After a brief leave-of-absence the Wilkinson/Noble/Edwards trio finally make a return appearance at Cafe OTO! Whilst the trio itself hasn't appeared here for sometime it's constituent parts have been far from idle. Wilkinson has been seen on fine form with his AKODE quartet whilst Noble and Edwards have continued to reimagine the possibilities of the rhythm section with Decoy and as two-thirds of Peter Brötzmann's 'UK trio'.

Photo by Andy Newcombe

ALAN WILKINSON / saxophones

There can be few more daunting sounds in free music than that of Alan Wilkinson in overdrive, whether the headlong flights of his alto playing, or the beefier heft he gets from the baritone. Often featured lately with bassist John Edwards and drummer Steve Noble ( their CD ‘Live at Cafe Oto’ was among the CDs of the last decade in the Times) he’s also appeared with Derek Bailey, Peter Brötzmann, Chris Corsano, Talibam!, Eddie Prevost, and his trio with Simon Fell and Paul Hession, among others.

"[Wilkinson] still plays with the raw machismo that made his early concerts with ‘punk jazz’ trio Hession/Wilkinson/Fell so viscerally dynamic, but these days his baritone playing is as incisive as it is brawny, and on alto he’s more lyrical while still exhibiting a no-nonsense virility." Tim Owens - DalstonSound

JOHN EDWARDS / double bass

John Edwards is a true virtuoso whose staggering range of techniques and boundless musical imagination have redefined the possibility of the double bass and dramatically expanded its role, whether playing solo or with others. Perpetually in demand, he has played with Evan Parker, Sunny Murray, Derek Bailey, Joe McPhee, Lol Coxhill, Peter Brötzmann, Mulatu Astatke and many others.

STEVE NOBLE / drums

Steve Noble is London's leading drummer, a fearless and constantly inventive improviser whose super-precise, ultra-propulsive and hyper-detailed playing has galvanized encounters with Derek Bailey, Matthew Shipp, Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith, Stephen O'Malley, Joe McPhee, Alex Ward, Rhodri Davies and many, many more.

In the early eighties, Noble played with the Nigerian master drummer Elkan Ogunde, Rip Rig and Panic, Brion Gysin and the Bow Gamelan Ensemble, before going on to work with the pianist Alex Maguire and with Derek Bailey (including Company Weeks 1987, 89 and 90). He was featured in the Bailey's excellent TV series on Improvisation for Channel 4 based on his book ‘Improvisation; its nature and practise’. He has toured and performed throughout Europe, Africa and America and currently leads the groups N.E.W (with John Edwards and Alex Ward) and DECOY (with John Edwards and Alexander Hawkins).