October
29th Em Craig quartet - This quartet, formed by Saxophonist Em Craig, promises to dazzle and delight the audience with a wide selection melodies, rhythms, harmonies and textures. The musicians are based both in South-Wales and Leeds making this gig a promising meeting of two large British jazz cultures here at the Flute and Tankard. The music is largely freely improvised with smatterings of bright melodic compositions paired with outlandish, off-the-wall noise-jazz. The quartet consists of: Em Craig: Saxophones, Harvey Parkin-Christie: Saxophones, TBD (Paula Gardiner/ Ursula Harrison): Double Bass Teruki Chan: Drums
November
4th Five Of A Kind - London based quintet exploring Laurie’s original compositions and arrangements for a quintet outfit, featuring for this concert the wonderful Ursula Harrison on Bass. Influences ranging from contemporary Jazz in NYC to free improvisation and European Jazz, expect odd grooves, strange noises and swing! Laurie Rich - Piano, Ursula Harrison - Bass, Finn Genockey - Drums, Dylan Chandler Pardo - Tenor Saxophone, Trumpet - TBC
5th The Alex Clarke/Eddie Gripper Quartet - fronted by BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist Alex Clarke - praised for her bebop fluency and harmonic instinct - and cardiff-based pianist, Eddie Gripper, whose debut album "drew comparisons with the greats" (Jazzwise) - The Alex Clarke/Eddie Gripper Quartet reunites for another tour, delivering hard-bop and feel-good swing. With Ronan Ristord (drums) and Nick Kacal (Double Bass)
11th Pete Komor’s Howl quartet - a dynamic, expressive outlet with an emphasis on storytelling through melodic composition and improvisation. Formed of old friends and collaborators, this co-led acoustic quartet emerged in 2017 through a passion for developing a collective sound. Inspired by artists such as Endangered Blood, The Bad Plus and Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, there is an innate freedom and creative intensity to their music Pete on bass, Dan Smith, Harry Brunt saxes Matt Parkinson drums
12th Paul Mason Halfway - Halfway is a spin out from RWCMD, when most of the members studied. They are the current Jazz Artists in Residence at Rhosygilwen Mansions, and play multiple jazz idioms, including bossa nova, samba, swing tunes, ECM-vibe and ballads. Whatever your jazz preferences, there is something here for you. As students, Halfway appeared several times at the Flute, and they are really delighted to be back now as working musicians. Vocals – Ania Drewniok, Saxes/flute – Paul Mason, Piano – Will Macleod, Bass – Benedict Stephens, Drums – Sam Green
18th Joe Northwood’s Jam Session - as usual Joe’s band will kick things off, then open the session up to Uncle Tom, etc.
19th Sam Newbold quintet - Sam alto saxophone and compositions, Bernard van Rossum tenor saxophone, Xavi Torres piano, Jort Terwijn bass and Guy Salamon drums. Celebrated for his uninhibited approach to writing both in his native UK and in The Netherlands where he lives, Newbould brings along a celebrated group of musicians, each bandleaders in their own right, to present original compositions packed with musical storytelling
25th Heidi Vogel/Bruno Heinen - Virtuoso voice/piano duo both outstanding musicians, Bruno well known to us but here with the awesome Heidi
26th RWCMD Showcase - Set 1: ‘The Blakey Collection’, Rhys Ponting Tenor Saxophone, Owen Goodman Trombone, Luke Sterry Piano, Ella Cleary Bass, Spike Ostle Drums A drummer-led quintet performing the rep of the jazz messengers as homage to the great drummer and bandleader Art Blakey. Set 2: Nick Davydenko and Nils Kavanagh duo Nick Davydenko