Werkha (aka Tom Leah) is a multi-instrumentalist, producer & DJ that hails from Manchester and has been releasing music for over a decade.
His debut album landed in 2015 on the acclaimed Brighton imprint Tru Thoughts, while he’s currently signed to Worldwide Award-winning London label First Word Records, who released his self-produced sophomore album ‘All Werk Is Play’ in early 2022. This featured collabs with MC Chunky (Eglo Records / Swamp 81), Ellen Beth Abdi (A Certain Ratio), Kemani Anderson (Secret Night Gang), Nick Blacka (GoGo Penguin) and Tom Driessler (Adele / Tom Misch / Jordan Rakei) amongst others, whilst he’s also collaborated and remixed artists such as Quantic, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Marcos Valles and Andrew Ashong.
His music has had recent support across BBC 6 Music & 1Xtra courtesy of Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan & Afrodeutsche, as well as love from the likes of DJ Paulette, Scratch DVA, Zakia Sewell (NTS) & Jyoty (Rinse FM).
Werkha’s music fuses analogue jazz-funk vibes with modern dance music electronics, creating a number of uptempo compositions that nestle somewhere between broken beat and breakbeat. Squelchy synths & delectable drums ride alongside live horns, flute, bass, harp, guitar & vocals.
His vibrant energetic live shows often include a selection of hand-picked highly-talented Manchester artists accompanying him, and have set dances alight across Europe; in recent times at venues such as Low Four Studio in Manchester and The Jazz Cafe in London, with festival appearances last Summer at We Out Here and Moovin. In past years, he also toured extensively with artists like Bonobo, Chet Faker and Mr Scruff.
An incredible innovator in the studio, and one of the most refreshingly eclectic live acts in the UK.
