Biography
DoomCannon, also known as Dominic Canning, works from London as a composer, producer, arranger, pianist and keyboardist, and educator. His productions fuse organic and electronic elements through a blend that spans neo-bop, contemporary, and modal jazz while integrating drum patterns with electronic rhythms and incorporating classical, film-score textures together with West African and Caribbean influences. On London’s dynamic creative circuit he launched several forward-looking, jazz-rooted groups such as the Steam Down collective, Project Karnak, and Triforce, and he additionally acted as musical director for neo-soul singer Celeste. The live single “Amalgamation,” released in 2021, marked DoomCannon’s debut and combined progressive jazz, skittering beats, and South and West African harmonics. After signing with Brownswood, he delivered an expansive studio octet version of the piece in early 2022, then issued the follow-up singles “Times” and “Black Liberation.” Later that year the three tracks joined six others on the full-length album Renaissance.
Born Dominic Canning in South London, he first encountered formal music training through the public-school outreach initiative SMS (Southwark Music Services). At age eight he began flute studies, later adding alto and tenor saxophone along with classical piano. An enduring focus on jazz piano emerged alongside his flute work; he quickly became self-taught on the instrument, developing both technique and improvisational skill. At sixteen he commenced structured jazz lessons with Adam Glasser at Kingsdale Foundation School.
Canning earned a scholarship to Middlesex University after a successful audition. There he co-founded Triforce with Mansur Brown, Benjamin Appiah, and Ricco Komolafe. The group submitted a demo to Jazz Re:freshed, which led to a recording contract. Their 2016 debut single “Free Your Mind” featured vocalist Vanessa Jamie, and the full-length Triforce 5ive appeared later that year. The track “Walls” was subsequently included on the landmark 2018 Brownswood compilation We Out Here. After leaving the band, Canning established the jazz-inflected drum’n’bass project Project Karnak. Its self-released debut single “Fellowship” surfaced in February, attracted worldwide attention, and enabled the group to travel to Brazil for a package tour organized by British Underground and Jazz Re:freshed. Upon returning, they released the five-track Equinox EP.
In 2018 Canning encountered saxophonist Ahnansé (aka Wayne Francis). Their collaboration led to his role as a founding member of the Jazz-FM Award-winning Steam Down collective of producers and musicians. During one of the collective’s weekly Wednesday-night performances—among London’s most reliably sold-out events—he was invited by British-American neo-soul singer Celeste to serve as her band’s musical director.
He remained with the artist for nearly four years, contributing to the 2018 recording of her breakout single “Both Sides of the Moon.” The following year the Lately EP received widespread international acclaim, and the ensemble maintained an intensive touring schedule. Canning concluded this chapter after a late-2020/early-2021 European run. Having graduated from Middlesex at the close of 2020, he assembled musicians to record under the DoomCannon moniker. Jazz Re:freshed issued the live single “Amalgamation” in February 2021.
Already familiar with Canning through prior projects, Brownswood Recordings offered him a contract. In February 2022 the label released a newly recorded studio octet rendition of “Amalgamation.” His quintet featured saxophonist/electronicist Kaidi Akinnibi, bassist Immanuel Simelane, guitarist Daniel Rogerson, and drummer Oscar Ogden, augmented on the session by a string quartet comprising violinists Marsha Skinns and Saskia Horton, violist Natalia Senior Brown, and cellist Wayne Uquhart. The track gained airplay on radio and in clubs throughout Europe, Asia, and South America, drawing widespread praise from DJs and critics. In March the expanded lineup released “Times,” which included London rapper/DJ Lex Amor, while double bassist Thea Sayer had joined to replace Simelane. May brought the eight-minute “Black Liberation,” introduced by a spoken-word prologue and met with further critical approval. In July DoomCannon unveiled the nine-track album Renaissance on Brownswood, backed by an international tour.
Born Dominic Canning in South London, he first encountered formal music training through the public-school outreach initiative SMS (Southwark Music Services). At age eight he began flute studies, later adding alto and tenor saxophone along with classical piano. An enduring focus on jazz piano emerged alongside his flute work; he quickly became self-taught on the instrument, developing both technique and improvisational skill. At sixteen he commenced structured jazz lessons with Adam Glasser at Kingsdale Foundation School.
Canning earned a scholarship to Middlesex University after a successful audition. There he co-founded Triforce with Mansur Brown, Benjamin Appiah, and Ricco Komolafe. The group submitted a demo to Jazz Re:freshed, which led to a recording contract. Their 2016 debut single “Free Your Mind” featured vocalist Vanessa Jamie, and the full-length Triforce 5ive appeared later that year. The track “Walls” was subsequently included on the landmark 2018 Brownswood compilation We Out Here. After leaving the band, Canning established the jazz-inflected drum’n’bass project Project Karnak. Its self-released debut single “Fellowship” surfaced in February, attracted worldwide attention, and enabled the group to travel to Brazil for a package tour organized by British Underground and Jazz Re:freshed. Upon returning, they released the five-track Equinox EP.
In 2018 Canning encountered saxophonist Ahnansé (aka Wayne Francis). Their collaboration led to his role as a founding member of the Jazz-FM Award-winning Steam Down collective of producers and musicians. During one of the collective’s weekly Wednesday-night performances—among London’s most reliably sold-out events—he was invited by British-American neo-soul singer Celeste to serve as her band’s musical director.
He remained with the artist for nearly four years, contributing to the 2018 recording of her breakout single “Both Sides of the Moon.” The following year the Lately EP received widespread international acclaim, and the ensemble maintained an intensive touring schedule. Canning concluded this chapter after a late-2020/early-2021 European run. Having graduated from Middlesex at the close of 2020, he assembled musicians to record under the DoomCannon moniker. Jazz Re:freshed issued the live single “Amalgamation” in February 2021.
Already familiar with Canning through prior projects, Brownswood Recordings offered him a contract. In February 2022 the label released a newly recorded studio octet rendition of “Amalgamation.” His quintet featured saxophonist/electronicist Kaidi Akinnibi, bassist Immanuel Simelane, guitarist Daniel Rogerson, and drummer Oscar Ogden, augmented on the session by a string quartet comprising violinists Marsha Skinns and Saskia Horton, violist Natalia Senior Brown, and cellist Wayne Uquhart. The track gained airplay on radio and in clubs throughout Europe, Asia, and South America, drawing widespread praise from DJs and critics. In March the expanded lineup released “Times,” which included London rapper/DJ Lex Amor, while double bassist Thea Sayer had joined to replace Simelane. May brought the eight-minute “Black Liberation,” introduced by a spoken-word prologue and met with further critical approval. In July DoomCannon unveiled the nine-track album Renaissance on Brownswood, backed by an international tour.
Albums
Singles
Live
