Monthly Archives: September 2014

2nd October: Emma Jean Thackray Quintet

This week we look forward to welcoming Emma-Jean Thackray, an award winning composer, trumpeter and educator. She recently received the Musicians Benevolent Fund’s emerging excellence award, the Daryl Runswick Composition Prize and several scholarship awards. Ensembles have performed her work across the UK with several notable performances at the QEH South Bank Centre, the London Ear Festival, and recent commissions from art collectives Bastard Assignments and Filthy Lucre.

Having studied at several conservatoires around the UK specialising in jazz, receiving tuition from internationally acclaimed jazz musicians and composers at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, she still continues to play trumpet frequently, having led the brass sections of renowned ensembles across England and Wales, directed and performed in her own devised ensembles, and played in a variety of sessions.

This Thursday Emma-Jean will be bringing her quintet, which features members of London’s acclaimed Chaos Collective.

Emma-Jean Thackray – trumpet
Will Scott – alto sax/clarinet
James Kitchman – guitar
Louis Thomas – double bass
Liz Exell – drums/percussion

Doors 8pm, music starts at 8.30pm. £5 entry.


Long White Cloud,
151 Hackney Road,
E2 8JL.
Nearest station: Hoxton Overground (less than 5 mins’ walk)

25th September: Madwort Sax Quartet & Julie Kjær/Tori Handsley/Ruth Goller

This week we have a saxophone-heavy double bill (the best kind, no?). Julie Kjær returns to LUME with an exciting trio, and the Madwort Sax Quartet make their first appearance at Long White Cloud.

Madwort Sax Quartet

Tom Ward assembled the Madwort Sax Quartet in 2011 to play his own compositions and explore guided group improvisation. Tom’s influences include numerology and the movement of the planet earth through space, Steve Coleman, pioneering saxophone quartet Rova, Tim Berne, and transcriptions of bird song. Of technical interest was exploring contemporary techniques such as complex time signatures and metric modulations without the presence of a dedicated drummer or percussionist, and exploring harmony without a chordal instrument.

Said LondonJazz blog about the band’s first gig: “The group’s sychronisation, the engaging, rounded brass sound and the impressive ease with which the four musicians blended to dish out a significantly distinctive musical proposition made for a perfect opening sortie, and suggested that we may well be hearing much more from them.”

Tom Ward alto saxophone & composition
Chris Williams soprano & alto saxophones
Andy Woolf tenor saxophone
Cath Roberts baritone saxophone

(And in the rabbit head: Dave O’Brien, who produced the sax quartet’s 2012 recording)

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Julie Kjær/Tori Handsley (plus special guest Ruth Goller!)

New duo collaboration comprising harpist Tori Handsley and saxophonist and flautist Julie Kjær exploring angular grooves and captivating improvisations. This evening they will be inviting the excellent Ruth Goller to join them on bass.

Tori Handsley started playing the piano at the age of 3 and the harp at the age of 6. Originally classically trained, she grew up listening to the music of Miles Davis, Bird, Dizzy, Keith Jarrett and many more, and was drawn to the freedom of jazz and improvisation. One of the highlights of her career was touring with her childhood hero Nigel Kennedy in 2010, after being invited to be a part of his band for his Duke Ellington tour. Tori has since performed with other notable artists including: Orphy Robinson, Cleveland Watkiss, Pat Thomas, Claude Deppa, Shabaka Hutchings, Doug Boyle, Adam Waldmann and more.

HANDSLEYSUTHERLANDWATANABE landscape Photo by Benjamin Amure

Julie Kjær’s edgy and thoughtful playing and ‘dark, otherworldly imagery’ (Jazzwise) has become incerasingly evident around Europe, inhabiting ground between composition and free improv. She has recorded and toured internationally with Django Bates and his band StoRMChaser, as well as with the Danish big-band “Blood Sweat Drum ’n’ Bass” where she has played with amongst others: Dave Douglas, Arve Henriksen and Palle Mikkelborg. She plays with the London Improvisers Orchestra and is a leader and sidewoman of several other English and Danish ensembles. Julie was recently chosen to be a Sound and Music “New Voice” artist and will be a part of the ‘Portfolio’ artist development program for improvisers.

julie

Join us for a night of exciting new music! Doors 8pm, music at 8.30pm…

18th September: Jon Desbruslais Quintet

Another two set gig this week, with a fantastic band of Guildhall graduates making their mark on the London scene. The quintet formed in 2013, to play the compositions of bandleader and drummer Jon. His style of writing and form of improvising is influenced by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Brian Blade Fellowship, Wayne Shorter Quartet, Terence Blanchard and Chucho Valdes. The music focuses on lyrical melodies, warm and descriptive harmonies and strong rhythms.

Jon Desbruslais – drums
Tommy Andrews – alto sax
Henry Spencer – trumpet
Dougie Freeman – keys
Flo Moore – bass

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Come down to Long White Cloud for a great night of original music!

11th September: Flea Circus

This week we’re hosting the first gig in a while from Flea Circus, the acclaimed quartet led by trumpet player Jack Davies.

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Their dark, nocturnal sound draws on the canon of European jazz and contemporary music, and in 2012 they released their debut album on Davies’ own label V&V Music. In an impressive burst of productivity that year, he simultaneously released three albums by his own projects: the Flea Circus album, a big band record, and an album by his quartet Southbound. London Jazz News described the Flea Circus debut as ‘a thoroughly absorbing, thoughtful and lively set from a subtly interactive and accomplished band’. After a brief hiatus, the band are back and we look forward to having them at Long White Cloud.

Jack Davies trumpet

Rob Cope bass clarinet

Aidan Shepherd accordion

James Opstad bass

flea

‘LUME Presents…’ at the Vortex, Sunday 7th September: Corey Mwamba & Deemer

It’s happening this Sunday! Just a little reminder about our next ‘LUME Presents…’ gig at the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston. It’s going to be a great night of improvised music, with a solo set from Corey Mwamba and the return of Dee’s duo with sound artist Merijn Royaards, Deemer. Don’t miss it: tickets are still on sale from the Vortex website.

And a re-cap of the other gigs coming up in this series, with lovely artwork by Peter Beatty:

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