won a Grammy in 2021. 2021 also saw Venna venture to the US on a covid-delayed writing trip full of exciting collaborations & forging new connections, he ended up touring with Wizkid on the ‘Made in Lagos’ tour playing Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Miami & more key cities he’d never visited. Upon arrival back in London, he was soon called up by Yussef Dayes for his UK wide tour as one the new quartet, before rejoining Wizkid for a 3 night extravaganza at London’s o2 arena, Venna was shining on stage & ready for more. 2022 arrived with Venna nominated for yet more Grammy awards (Wizkid & Snoh Aalegra’s latest LP’s both received nominations, for ‘best world music’ & ‘best R&B’ albums respectively). Knucks’ ‘Alpha Place’ Mixtape executive produced by & featuring Venna hit the UK album chart (#3). More touring with Yussef Dayes and co, finishing his follow up EP in different studios, planes, trains & automobiles around the globe. Second EP ‘Equinox’ arrived in the Spring of 2023 preceded by singles ‘Sicily Box’ (featuring Yussef Dayes & Rocco Palladino), ‘Casa Lopez’ (featuring Masego & Mick Jenkins) & ‘Tam Tam’ (featuring Jada). More ambitious & rich with live instrumentation than the debut, it deservedly gained more support & success, an audience was ready & waiting for a Venna debut show and it finally came in May in the way of 2 instantly sold out night’s at The Lower Third in London. 2023 also saw Venna produce tracks for US Rap acts MIKE & Mick Jenkins plus Canadian Acts Skiifall & Planet Giza. The saxophonist also lent his talents to the likes of Amaarae, Masego, J Hus, Perry & was heard across Yussef Dayes’ solo debut ‘Black Classical Music’ with Venna featuring on the title track. He closes the year with the AA side singles ‘Hizuki & Perfect Divide’