Tuesday 29 July 2025, 7.30pm
Zoh Amba is a composer, instrumentalist and songwriter from East Tennessee living in New York city. She began her musical journey steeped in the musical traditions of the South and has taken it from coast to coast. Zoh released her first two records in 2022, her debut record O, Sun which was released on Tzadik, the second record, Bhakti features Micah Thomas, and Tyshawn Sorey. She has collaborated with a variety of musicians such as Chris Corsano, Myriam Gendrom, Glen Hansard, Jim White, gabby fluke-mogul, William Parker, and Bill Orcutt. Amba has also performed at well respected venues and festivals such as ReWire (NL), BRDCST Festival (BE), Roulette (NY), Jazz En Agosto (Portugal), Saalfelden (AU), Big Ears (Knoxville) and Willisau Jazz. Summer of 2025 Zoh released her third album Sun. It is a collection of solo and ensemble works with pianist Lex Korten, bassist Caroline Morton and percussionist Miguel Marcel Russell. The project was conceived through a commission from Roulette 2023-2024 blending avant-garde, noise, and devotional hymns. Zoh Amba is always pushing to reach the highest places in sound and heart with her art.
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
Mark has worked with many greats of the British, European and American free jazz improvised music scene including Roscoe Mitchell, Roswell Rudd, Evan Parker, John Butcher, Henry Grimes, Elaine Mitchener, Wadada Leo Smith, Myra Melford, Charles Gayle , Sirone and William Parker
He has also played with Jah Wobble, Harold Budd, Bill Laswell, Christian Marclay, International Contemporary Ensemble, Ilan Volkov and The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
He is a member of many working groups including duos with Nicole Mitchell and Rhodri Davies, Neil Charles' 'Dark Days' with Cleveland Watkiss & Pat Thomas, 'Last Dream of the Morning' with John Butcher & John Edwards, 'Shifa' with Rachel Musson and Pat Thomas and 'Sarost' with Larry Stabbins & Paul Rogers.
As an educator he has taught improvisation at many universities around the country as a lecturer and guest tutor.
Mark has played concerts and festivals around the world and appears on over 220 CD and Vinyl releases.
Mark was a recipient of the Paul Hamlyn Award for Artists 2024
"Drop the needle on the first track — or any track for that matter — and the first thing one is bound to notice is the amazing percussion skills of Mark Sanders" – Peter Thelen... Exposé
"Mark is just incredible and immensely diverse, he is at the center of "Kwingyaw" and it is difficult to tell what he is doing to get some of these sounds." – Bruce L Gallenter, Downtown Music Gallery, NY
