Harald is an Amsterdam-based pianist and composer. His working band The New York Second is a quartet by origin but has also recorded as trio, quintet and septet. Harald has performed and recorded with some of the Netherlands' most in-demand musicians, including Tom Beek, Teus Nobel, Mark Alban Lotz, Vincent Veneman and Thomas Pol. With The New York Second Harald released four albums: Bay of Poets, Emergo, Music at Night (and Other Stories), and After the Hours, the Minutes. The most recent album - After the Hours, the Minutes, with the group playing in trio format - was released early July and received rave advance reviews: "the execution is top-notch” (JazzFlits); "music that is so simply open, contemplative, and perfectly jazz" (Best of Jazz); "… a trio in perfect harmony"(Habitación del Jazz). Harald also released an album with the piano-guitar duo "Hadrian's Wall": The Big Hotel, that was named one of the best jazz debuts of the year by Maxazine. About Harald's compositions & arrangements, the critics said: “Evocative music with a hint of jazz from the big city – reminiscent of the glory years of the famous Gil Evans” (JazzFlits); "full of contemplation" (JazzSK); "beautifully arranged and remarkably elegant compositions. Walkate clearly has a keen ear for color and detail" (newspaper Trouw). More information can be found on www.haraldwalkate.com.