Blow the Fuse presents ARQ: Alison Rayner Quintet

Presented by: Blow The Fuse

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0	LONDON: Vortex Jazz Club
P	Thursday 8th November, 2018
N	8:00pm

Event information

ARQ are Winners: Jazz Ensemble of the Year 2018 Parliamentary Jazz Awards!

2018 has been a great year for ARQ, bass player Alison Rayner’s London-based contemporary and creative jazz quintet: UK festivals and club dates, a successful tour of Germany in September – and now the winners of ‘Best Ensemble of the Year’ in the prestigious 2018 All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Alison is also nominated in ‘Best Double Bass’ category in the 2018 British Jazz Awards.

Described by The Guardian as ‘spirited, eloquent and graceful’ and by The Observer as ‘a beautifully integrated band’, their music is ‘inventive, vibrantly colourful and unfailingly melodic, possessed of a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality, frequently inspired by personal experiences’ (the jazzman.com). Their combination of richly nuanced compositions with folk-infused grooves, skilful musicianship and a love of improvisation, creates a compelling and coherent whole.

ARQ’s profile has risen dramatically over the past five years, with extensive touring and critical acclaim for their two albums – ‘August’ and ‘A Magic Life’. They have built a substantial and wide-ranging audience, receiving national and international radio play and four and five-star reviews in jazz and national press. Their 40-date ‘A Magic Life’ tour of the UK was supported by Arts Council England; they are now previewing new music from their third album, due for release 2019, with further touring planned for later in the year.

On stage, ARQ are known for vibrant, communicative performances. Individually, the group's track record includes work with such international artists as Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, George Russell, John Harle, The Guest Stars, Marjorie Whylie, Sharon Freeman, Jayne Cortez, Tal Farlow and BBC TV’s Rockschool series which was broadcasted in both the UK and USA.

‘Inspired by real-world ideas, people and situations but infused with the kind of heady imagination that transforms their resonances into a series of vivacious musical adventures’ ***** BBC Music Magazine

‘Unified musical dexterity, not a note wasted and with sound as story — clear and undisguised, deeply affecting and unashamedly open’ The Morning Star

‘A gorgeous album synthesising mood, melody and the interplay between musicians totally at home with each other.’ **** Jazzwise

‘A celebration of life itself‘ LondonJazzNews

‘Full of energy, wonderful melodies, grooving rhythms and a musical togetherness that make it a true celebration’ Melodiva, Hamburg

ARQ:
Diane McLoughlin saxophones | Buster Birch drums & perc | Alison Rayner double bass | Steve Lodder piano | Deirdre Cartwright guitar


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