Category Archives: Vortex!

5th June @ The Vortex: Mike Chillingworth Trio & Entropi

To round off this season of LUME at The Vortex, we’ve got an exciting double bill of new and improvised music from Mike Chillingworth Trio and Dee Byrne’s Entropi.

ENTROPI

Entropi is a vehicle for Dee Byrne’s ‘space-jazz’ compositions, exploring a narrative of life-pondering, stargazing and risk-taking. Juggling order and chaos, composition and improvisation, the group takes listeners on a journey with compelling group interplay, strong themes, open-ended improvisation, dark grooves and interweaving melodic textures. The ensemble comprises alto saxophonist Dee Byrne, trumpeter Andre Canniere, keyboardist Rebecca Nash, drummer Matt Fisher and bassist Olie Brice. Having performed live together for some time, the band has achieved a striking empathy and freedom to take risks.

Entropi’s debut album ‘New Era’ was released on the F-IRE Presents label in June 2015. Their second album will be released on Whirlwind Recordings in 2017.

‘Interesting, stimulating music that is quite hard to pigeonhole gripped by a strong group instinct that moves from hard bop and structured modal sounds into more improv-soaked free-bop.’ Marlbank

Dee Byrne alto sax/compositions
Andre Canniere trumpet
Rebecca Nash keyboard
Olie Brice double bass
Matt Fisher drums

PHOTO CREDIT: CARL HYDE

Mike Chillingworth Trio

We are really looking forward to welcoming alto saxophonist and composer Mike Chillingworth and his trio. In his own words:

‘I formed this trio last year as a means to play music with an emphasis on spontaneity and improvisation. I have another project, a septet, which is all about detailed written compositions. This trio is the antidote to that. I will be performing with two fantastic improvisers: US drum legend Jeff Williams, who has played with everybody, including two of my favourite saxophonists Joe Lovano and Stan Getz; and Conor Chaplin on bass who plays in many of the most exciting new UK bands at of the moment.

I often deliberately avoid choosing repertoire for a gig until the last moment, often writing new tunes in the days leading up to a performance, or taking ideas from whatever I happen to be listening to at the time. Whatever we choose to play on this occasion the emphasis will be on improvising, communicating, listening and exploring together.’

Mike Chillingworth alto saxophone/compositions
Conor Chaplin bass
Jeff Williams drums

As usual, doors are at 7.30pm and the music will start at around 8pm. Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Street, N16 8JH.

8th May @ The Vortex: Sloth Racket (album launch) & ELDA

A double bill of touring bands this month, as Cath Roberts launches her Sloth Racket album ‘Triptych’ and Andrew Woodhead brings his improvising trio ELDA from Birmingham.

Sloth Racket

Sloth Racket is a quintet of UK improvisers led by baritone saxophonist Cath Roberts, with Anton Hunter (Beats & Pieces Big Band, Article XI) on guitar, Sam Andreae (Trio Riot, Silence Blossoms) on tenor saxophone, Seth Bennett (Metamorphic, En Bas Quartet) on bass and Johnny Hunter (Nat Birchall, Johnny Hunter Quartet) on drums. The group play Cath’s compositions, in the form of frameworks for improvisation: combining composed fragments with graphic notation to explore the balance between freedom and structure. In November 2015 they gathered to record at Limefield Studio in Manchester with John Ellis (Cinematic Orchestra) engineering. The resulting session, on a cold and rainy evening fuelled by coffee and pizza, produced three substantial tracks that range across musical territories from fiery free jazz, to minimal improv textures, to deep grooves. The album ‘Triptych’ is released in May 2016 on the Luminous label.

Cath Roberts baritone saxophone
Sam Andreae tenor saxophone
Anton Hunter guitar
Seth Bennett bass
Johnny Hunter drums

ELDA

Andrew Woodhead’s latest project ELDA is a collaboration with Norwegian vocalist Kari Eskild Havenstrøm (Trondheim Voices, Kristoffer Lo) and trumpeter Aaron Diaz (The Destroyers, Sid Peacock), mixing acoustic sounds with live electronics and soundscapes. Andrew and Kari met on a musical exchange between Trondheim and Birmingham at the 2013 Cheltenham Jazz Festival, and formed this trio with Aaron to continue their collaboration and explore their shared musical interests.

Andrew Woodhead keyboard/electronics
Aaron Diaz trumpet/electronics
Kari Eskild Havenstrøm vocals/FX

6th March @ The Vortex: Tom Ward/Adam Fairhall/Olie Brice/Andrew Lisle & Øyeblikk

For our next gig at the Vortex we are excited to present two new collaborations! Come and hear some fresh new original and improvised music…

Tom Ward/Adam Fairhall/Olie Brice/Andrew Lisle

The debut performance of a new group featuring four highly creative improvisers who have appeared at LUME in other projects, but have never played all together. Tom Ward and Adam Fairhall had their names drawn out of the hat at our randomised free improvisation night last Summer, and following this initial encounter (a toy piano and bass clarinet duo) they decided to get a band together. The quartet will play new music by the bandmembers, starting from a few common reference points. The band will employ a flexible approach to harmony and form, including investigating negative harmony and stretching out with extended improvisations. Influences include the Greg Osby ‘Banned In New York’ album with Jason Moran, the ‘Monk’s Casino’ album with Alexander von Schlippenbach and Rudi Mahall, and Fieldwork with Steve Lehman, Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey.

Tom Ward alto sax, bass clarinet, flute
Adam Fairhall piano
Olie Brice double bass
Andrew Lisle drums

Øyeblikk

Dee Byrne and Ed Riches met in 2008 and have collaborated in various projects such as improvising sextet Zonica (Gareth Lockrane, Xantone Blacq, Elliot Galvin, Tom McCredie, Pat Davey) and more recently as an improvising duo using electronics. Tonight they will be joined by drummer/percussionist Matt Fisher who plays in Dee’s band Entropi. Øyeblikk (‘moment’ in Norwegian) describes the ethos of the project: a spontaneous narrative of soundscapes, riffs and themes taking the listener on a cosmic, sonic adventure. The title Øyeblikk is a nod to the fact that both Ed and Dee have a connection with Scandinavia, Dee lived in Stockholm for seven years and Ed spent a part of his childhood in Norway.

Dee Byrne alto saxophone/electronics
Ed Riches guitar/electronics
Matt Fisher drums/percussion

As usual, doors are at 7.30pm and the music will start at around 8pm. Tickets are on sale now from the Vortex website.

7th February @ The Vortex: Njanas and Far Reaching Dreams

We’re excited to be back at the Vortex in 2016 with two fresh new ensembles playing their original compositions. This promises to be a great evening of music!

NJANAS

An exciting new collaboration bringing together four creative voices from across the UK scene. In their own words: ‘This is a brand new project of female musician/composers Laura Cole, Filomena Campus, Tori Handsley and Ruth Goller who are all band leaders in their own right. The ensemble, which celebrates women’s art and music, started more than a year ago. We often feel under-represented as women in the worlds of jazz and art, and in this project all compositions are inspired by a female artist (such as Frida Kahlo, Niki de Saint Phalle, Gertrude Stein, Franca Rame and many more) or written by a female composer. The name Njanas is an encounter between the gigantic sculptures called ‘Nanas’, created by painter and sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle, and ‘Janas’, ancient legendary female figures and fairies/witches that relate to the myth of the Sardinian Goddess-Mother.’

Filomena Campus – vocals

Laura Cole – piano

Tori Handsley – harp

Ruth Goller – bass

Percy Pursglove’s Far Reaching Dreams Trio

Following the critically acclaimed success of his ‘Far Reaching Dreams of Mortal Souls’ commission for large scale choir and jazz ensemble, multi-instrumentalist Pursglove debuts his fascinating new trio, featuring Percy on trumpet, Paul Clarvis (drums) and Ivo Neame (piano, accordion), with original music inspired by speeches and works of iconic historical figures.

‘Somehow Percy Pursglove created a completely whole musical world all of his own. That is a rare achievement’ Jazzwise

Percy Pursglove – trumpet

Paul Clarvis – drums

Ivo Neame – piano/accordion

As usual, doors are at 7.30pm and the music will start at around 8pm. Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Street, N16 8JH.

See you there!

All the best,

Cath and Dee

6th December @ The Vortex: Deemer (Interference Patterns album launch) & Survival Skills

This month at the Vortex, a special evening of improvised music with electronics for the launch of the first release on our new Luminous label! Tonight LUME welcomes Deemer, who are releasing their debut album ‘Interference Patterns’ on Monday 7th December. They are joined on the other side of the bill by multi-instrumentalist Chris Sharkey, playing a Survival Skills solo set.

Deemer
The brain-child of Merijn Royaards and Dee Byrne, Deemer started life in 2006 as a weekly improvisation/electronics session in a warehouse in Hackney Wick. The project has since evolved into an installation/performance based electro-acoustic two-piece orchestra, whose aural narratives are created within fluid frameworks that map a trajectory in time, but leave the sonic textures and compositions entirely free and undetermined. Deemer employ, among other things, alto saxophone, analogue electronics, tape, transducer microphones/speakers to instantly compose, activate space, and blur the boundaries between free jazz and sound installation.

Survival Skills
Survival Skills is the solo project of Chris Sharkey (trioVD, Acoustic Ladyland, Shiver). It has no fixed instrumentation but the music is often comprised of various processed layers created in real time by hardware including synths, sequencers, cassette recordings, vocals and guitar…

‘ a lo-fi vision of mangled techno, where beats cluster and stumble in their fight for dominance; a highly intriguing piece of noise art.’ – data transmission

As usual, doors are at 7.30pm and the music will start at 8pm. See you there!

Poster by Cath Roberts.

‘LUME Presents…’ resumes at the Vortex: Sunday 6th September

To ease us into the Autumn, our ‘LUME Presents…’ monthly residency at the Vortex will start up again on Sunday 6th September. We’ll have some news about our plans for the regular LUME series in a few weeks time, but we hope this fantastic double bill will keep you going! Two great bands for your listening pleasure: Mark Pringle brings his large ensemble ‘A Moveable Feast’ and Rebecca Nash leads a small group. Doors are at 7.30pm, with the music starting at 8pm.

A Moveable Feast

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” – Ernest Hemingway

‘A Moveable Feast’ is a group led by award-winning jazz pianist Mark Pringle. Heavily inspired by time spent studying in Paris in 2013, the music draws on multiple cultural influences, containing themes of nature, wildlife, literature, the chaos of cities, the lives of people who inhabit them, woodland creatures and strange beasts…

This autumn sees the group undertaking a national tour to promote the release of their album, ‘A Moveable Feast’, on Stoney Lane Records. Featuring a line up of strings, horns and rhythm section, the group explore Mark’s music with great freedom of approach, resulting in music that is eclectic, adventurous and highly unique.

Mark Pringle is a Peter Whittingham Award winner for the year 2015, following in the footsteps of previous recipients Gwilym Simcock, Trish Clowes and Elliot Galvin.

“Mark Pringle is an exceptionally gifted pianist and composer, and a remarkable improviser. His latest recording, ‘A Moveable Feast’, is a brilliant ensemble piece and a striking example of his writing and playing” – John Taylor, April 2015

“Stupendously talented” – The Independent

“A talented newcomer” – The Guardian

Mark Pringle Piano

Percy Pursglove Trumpet
Chris Young Alto Saxophone
Dan Searjeant Tenor/Alto Saxophone/Flute
Alicia Gardener-Trejo Bass Clarinet/Baritone Saxophone/Alto Flute

Christine Cornwell Violin
Sarah Farmer Violin
Megan Jowett Viola
Lucy French Cello

Ben Lee Electric Guitar
James Banner Double Bass
Euan Palmer Drums

Rebecca Nash

This latest project is Rebecca’s first as a bandleader. All the music performed is original material from Rebecca’s forthcoming album, due to be recorded later this year, and has a wide range of influences. Her music, written with the intention of creating a new cohesive sound, blends together all the things she loves about music. Most important is a sense of purpose, identity and beauty. It is inspired by many musical influences which primarily include jazz musicians such as Pat Metheny and Wayne Shorter but also other styles too such as Electronica, and Folk music. Rebecca’s style, rooted in the contemporary jazz genre, blends acoustic and electronic elements with strong melodies, underpinned by dense harmonies and unusual grooves with the aim of creating one overall soundscape.

Rebecca Nash Piano/compositions

Percy Pursglove Trumpet

Matt Fisher Drums

Chris Mapp Bass

Tickets are available now from the Vortex website (text coming soon I’m sure – currently a holding picture of Cath and Dee!). Join us for an evening of great original music: doors 7.30pm for an 8pm start at the Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, London N16 8AZ.

Double LUME week: Rowland Sutherland Double Trio & LUME On Tour Entropi album launch!

This week is the last double LUME week of the season and it’s going to be a good one! We’ve got a fantastic improvising ensemble at Long White Cloud, and the London leg of LUME On Tour at the Vortex. The Vortex gig is also Dee’s Entropi album launch!

4th June @ Long White Cloud: Rowland Sutherland Double Trio

This week at Long White Cloud we welcome back internationally-acclaimed flautist Rowland Sutherland, with a different take on his double trio format. The ensemble features six top improvising flute players from the London scene and explores the combination of Western and non-Western flutes. After the Saxoctopus gig last year, this is the largest one-instrument group we’ve had at LUME, and it should make for an evening of fascinating textures and soundworlds. Join us for this celebration of the flute in its many forms!

Rowland Sutherland concert flute, alto flute
Julie Kjaer concert flute
Neil Metcalfe wooden concert flute

Jan Hendrickse non-Western flutes
Hyelim Kim taegum/Korean flute
Clive Bell shakuhachi/Japanese flute

7th June @ ‘LUME Presents…’, Vortex Jazz Club: Entropi ‘New Era’ album launch & Quadraceratops

The ‘LUME Presents’ season finale, with performances from ensembles led by LUME organisers Cath Roberts and Dee Byrne. Tonight is not only the London date of ‘LUME On Tour’, but also the launch gig for Entropi’s debut album ‘New Era’.

Entropi

Dee Byrne formed Entropi while studying at Trinity College of Music in 2011, and since then they have fast become a name to watch on the UK contemporary jazz scene, regularly performing in London and beyond. Playing Dee’s original material with plenty of space for improvisation, the quintet take their listeners on an exploration of the musical cosmos. Their debut album ‘New Era’ was released on 1st June on the F- IRE Presents label.

‘Hard hitting…searing solos…other-worldly…Entropi’s debut album should be well worth hearing’ (The Jazz Mann, 2014 live review)

Dee Byrne alto saxophone/compositions
Andre Canniere trumpet
Rebecca Nash keyboards
Olie Brice bass
Matt Fisher drums

Quadraceratops

Led by Cath Roberts as a vehicle for her compositions, Quadraceratops released their eponymous debut album in October 2014 on Efpi Records. The release attracted an enthusiastic reception from the jazz blogosphere and national press alike, with John Fordham in the Guardian describing them as ‘an exciting genre-juggling outfit…one to watch’. The band have been playing together since 2011, appearing regularly in London and occasionally Manchester (home of Efpi), with a live recording broadcast on the BBC’s ‘Jazz On 3’ programme in December 2014.

Cath Roberts alto saxophone/compositions
Nick Walters trumpet
Tom Ward tenor saxophone
Magnus Dearness trombone
Dave O’Brien keyboards
Jason Simpson bass
Olly Blackman drums

We’d love to see you at this last gig of the season – come down and celebrate Dee’s album release!

Double LUME week: a duo, a trio, a quartet and a crocodile…

Double LUME week has come round again! This time we’ve got multiple sizes of ensemble, original writing, plenty of improv and a reptile heading for the Vortex…

30th April @ Long White Cloud: Gus Garside/Annie Kerr & Byrne/Nash/Pursglove

A double bill this week, with an improvising duo of Gus Garside and Annie Kerr and a new trio with LUME’s own Dee Byrne…

Gus Garside has worked in a variety of musical settings – jazz, contemporary music, pop, cabaret, dance, theatre and, most importantly, improvised music where he has performed with many leading players. Inspired by the late John Stevens, Gus took to running creative music workshops. This led him into leading music projects with musicians of a wide range of abilities. He remains active as a musician, performing in a number of improvisation and contemporary music settings including his long standing string trio arc (with Sylvia Hallett and Danny Kingshill); The Static Memories, a duo with Dan Powell (on laptop and processed percussion and guitar) and the West Hill Blast Quartet, a free jazz quartet with Ron Caines, Dan Spicer and Andy Pyne.

Annie Kerr works as a violinist, pianist and composer. She is a music tutor, a writer and creative arts facilitator. She works with individuals and groups to generate and sustain tailor-made creative projects. She has a particular interest in working with adults who are exploring creative work for the first time. She writes poetry and fiction and has had work read on radio 3 by Juliet Stevenson. Her work received a commendation in the 2013 Sussex poetry competition and was long listed in the 2014 National poetry competition. Her own musical projects have included facilitating combined arts workshops at Brighton’s Fabrica gallery and a soundscape collaboration she performed in Rottingdean Windmill as part of 2014’s Brighton Festival Fringe.

‘You blow me away – this sort of improv is the type of art experience that gives back 110%’ Jeane Myers, abstract painter living in Washington State.

Byrne/Nash/Pursglove

Dee Byrne and Rebecca Nash met while studying for a Masters at Trinity College of Music. Their duo has evolved from weekly sessions in which they enjoy exploring the freedom and creative scope the duo format invites. This new trio welcomes the formidable talents of Percy Pursglove on double bass. In the spirit of true collaboration they’ll play a mixture of their own original compositions with lots of space for improvisation.

Dee Byrne alto saxophone
Rebecca Nash keyboard
Percy Pursglove double bass

3rd May @ ‘LUME Presents…’, Vortex Jazz Club: Jeff Spencer’s Crocodile & Nick Malcolm Quartet

Jeff Spencer’s Crocodile

Crocodile is the vehicle for compositions by bassist Jeff Spencer, featuring an all-star lineup of some of the best young jazz musicians around. The best of modern classical influences sit amongst infectious and raucous world rhythms and obtuse funk. With a healthy splattering of free improv and some almost rock bits, Crocodile is a crafty beast and it’s after your ears!

Gareth Lockrane flute
Laura Jurd trumpet
Gavin Broom trumpet
James Gardiner-Bateman alto sax
Josh Arcoleo tenor sax
Joe Wright tenor sax
Kieran McLeod trombone
Callum Au bass trombone
Elliot Galvin keys
Alex Munk guitar
Jeff Spencer bass
Dave Hamblett drums
Hugh Wilkinson percussion

Nick Malcolm Quartet
Nick Malcolm is a musician who happily inhabits multiple stylistic worlds, equally at home playing freely improvised music as he is in a more composed jazz setting. His quartet play his original compositions, exploring this love of both freedom and structure. The music merges and deconstructs rhythm, melody and all the points in between, resulting in an intense and thrilling performance. Featuring some of the leading improvisers on the UK scene, the quartet have released two albums to critical acclaim, the most recent being 2014’s excellent ‘Beyond These Voices’.

Nick Malcolm trumpet
Alexander Hawkins piano
Olie Brice bass
Ric Yarborough drums

Join us! This will be a fantastic night at the Vortex…

Double LUME week: small group improv at Long White Cloud and large jazz ensembles at the Vortex…

The two sides of LUME are combined in one double-gig week! Small groups of free improvisers will take the stage at Long White Cloud on Thursday 26th February, and we’ll be hosting some medium/large sized jazz ensembles at ‘LUME Presents…’ on 1st March.

26th February @ Long White Cloud: Alec Harper/Tom Wheatley/Andrew Lisle & Ti/om

An evening of improvisation from some of London’s top creative musicians…

Alec Harper/Tom Wheatley/Andrew Lisle

Harper, Wheatley and Lisle have been improvising together and also on the circuit for a few years in London, over the UK and throughout Europe and the U.S. This newly formed trio met through mutual friends on the London scene. The group play lengthy sweeping improvisations exploring sound worlds with abstract forms and textures. Strong rhythmic interactions are a key part of the trio’s identity.

Alec Harper tenor saxophone
Tom Wheatley bass
Andrew Lisle drums

Ti/om

Tom Ward and Tim Fairhall first met in about 2007 while studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and soon began meeting for duo sessions, exploring the dynamic and rapport between woodwinds and bass through free improvisation. There followed a hiatus of several years whilst they both pursued other musics, but the duo have recently reunited for a variety of musical activities including their infamous ‘Tour of North London’ in 2014.

Tom Ward bass clarinet, flute
Tim Fairhall double bass

with special guest the Swedish percussionist Matilda Rolfsson (bass drum, bells, gongs, bows, fingers, hands and brushes), who is spending a few months in the UK as part of her Masters course.

1st March @ ‘LUME Presents…’, Vortex Jazz Club: JJ Wheeler’s ‘Come Back Stronger’ & Ralph Wyld’s Mosaic

Two exciting medium/large sized jazz groups playing original music…

JJ Wheeler’s ‘Come Back Stronger’

JJ Wheeler’s Come Back Stronger is a 10-piece band formed to play the highly emotive suite, A Question of Hope. Written about the bandleader’s life-threatening battle with Cancer, the suite explores themes of desperation, anger, frustration and the search for hope through engaging, sometimes dark, sometimes light-hearted yet always sophisticated music. Weaving together influences from composers such as John Hollenbeck, Maria Schneider and Kenny Wheeler to Radiohead, The Invisible and Peter Gabriel, the group’s sound ebbs and flows seamlessly between driving grooves, epic soundscapes, delicate melodies and intricate rhythmic constructs.

Jess Berry vocals
Tom Dennis trumpet, flugelhorn
Tom Green trombone
Matthew Herd alto and soprano saxophones
Sam Rapley tenor saxophone
Rob Cope baritone saxophone, flute
Ralph Wyld vibraphone
Sam James keyboards
Misha Mullov-Abbado bass
JJ Wheeler drums

Ralph Wyld’s Mosaic

Featuring an array of young talent and a diversity of influences, Mosaic was created as a means of bringing together people, ideas and genres. The lineup provides vibes player/composer Wyld with a spectacular textural and timbral palette, from glistening, transparent treble to powerful, earth-shuddering bass. The unique character of each player is also highly valued, with improvisation taking a central role. Inspiration for the music includes Shostakovich, Copland and Piazzolla as well as Gil Evans, Vince Mendoza, Kenny Wheeler and Bill Frisell.

Ralph Wyld vibraphone
James Copus trumpet
Sam Rapley clarinets
Cecilia Bignall cello
Misha Mullov-Abbado bass
Scott Chapman drums/percussion

Kicking off the year with a double LUME week…

Happy 2015 everyone! We’re looking forward to starting our year of gigs at Long White Cloud and the Vortex. In fact, the first week of the year is a double LUME week….

5th February @ Long White Cloud: Andrew Woolf Quintet & Sans Domicile Fixe

For our first week back at Long White Cloud, we’re happy to welcome two bandleaders with connections to F-IRE Collective, Zac Gvi and Andrew Woolf.

Andrew Woolf Quintet

Andrew Woolf grew up playing classical music before discovering jazz in his teens. Since then, his musical palette has continued to broaden, so that he is now known for his diversity across many musical settings. As well as playing with a variety of modern jazz ensembles (Button Band, Madwort Sax Quartet), he is also a leading exponent in the UK of Brazilan choro (a style with parallels to ragtime and folk), sings with the London Vocal Project (Kenny Wheeler, Bobby McFerrin) and performs regularly on the London Afrobeat scene.

This variety of experience and interest finds a unity of expression in his output as an improviser and writer, simultaneously accessible and surprising, moving and uplifting. His quintet places an emphasis on lyricism, atmosphere, sonority and playfulness, in which his soulful, warm and melancholy-tinged sound expresses a depth, clarity and honesty of emotion and feeling.

“… warm-toned mellifluous tenor saxophone… with elegant phrasing” – LondonJazz

Andrew Woolf tenor saxophone and clarinet
Robbie Robson trumpet
Ryan Williams guitar
Dave O’Brien double bass
Corrie Dick drums

Sans Domicile Fixe

Drawing their inspiration from Beat Poetry, SDF is a new group that brings together spoken word and groove music in a way that eschews the obvious hip hop connotations and searches for more free form and dynamic inter-relationships between the two. Taking the poems of Alistair Cartwright and others as a starting point, the rhythm section combines to create a form that’s part writing, part song.

Alistair Cartwright vocals
Zac Gvi keys
Ed Hiller drums
Plus guests to be announced….

As usual it’s doors 8pm, music at 8.30pm. £5 entry. See you there!

8th February: ‘LUME Presents…’ @ The Vortex

We’ve put together an exciting second season of our ‘LUME Presents…’ series at the Vortex Jazz Club. To start things off, we’re looking forward to welcoming a fantastic tentet and trio!

Roland Ramanan Tentet

This tentet comprises some of the most exciting musicians to emerge from the European free jazz/improvised music scene. Inspired by playing with the Peter Brotzmann tentet, the group combines original compositions with free and conducted improvised music to wildly sensual effect.

‘Throws a bomb under the usual carve-up between composition and improvisation’ (The Wire)

Roland Ramanan trumpet
Nick Malcolm trumpet
Ed Lucas trombone
Adrian Northover soprano saxophone
Ricardo Tejero alto saxophone
Rachel Musson tenor saxophone
Roberto Sassi electric guitar
Dominic Lash bass
Mark Sanders drums
Andrew Lisle drums

Andreae/Birchall/Cheetham with Javier Saso

A trio of Manchester’s finest improvisers, joined by a special guest. Tenor player Sam Andreae is known for his collaborations with Scandinavian musicians in the critically- acclaimed bands Trio Riot and Silence Blossoms, as well as countless other projects. Birchall and Cheetham’s duo was described by Mojo as ‘a psychedelic maelstrom of sound that threatens to atomise your walls’. The trio toured Scandinavia in 2013 and have performed widely around the UK and further afield. With their debut release newly out on the Tombed Visions label, they are joined tonight by Madrid experimental musician Javier Saso.

Sam Andreae tenor saxophone
David Birchall guitar
Andrew Cheetham drums
Javier Saso amplified objects, machines obsolètes, pickups, radios

Tickets are £8 in advance from the Vortex website, or £10 on the door. Join us for a night of improv explorations! Doors 7.30pm, music 8pm…