Tuesday 19 June 2018, 6.30pm, OTO Project Space
CRAM is music collective & independent record label, formed in 2009. It is dedicated to the support, production, promotion and development of improvised and new music. It was founded by Benedict Taylor and is curated by Benedict Taylor, Tom Jackson & Daniel Thompson. It is made up of a fluid group of musicians/artists, at the forefront of the London improvising & new music community, alongside key figures in music throughout many countries in Europe, Asia & North America. The group have, over the course of 9 years, programmed numerous concert series, tours & international residencies, BBC Radio broadcasts, an ongoing three day festival of improvisation and many album releases. They are thrilled to be bringing some CRAM artists to Cafe Oto in 2018.
https://cramrecords.bandcamp.com
http://cramrecords.blogspot.com
Trio: John Edwards (bass), Daniel Thompson (guitar), Benedict Taylor (viola)
Duo: Stephen Crowe (guitar) & Tom Jackson (clarinets)
https://soundcloud.com/scrowe/honeyvoiced-mythweaver-sappho-songs
https://musictomjackson.com
http://stephencroweopera.org/about
Stephen Crowe is an English composer of operas and experimental music.
London performances of his work have been at Camden Arts Centre, The Courtauld Gallery, Kings Place, The National Portrait Gallery, The Place, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Riverside Studios, Tate Britain and The Vortex.
As a guitarist he performs free improv on an irregular basis in London and Berlin.
He sings in 'StreisBAND', a hardcore Barbra Streisand covers band.
“The future of new opera.” – The Independent
“Amazing stuff.” – BBC 6Music
“Pretentious nonsense.” – The Scotsman
“OK, I guess.” – Henry Rollins
Tom Jackson is a clarinettist and saxophonist active in London and Europe, largely dedicated to the fields of contemporary classical music and free improvisation. He maintains an extensive and eclectic performance schedule and has performed throughout Europe, Australia and Asia.
Tom has worked with various contemporary chamber groups such as Apartment House, Lontano, Plus-Minus, ChampdAction, Ictus and Splinter Cell. He has recently completed a PhD at Canterbury Christ Church University on relational aesthetics and free improvisation.
“Tom Jackson conjured a jaw-dropping array of sonic effects.” – Cusp Magazine
John Edwards grew up in London and started experimenting with the bass guitar before he switched in his twenties to play double bass. He is deeply rooted in the creative free jazz and improvisation genre. Since the 80ties he is as soloist and in many groups and ensembles in Europe active and became one of the most renowned bass players. He played/plays regular for example with Peter Brötzmann, Joe Mc Phee, Phil Minton, Maggie Nichols, Evan Parker, Roscoe Michtell, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Mark Sanders, Caroline Kraabel, John Butcher, Pat Thomas, Irène Schweizer, Hans Koch, Florian Stoffner, Gabriele Mitelli, John Dikeman.
"I think John Edwards is absolutely remarkable: there’s never been anything like him before, anywhere in jazz." - Richard Williams, The Blue Moment
Daniel was born in Norfolk, England. Largely self-taught, he moved to London in 2005 and studied with the guitarist John Russell for two years. Since then, he has performed at many venues and festivals across the UK and Europe. In addition, he has also been organising concerts including the ‘The Shoreditch Church Concert Series' with Benedict Taylor.
Currently you can hear and see Daniel performing solo, with other musicians in many ad-hoc improvising situations and in long-term collaborations or 'working groups'. Recent collaborations include performances and/or recordings with Neil Metcalfe, Steve Noble, Caroline Kraabel, Max Reed, John Edwards, Benedict Taylor, Tom Jackson, Vid Drasler, Evan Parker, Adam Bohman, Sue Lynch, Alex Ward, Kay Grant, Roland Ramanan, Adrian Northover, Marcello Magliocchi, Alan Wilkinson, Colin Webster amongst others.
Daniel is the founder and artistic director of 'Empty Birdcage Records', a label dedicated to releasing documents of free improvisation. emptybirdcagerecords.bandcamp.com
Benedict Taylor is a solo viola player, violinist and composer active within string performance and improvised music in the British and European new music world. Described as a “virtuoso contemporary violist”, the central focus of his work is on the viola & improvisation, alongside composing for live performance, film, theatre, contemporary dance, art installation and creating multiple concept album projects.
https://benedicttaylormusic.com
