Comprising some of the most sought after musicians on the London-Oslo improvised music scenes, this quartet’s inaugural concert / recording session took place in London last November. It came as no surprise that the four musicians exhibited strong bonds as a group, after all they had worked together in other combinations in the past, what maybe couldn’t be foreseen was the strength and playfulness running throughout a music of seemingly total openess.
Ståle Liavik Solberg (drums/percussion) has established a base for himself as a central part of Oslo’s thriving improvised music scene. Working with ensembles VCDC , Küchen / Beresford / Solberg and in duos with Fred Lonberg-Holm and John Russell his open and attentive drumming has received many positive responses from musicians and audiences in both Europe and the USA. Solberg is also known as one of the driving forces behind the series Blow Out! in Oslo, and he curates the festival with the same name together with fellow drummer / percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love.
John Russell (guitar) has been an important part of London free improvisation scene since the early 70s. Since then his work has extended further afield, with appearances on radio and television, recording (over 50 CDs) and live concerts from solo through to large orchestras. Apart from his own Quaqua projects he has also, since 1991, been founding director of Mopomoso, which among other things has presented the UK’s longest running unbroken concert series dedicated to free improvisation. He has played with many of the world’s finest improvisers and continues to maintain playing links with most of them, both in a number of regular groupings and also in more ad hoc meetings.
Steve Beresford (electronics/piano) Internationally renowned as a free improviser Steve plays with and conducts the London Improvisers Orchestra and has worked with hundreds of improvising musicians, including Derek Bailey, Han Bennink, Lol Coxhill, Evan Parker, Otomo Yoshihide and John Zorn. He also works with visual artists. being a regualr collaborator with Christian Marclay and has recently toured John Cage’s ‘Indeterminacy’ with comedian Stewart Lee and pianist Tania Chen.
Awarded a Paul Hamlyn Award for Artists in 2012, Steve’s music and his teachings have inspired the musical community in the UK for over a decade.
John Edwards (double bass) is a highly sought after musician who plays in a wide variety of groups with a veritable ‘who’s who’ of contemporary creative music making. Always busy he maintains a creative energy and delight in playing that is infectious, constantly inventive and above all great fun to experience.
Doors 3:30 | music 4pm | entry £5/donation
