Described as thoughtful, energetic, serpentine, embryonic, boisterous, episodic and nuanced, Wandering Monster reach beyond what may be expected from the tried and tested line-up of the tenor saxophone / guitar quintet. The group showcase their love for world music, rock and metal whilst continuously trying to learn from the trailblazers of Black American music and improvised music. These influences result in a sound that is intense and raucous, yet dynamic, sensitive, spontaneous and intellectual.

The band’s eponymous debut album was released in 2019 on Ubuntu Music to much critical acclaim. 2020 saw the release of double A side ‘Metropolis/ D ivision’ in which the outfit continued to blend the performance of involved written material with exciting collective improvisation.

“…really rather brilliant” Roger Thomas- BBC Music Magazine

“This may be their debut album, but there’s a maturity and generosity in each other’s musical company that makes Wandering Monster just a little special” Andy Robson- Jazzwise

John Pope Quintet - Mixed With Glass (album launch)
As current Jazz North ambassador artists, John Pope Quintet features five of North England's strongest young voices, with John himself a current Serious Music Take Five participant, earmarking him as a vital emerging voice on the UK jazz scene.
As an active UK improvising artist, John is deeply committed to the exploration of improvisation as a vehicle for both collective and solo expression. He has performed extensively as a soloist and in collaboration with internationally recognised artists including Joe McPhee, Evan Parker, Tony Bevan, Rhodri Davies, Alexander Hawkins, Cath Roberts, Paul Hession, Mick Beck, Han Bennink, Mariam Rezai, Beatrix Ward-Fernandez, Anton Hunter and many others.
In January 2021 the band release their debut album on the New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings label based in Newcastle, and this concert represents the celebratory launch for ‘Mixed With Glass’.
John Pope (Double Bass)
Jamie Stockbridge (Alto Saxophone)
Faye MacCalman (Tenor Saxophone / Clarinet) Graham Hardy (Trumpet / Pocket Trumpet) Johnny Hunter (Drums)

Matt Carmichael (Saxophone) Fergus McCreadie (Piano)
Ali Watson (Bass)
Tom Potter (Drums)

30th April is International Jazz Day and Jazz North East are co-promoting with Jazz.Coop at The Globe livestreaming four of the finest young jazz musicians in the UK.

Finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020 and winner of the Peter Whittingham Development Award 2019, saxophonist Matt Carmichael is a rising star in the youthful Scottish jazz scene.
His debut album, Where Will The River Flow, comprises nine original compositions that reflect Carmichael’s strong engagement with Scottish traditional music and Scandinavian influences as well as his immersion in jazz since his early teens.

His quartet includes award-winning pianist Fergus McCreadie, bassist Ali Watson and drummer Tom Potter.

Shirley Smart (Cello)
John Crawford (Piano)
Demi Garcia Sabat (Percussion)
Trailblazing cellist Shirley Smart is recognized as one of the UK’s most versatile and creative string players.
Her trio showcases the vast array of her musical influences, drawing on her unique background living in Jerusalem for 10 years and working with the overlapping worlds of jazz, Arabic, Turkish and North African music, and with artists such as Avishai Cohen, Omer Avital and Yasmin Levy. It features two of the UK’s leading lights in world-influenced jazz – John Crawford on piano, and Demi Garcia Sabat on percussion.
Smart has established herself firmly on both the jazz and world music scenes since moving back to London, working with artists including Neil Cowley, Mulatu Astatke, Robert Mitchell, Misha Mullov-Abaddo, Maciek Pysz and Alice Zawadzki. She is also a founder member of Issie Barratt’s Interchange Dectet, whose debut album ‘Donna’s Secret’ has just been released, and has appeared at numerous festivals in the UK and abroad.
She is currently Head of Performance at City University, and gives frequent workshops for organisations such as the National Youth Jazz Collective, Jazzlines, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire.
“... some of the most inventive use of the cello I’ve heard for some time.” - Kind of Jazz

Josephone Davies (Saxophone)
Dave Whitford (Bass)
James Maddren (Drums and Percussion)
The inimitable and dynamic trio ‘Satori’, led by Parliamentary jazz instrumentalist of the year Josephine Davies, are delighted to present the music from their recently released third album ‘How Can We Wake?’
Inspired by the writings of the Indian sage Patanjali, this suite of pieces features Josephine’s continuing development as a composer and improviser as much as a saxophonist. Recorded live in the atmospheric setting of North London’s Oxford Tavern and featuring the superbly intricate musicianship of drummer James Maddren and bassist Dave Whitford, ‘How Can We Wake?’ is a beautifully creative and magical offering from Satori.
“Definitely a band to watch.” ★★★★1/2 (Downbeat Magazine) “Winning immediacy.” ★★★★ (Mojo Magazine)
“Containment would never define Josephine Davies – This lady draws upon, and continually explores her own inner intuitive expression.” (Jazz in Europe Magazine)

Archipelago - ‘Echoes To The Sky’ Album Launch

Jazz North East and Gosforth Civic Theatre Jazz Club are proud to present the genre bending trio Archipelago launching their brand new album ‘Echoes To The Sky’ on Tyneside's New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings label.

Archipelago take audiences on a genre crushing journey fusing cinematic improvisation, fiery free jazz, alt-rock and the heartfelt storytelling of blues-folk songwriters into an innovative brew of new music.

Fronted by composer / saxophonist / clarinetist / vocalist Faye MacCalman and completed by John Pope (Bass / FX) and Christian Alderson (Drums / Percussion), Archipelago formed out of the North East of England’s burgeoning new music scene in 2016 after crossing paths in ‘mutant funeral jazz big band’ The Midnight Doctors.

With influences stretching from Joni Mitchell, to Don Cherry, to PJ Harvey, their songs change rapidly from one to the next as Archipelago move between instruments and electronic effects that create the illusion of a room of musicians before peeling back to their raw trio form.

Archipelago’s uncompromising ability to fit in one genre is an unforgettable musical experience.

‘A shape-shifting sound’ - Kevin Le Gendre.

‘A group now unmistakably mixing it among our region’s finest’ - NARC Magazine

www.archipelagoband.uk
Facebook: @archipelago.fjc Instagram: archipelagoband twitter: @archipelagojam

www.jazznortheast.com
www.newjazzandimprovisedmusicrecordings.bandcamp.com

Faith Brackenbury

Faith Brackenbury studied violin classically at music school, diversifying into jazz, folk, rock and improvisation at Brunel University. Her music remains restless, performing in Irish folk and Hot Club bands, the free improvising duo Zephyr with Martin Speake, and also appearing with the ambient cinematic artist Joel Nathaniel Pike in Tiny Leaves.

Faith returns to Newcastle following her recent collaboration with the Archipelago ‘Between Waves’ project, this time to perform her new solo material at the opening of this very special event.

'Undiluted joy' - The Wire
www.faithbrackenbury.com

The Noel Dennis Trio explore a range of material from the likes of Miles Davis, Tom Harrell and Bill Evans, as well as some of the more rare standard repertoire. Noel Dennis Trio take a creative and atmospheric approach to the materials, exploring the intricate workings of some wonderful tunes. Joining Noel Dennis are Paul Edis and Andy Champion.
Noel Dennis (Trumpet and Flugelhorn) Paul Edis (Piano)
Andy Champion (Double Bass)

Paul Taylor - ‘Via’ Post Album Launch

Paul Taylor is emerging as one of the most consistently interesting and innovative solo pianists in recent years, eschewing the conventional cliches associated with jazz improvisation in favour of an unorthodox, harmonically complex and often compellingly beautiful musical language that is often inspired by the classical tradition. Nonetheless, his playing also encapsulates the restless capacity for invention that is a cornerstone of jazz.

As well as an increasing profile in the UK, with appearances at Manchester Jazz Festival and Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music, Paul's music is also acquiring international acclaim, with recent performances at several festivals in Romania and Slovenia.

Paul Taylor has appeared before audiences of over 600 people, shared the stage with Matthew Bourne and Keith Tippett, as well as performing in the iconic Durham Cathedral.

Jazz North East are proud to present Paul Taylor for a post album launch of his brand new album ‘Via’ (recorded on a Steinway Grand piano at Sage Gateshead in March 2020 just prior to Covid imposed lockdown) and released in January this year on Tyneside’s New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings label.

Andy Champion and Graeme Wilson ‘Shoes For Losers’ Post Album Launch

Bassist Andy Champion and saxophonist Graeme Wilson are two of the most creative musicians on the UK's jazz and improvised music scene. Despite more than a decade of playing together in several of the North East’s most exciting bands and projects, including their respective bands ACV and the Graeme Wilson Quartet, they have never had the opportunity to explore their shared enthusiasm for free improvising.

After recording a written duo for Wilson's ‘Abscondit' album in 2018, the pair decided they should arrange a recording date for freely improvised music; it took a while, but the result was the album ‘Shoes For Losers’ recorded on 14th February 2020 just prior to Covid imposed lockdown.

As with Paul Taylor it was not possible to host an album launch concert when the release was issued earlier this year, so it’s a pleasure to team the duo up with Paul Taylor in this double bill to celebrate the release of both album recordings.

www.jazznortheast.com

www.newjazzandimprovisedmusicrecordings.bandcamp.com

Find yourself immersed in synthesised soundscapes, electronic improvisation & spoken word, exploring the multitude of emotions we all experience towards our families. Featuring Nel Begley, Jamil Sheriff, Katie Patterson and Pete Turner, the quartet pulls influence from jazz, electronica and rock.
Originally formed in 2017 as a commission for Bolton Worktown Festival (2018) the band went on to release their debut album ‘Rafe’s Dilemma’ with an accompanying Arts Council England supported tour (2019). They are currently part of Jazz North’s Northern Line Scheme 2019/20/21 and are writing new material with the endorsement of award winning playwright Leo Butler.
Jamil Sheriff (Keys / Synths)
Nel Begley (Vocals)
Katie Patterson (Drums / Percussion) Sam Vicary (Bass)
This concert is presented by Jazz North East in association with Jazz.Coop at the Globe and comes with support from Jazz North ‘Northern Line’.

Alter Ego, based in Newcastle, is a sextet made up of talented, like-minded musicians all of whom have experience performing in a variety of musical styles. In order to develop an individual sound they have moved away from the standard jazz repertoire in favour of lesser known material originally performed by groups led by Art Blakey, Hank Mobley and Miles Davis while also introducing many new original numbers.
The band present a stylistically varied programme including Uptempo Swing, Hard Bop, Funk and Latin Jazz. The instrumentation allows for tightly structured arrangements, with harmonically rich ensemble passages, exciting rhythmic interplay and inventive improvised solos. The venues they have played at include the Gateshead, Durham & Darlington jazz festivals, Opus4 Darlington, Blaydon jazz club, the Fox Hexham, J’s & B’s Fenham and several times at the Globe.
Keith Robinson (Alto Sax)
Niall Armstrong (Tenor Sax & Flute) Dave Hignett (Trumpet & Flugelhorn) Paul Donnally (Guitar)
Tony Abel (Bass)
Dave Johnson (Drums)

Described by BBC Radio 3 as “absolutely stunning,” Wilson’s and Hussain’s unique piano and tabla collaboration interweaves Western contemporary classical, jazz, and South Asian musical styles. Their sparkling 2019 album, DIWAN, received global critical acclaim and the duo are currently working on their next release.
In perfect balance, the mesmeric warmth of Helen Anahita Wilson’s piano meets the virtuosic and thrilling tabla playing of one of Europe’s finest percussionists, Shahbaz Hussain. The duo’s inspiring performances evoke memories of the finest crossover projects by giants such as Terry Riley and Shakti.
“Breathtaking” - The Wire “Hypnotic” - Qwest TV “One to Watch” - Jazzwise

www.shahbazhussainandhelenanahitawilson.bandcamp.com/album/diwan

www.helenanahitawilson.com

www.suriyarecordings.com/shahbaz-hussain/

www.jazznortheast.com

www.gemarts.org

Silent Music Seeing Sound

Jo Ganter (Visual Artist)
Raymond MacDonald (Composer and Saxophonist)
George Burt (Guitar)
Andy Champion (Bass)

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music are pleased to present a two week exhibition of graphic scores at Newcastle Arts Centre. The original prints in this exhibition are made by Jo Ganter RSA with composer and musician Raymond MacDonald.

Graphic scores represent music using visual images outside the realm of traditional music notation. These are independent works of visual art in their own right, however, the images here also sit on music stands during performances to be read by small groups of musicians. Ganter and MacDonald write short explanatory notes for the musicians to direct their reading of each image. Compositional elements in the images can convey organizational and relational features in the music, for example, solo, duo or trio events. Colour and shape might denote instrumentation, texture of music, pitch and tone. Time is often expressed through the horizontal and vertical lines of the compositions. The images are then the base for unique musical explorations and improvisations.

For the opening preview on Saturday 25th September the graphic scores will be performed by Raymond MacDonald with George Burt and Andy Champion, alongside an artists talk with Jo Ganter and Raymond.

Artist Profiles

Jo Ganter RSA is a visual artist, printmaker and Lecturer in Fine Art at Edinburgh College of Art. She has exhibited internationally, showing at the A.I.R Gallery in New York in 2000 and winning the Canson Polska Award at the Krakow Print Triennial in 2012. Her work is included in many major collections, including The Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp and the New York Public Library.

www.joganter.com

Raymond MacDonald is a saxophonist and composer who has released over 60 CDs and toured and broadcast worldwide. He has written music for film, television, theatre, radio and art installations and much of his work explores the boundaries and ambiguities between what is conventionally seen as improvisation and composition. He is Professor of Music Psychology and Improvisation at Edinburgh University and lectures, publishes and runs workshops internationally.

www.raymondmacdonald.co.uk

Spinningwork

Cath Roberts (Baritone Saxophone)
Tom Ward (Saxophone)
Olie Brice (Double Bass)
Johnny Hunter (Drums)

Spinningwork is a brand new quartet formed during Covid lockdown, with all four band members composing together through the medium of Zoom. The Quartet have been invited to perform their first ever concert in Newcastle, which will also be recorded for the festivals’ associated New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings project, similarly conceived and launched during the height of the pandemic. We’re delighted to invite an intimate live audience to hear this brand new music previewed for the first time and played acoustically, as we warm up the festival proper.

www.cathrobots.co.uk www.madwort.co.uk www.oliebrice.com www.johnnyhuntermusic.com

www.newjazzandimprovisedmusicrecordings.bandcamp.com

Shiver

Chris Sharkey (Guitar)
Andy Champion (Electric Bass)
Joost Hendrickx (Drums + Electronics)

Chris Sharkey has spent the last decade performing in some of the UK's most cutting-edge, ground-breaking yet accessible jazz / improvisation groups such as Acoustic Ladyland and trioVD. Shiver is Chris’ love letter to the electric guitar. The music can be located somewhere within the Venn diagram of post-rock and electronic music with the shadow of Hendrix never far away. The lineup is completed by Andy Champion (ACV) on bass guitar and Joost Hendrickx (Shatner’s Bassoon) on drums / electronics.

Shiver appear at Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music in support of their new album ‘Night School’ which is being released through the festivals very own New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings imprint, this a great opportunity to catch the band’s exceptional live show and album launch concert.

“Shiver were bleedin' brilliant - a band who make your inner organs vibrate” - Jez Nelson (BBC Radio Jazz on 3)

www.chrissharkeymusic.com

Run Logan Run

Andrew Neil Hayes (Saxophones + Electronics)
Matt Brown (Drum Kit + Percussion)
Annie Gardiner (Bass Guitar)

Run Logan Run are a head on collision of pounding tribal drums and screaming guttural saxophone. Architects of intense contrast, the duo’s diverse and precise instrumentation regularly flirts with fragility and raw power.

Formed through a shared passion for improvisation, spiritual jazz and heavier experimental music, they have been authoring their own narrative in the new wave of crossover jazz, whilst touring the UK extensively, sharing stages with the likes of The Bad Plus, Colin Stetson, Melt Yourself Down and Shabaka Hutchings. In 2019 they received both the Montreux Jazz Talent Award for their performance at the festival.

Their debut album ‘The Delicate Balance of Terror’ was produced by Danalogue & Betamax (The Comet Is Coming) instilling further idiosyncratic dynamics into their already distinctive sound.

“Haunting, visceral and free”
- Thomas Rees (Jazzwise Magazine)

www.runloganrun.com

Warmer Than Blood

Chris Montague (Electric Guitar)
Kit Downes (Piano)
Ruth Goller (Electric Bass and Voice)

Warmer Than Blood is the new trio from critically acclaimed composer and guitarist Chris Montague (Troyka / Squarepusher). It brings together the pianist, and ECM recording artist, Kit Downes and renowned electric bassist, Ruth Goller (Acoustic Ladyland / Melt Yourself Down).

The dynamite trio have collaborated extensively in recent years establishing a distinct musical intuition and bond. Montague’s latest compositions provide a fresh sonic exploration between the three artists. The unusual mix of electric bass, piano and guitar creates spellbinding soundscapes of dark textures, visceral pools of harmony, kinetic improvisation and percussive prepared piano.

WTB perform the kind of music that lingers in the ears long after the tune has ended. At once foreboding and tender, composed with a scathing intricacy that belies its emotional breadth.

The concert from Warmer Than Blood will be preceded by a solo performance from Ruth Goller playing solo.

“Super rich in color and atmospheres, inimitable in adventure and brilliant playing” - Dick Hovenga (Written in Music)

www.chrismontaguemusic.com/warmer-than-blood/

Ceitidh Mac

Ceitidh Mac (Cello / Guitar / Vocals)
Will Hammond (Percussion)
Calum Howard (Synth)

Ceitidh Mac blends the warming tones of the cello and soaring vocals to create a transformative sound that puts a progressive twist on the alt.folk genre.
Originally from Wales, now based in Newcastle, Ceitidh’s intriguing lyrics have been mesmerising audiences in the know across the UK. Her live show is an innovative take on traditional and alternative folk songs, sitting alongside her own original material exploring topics ranging from illuminating everyday experiences to subjects of deeper self reflection.

“The music carried by distinct lyrics, cello melodies and synth hooks creates a mesmerising live atmosphere...”
- NARC magazine

www.ceitidhmac.com

Alina Bzhezhinska HipHarp Quartet

Alina Bzhezhinska (Harp)
Mikele Montolli (Electric Bass)
Adam Teixiera (Drums)
Joel Prime (Percussion)

Internationally renowned harpist Alina Bzhezhinska has a strong reputation for innovation. This time she creates a unique sound on the harp with effect pedals and electronics, supported by UK leading artists Mikele Montolli, Joel Prime and Adam Teixeira.

Through a combination of original works and covers, she pays homage to some of jazz, funk and hip-hop’s greatest innovators. Her quartet draws from a variety of influences, including the likes of Dorothy Ashby’s ‘Afro-harping’, Alice Coltrane’s spiritual outputs and Pharoah Sanders’ free form jazz experimentation.

“Alina Bzhezhinska Quartet... throws a spellbinding party to awaken the senses” - London Jazz News

www.alina-harpist.com

Pat Thomas

Pat Thomas (Solo Piano)

NFOJAiM is proud to present Pat Thomas' moving tribute to Duke Ellington, first performed at Cafe OTO in 2019 to celebrate the the Dukes’ 120th anniversary.

Pat Thomas studied classical piano aged 8 and started playing Jazz from the age of 16, inspired after seeing legendary pianist Oscar Peterson on television. He has since gone on to develop an utterly unique style - embracing improvisation, jazz and new music. He has played with a staggering list of musicians including Derek Bailey, Tony Oxley, Lol Coxhill, Evan Parker and Peter Brötzmann to name a few.

“Through a collage of heavy harmonics, serious swing and a wicked appreciation for exploration, the tunes are all there, but they emerge unpredictably, warped and hammered through the body of the piano in Pats own way”
- Cafe OTO

www.cafeoto.co.uk/artists/pat-thomas/

Zoe Rahman

Zoe Rahman (Solo Piano)

A vibrant and highly individual pianist and composer, Zoe Rahman’s style is deeply rooted in jazz yet it reflects her classical background, British / Bengali heritage and her very broad musical taste.

Known for her powerful technique, wide-ranging imagination and exuberant performance, she has become a highly sought-after musician, working most recently with the likes of George Mraz, Courtney Pine and Jerry Dammers’ Spatial AKA Orchestra.

Zoe’s solo album showcased the depth and breadth of her musical imagination, featuring new compositions alongside tracks by Duke Ellington, Jessica Williams, Rabindranath Tagore, as well as solo renditions of some of Zoe’s back catalogue.

A former MOBO Award winner, Mercury Prize nominee, Jazz FM Award nominee and British Jazz Award winner, Zoe has established herself as a unique presence in the British music industry. This is a rare opportunity to hear one of the UK’s most gifted jazz pianists in an intimate solo piano setting.

“Always exciting, playful, muscular and a tiny bit unhinged, that’s what I love about Zoe Rahman” - Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2)

www.zoerahman.com

Fergus McCreadie Trio
Fergus McCreadie (Piano)
David Bowden (Bass)
Stephen Henderson (Drums)

With the release of its second album, Cairn, Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie’s trio has underlined its status as one of the most exciting young groups in European jazz.

The trio’s music is dynamic and beautifully crafted, reflecting the Scottish landscape and musical traditions while honouring the American and European jazz legacies, and its huge emotional pull has brought audiences to their feet across Northern Europe and resulted in an appearance at Ronnie Scott’s International Piano Trio Festival.

McCreadie has been winning awards since his mid-teens and his group’s debut album, Turas, released in 2018, showed extraordinary maturity. It won the Album of the Year title at both the Parliamentary Jazz Awards – the UK’s most prestigious jazz prizes – and the Scottish Jazz Awards. McCreadie himself went on to win the Best Instrumentalist title at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2018 and 2020.

Chosen as Jazz FM’s featured album of the week ahead of its release, Cairn earned five stars from Mojo and four stars from Jazzwise and was acclaimed as one of the key jazz releases of 2021 by prominent industry observers before the end of January. Cairn marks the further development of McCreadie’s composing talents and the trio’s ability to think, create and play with one voice, qualities that make their live performances such exuberant, uplifting and soul-stirring experiences.

“real personality ... lucidly atmospheric ... fire and virtuosity” – The Times

“A trio capable of rivalling EST or The Bad Plus for sheer excitement...” Mojo

www.fergusmccreadie.co.uk

VULA VIEL
Bex Burch (Gyil)
Ruth Goller (Bass)
Jim Hart (Drums)

Vula Viel are a jazz group from London, playing music based on the sound of the gyil, a wooden xylophone from West Africa, fused with elements of electronica and minimal music. Vula Viel were formed by Bex Burch and name means "Good is Good" in the Dagaaba language, Dagaare.
Originally from Yorkshire, Bex Burch trained in percussion at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she was introduced to the minimalist music of Steve Reich, and then spent three years with the Dagaaba people of the Upper West Region of Ghana.
Vula Viel come to Newcastle in support of their new album 'What’s Not Enough About That’.

"One of the most exciting young UK groups I’ve heard"
- Jez Nelson (BBC Radio 3)

"Dance to it, make love to it, stare at the clouds to it"
- Iggy Pop

www.bexburch.com
www.facebook.com/vulaviel
www.instagram.com/vulaviel

Alison Rayner Quintet

Alison Rayner  (Double / Fretless Bass)
Buster Birch (Drums / Percussion)
Deirdre Cartwright (Guitar)
Diane McLoughlin (Saxophones)
Steve Lodder (Piano) 

Led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner, multi award-winning quintet ARQ are widely celebrated from several years of extensive UK and European touring – and critically acclaimed for album releases ‘August’ (2014) and ‘A Magic Life’ (2016). 

Their music combines richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-infused melodies; this, along with their love of improvisation, creates a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. ARQ play ‘songs without words’ and are lauded for their vibrant, communicative performances.

ARQ’s  third album Short Stories was released in October 2019, supported by Arts Council England and the PRS Foundation and receiving extensive international radio play and press acclaim. Promotional touring was halted by the pandemic in Spring 2020; this now resumes with an appearance at Ronnie Scott’s and regional touring from October 2021.

Jazz Alert Preview

A welcome return to the Globe for ARQ, who were previously there in November 2018 as part of Jazz North East’s ‘Women Make Music’ programme. On that occasion they were in the upstairs room, which struggled to accommodate a large and enthusiastic audience; this time round they’ll be downstairs in the bar, where the stage set-up and the acoustics have been enormously improved through work undertaken during lockdown, making it now an excellent venue for jazz.

Band leader Alison Rayner has been active on the UK scene since the mid-70s, and in 1989 was co-founder (with guitarist Deirdre Cartwright) of artist-led collective Blow the Fuse, which continues to promote regular London gigs and issue recordings. But it wasn’t until 2014 that she formed ARQ to highlight her own compositions - a decision which has won her much deserved acclaim. In 2018 the quintet was voted best small group in both the Parliamentary and British Jazz Awards, and in 2019 Alison was the recipient of an Ivor Novello Composers Award. At the end of that year the band released its third album, ‘Short Stories’, which was universally praised in the jazz media, AllAboutJazz describing it as “a great album . . . (with) strong melodies, sinewy rhythms and luminous solos . . . by turns tender and exuberant”.

A tour to promote the album was planned for 2020 but was knocked on the head by Covid, so the band are only now starting to pick up the threads. It’s excellent news that they’re taking in the Globe as part of their revived plans . . . a treat for jazz fans of all persuasions.