Saxophonist Jake McMurchie has grown in stature to become one of Bristol’s finest players, gaining both national and international recognition for his work with Get the Blessing, and more recently with his project Michelson Morley, which blends acoustic and electronic sounds.

Born in London, raised in Bristol, and Cambridge educated, Jake has been an influential member of the thriving South West jazz scene for nearly two decades.

His distinctive sound, imagination and melodic drive have made him a key member of many of the most innovative and exciting bands to emerge from the Bristol area, notably Get The Blessing, Michelson Morley and What Four (past recipients of the Birmingham Jazz New Music award).

Jake's band Michelson Morley released its second album Strange Courage on Babel Label in June 2016 and toured nationally to support this release. The album was awarded 4 stars by The Guardian and was described as ... really imaginative contemporary music, with a hot free-jazz core.

Get the Blessing has been described as ... the heavyweights of the contemporary jazz scene by The Independent and as ... they may well be the most original and exciting band on the British scene at the moment. by Jazzwise magazine. Get the Blessing’s debut album All Is Yes won Album of the Year in the 2008 BBC Jazz Awards. They continue to tour actively in the UK, Europe and further afield, including North America.

When not touring, Jake is a key figure in the South West's vibrant jazz scene playing with rising stars Greg Cordez, Sophie Stockham’s Sefrial, and is a founder member of the Bristol Composers Collective. He has also played with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Portishead and Massive Attack and with the great Portuguese singer Fernando Tordo at the National Theatre in Lisbon.

On the menu tonight will be a mixture of Jake’s originals, a few choice standards, plus a handful of tunes rarely heard in a jazz context by composers such as Tom Waits and Nick Drake.

Dan Waldman divides his time between Bristol, London and New York and has his own quartet in the USA which features the outstanding Will Vinson. Leaving the UK for America at 18, he trained at the prestigious Berklee School of Music on a scholarship, winning the Jimi Hendrix Award while there. Dan’s CV on live performance and recordings are impressive and diverse: Jason Marshall, Sean Escoffery, Jally Kebba Susso, Soul Understated, Pee Wee Ellis, The Duval Project, Neville Malcolm, Rashaan Carter, Richard Spaven, Alex Garnett and Jazz Refreshed (appearing on their live compilation 'Prelude'), as well as in session with MdCL on Giles Peterson 'Worldwide' radio show.

Riaan Vosloo possesses a deep toned sound and plays with great authority, which is a real advantage as the rock of any groove in a band; known as one of the best younger generation players in London in his early playing days, but he has become recognised as a highly creative band leader and composer, nationwide. He came to live in Bristol for a while before moving to Oxford but Bristol has now drawn him back to live in our city once again.

As well as occupying the Bass chair in the Nostalgia 77 Octet, Riaan Vosloo has worked with among others Keith Tippett, Matthew Bourne, Art Theman, Andy Shepherd, Spring Heel Jack, Liam Noble, Pee Wee Ellis and Iain Ballamy. Riaan was a founder member of the The Electric Dr M (with Matthew Bourne) and plays in the Gary Boyle quartet with Mercury nominee Zoe Rahman.

Drummer Matt Brown (Dahkla Brass/Sefrial) completes the line-up.

jakemc.co.uk