Diane McLoughlin (Saxes)
Dierdre Cartwright (Electric Guitar)
Steve Lodder (Piano)
Alison Rayner (Bass)
Buster Birch (Drums)

I first came across Alison & Dierdre when they were part of the amazing and anarchic, All-Girl, Jazz-Rock band 'The Guest Stars' back in the 80s. Proper early Girl-Power band with a no-holds-barred approach to music and the politics of the day.

Dierdre then had her own band that I used to programme at The Albert, then Alison created ARQ, which I have booked regularly ever since. The band features top pianist/keyboardist Steve Lodder who many of you will remember, from 10+ years of work with Andy Sheppard and Dierdre Cartwright (BBC's Rock School).

Led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner, multi award-winning quintet ARQ are widely celebrated from ten years of extensive UK and European touring across a complete range of jazz clubs, concert halls and international festivals and critically acclaimed for their three album releases August (2014) , A Magic Life (2016) and Short Stories (2019). All have garnered extensive press acclaim and international radio play, with Rayner also winning a coveted Ivor Novello Composer Award for There is a Crack in Everything from Short Stories.

This year, ARQ celebrates 10 years of contributing to the cultural jazz landscape with their fourth album of collaborative, newly composed and original music 'Semaphore'. The album launch will be at Soho Pizza Express in March 2025.

Richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-infused melodies, ARQ play 'songs without words' carrying a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. The group are lauded for their vibrant, communicative performances and the newly-recorded material on Semaphore is as engaging, imaginative and groovy as ever.

.

Kjetil A Mulelid (Piano)
Rune Nergaard (Bass)
Andreas Winther (Drums)

This piano trio contains musicians that are involved in some of Norway's most interesting and innovative Jazz bands of the here and now; such as Norwegian Grammy winners Hegge and nominated Megalodon Collective, Wako and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.
Firmly in the contemporary Jazz bracket, they blend rich melodies with vital improvisations and Kjetil's own compositions.
This band were first brought to my attention by Bristol blogger Mike Collins (Jazzyblogman) back in 2021, it's taken me a bit of time to get them to Bristol, you will not be disappointed.....

The Kjetil Mulelid Trio released their debut album in late 2017 on Norway's prestigious Rune Grammofon label, a trademark that stands for a major deal in the best experimental electronic, jazz and improvised music from Scandinavia

Since their first album release, they have established the trio as one of Norway's foremost jazz outfits, with an active concert agenda throughout Europe. Their acclaimed sophomore album 'What You Thought Was Home', was released in August 2019 on the same record label.

Pianist Kjetil Mulelid's compositions expertly balance the energetic, rhythmically complex and harmonically rich music with beautiful, evocative melodies.

Miranda Sykes (Vocals, Double Bass, Guitar)
Jim Causley (Vocals, Accordion)

Two of the UK's most iconic voices in folk have joined forces and they're heading to Bristol for a special performance of their new album.

Miranda Sykes (Phil Beer, Show of Hands and Daphne's Flight) and Jim Causley (Waterson Carthy, Mawkin) united with John Palmer in 2024, to create a show which celebrated the song collector and author Sabine Baring-Gould. After receiving incredible audience feedback, the duo decided to record an album together.

The Last of the Singers is a collection of traditional, self-penned and contemporary songs, showcasing the duo's ethereal voices with their double bass and accordion instrumental talents.

Alex Hitchcock (Saxes)
James Copus (Trumpet)
Will Barry (Piano)
Mats Sandahl (Bass)
Marc Michel (Drums)

New York-based, Alex Hitchcock is known internationally as a leading voice on the saxophone and for his immediately distinctive improvisations. An Ivor Novello-nominated composer, his innovative collaborations have confirmed his growing reputation as an instigator and catalyst for captivating musical encounters that continually push the envelope a little further.

Described by The Guardian as a 'virtuoso' saxophonist, he tours and records trailblazing musicians in new combinations for his DREAM BAND series. The second volume Live in London was Jazzwise Editor's Album of the Year 2023 and featured in All About Jazz's 2023 Must Haves.
Noted by France Musique as "an absolutely fascinating musician" and "an incredible saxophonist" by Walter Smith III (USA), he is now touring with this Quintet of trailblazing musicians, from the UK and Europe

Alex was seen to great effect in 2023 when his project with Ant Law; Same Moon in the Same World was performed at Bristol Beacon Foyer. Don't miss the chance to hear this award-winning saxophonist back in Bristol. This group is coming from dates in Switzerland and France to the UK for only three dates (London, Bristol & Cambridge), before continuing back into Europe to Italy, Austria and Germany

Richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-infused melodies, ARQ play 'songs without words' carrying a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. The group are lauded for their vibrant, communicative performances and the newly-recorded material on Semaphore is as engaging, imaginative and groovy as ever.