The essence of the duo formed by pianist Bill Laurance and bassist and oud player Michael League: say a lot with very little - a concept that, through two albums released to date and acclaimed concerts, has earned them a following that, for once, truly deserves to be called “cult”.

For their third album together, “Close to Home”, Bill Laurance and Michael League retreated to a magical place: Château Palmer in the Bordeaux region - home to some of the world’s finest Grands Crus, as well as a place of creativity and encounter. This is the unique backdrop for the “ACT x Palmer” series. 

Since 2023 an album in this collection has been released each year – in a collaboration initiated in partnership by ACT’s director, producer Andreas Brandis and Château Palmer’s director Thomas Duroux.

Like the duo’s first two albums, "Where You Wish You Were" and "Keeping Company", "Close To Home" is an album of songs. The focus of the tracks is not on individual styles, but rather on distinctive moods, carried by clear melodies and rhythms which, whilst appearing light, also reveal the proximity, the precision and the sixth sense with which Bill Laurance and Michael League play together. Bill Laurance says: “The beauty of this duo is that there is no style that’s off the table”.