Yoko Miura

Photo by Seán Kelly

I am trying to make a kind of different universes interweaving and exchanging with different process, values and ways, with people, not only the musicians but also painters and dancers. Since 2001, she has been involved in making music overseas as well as in Japan. Musicians with whom she has played: In Japan: Noribumi Uchida (shamisen, bass), Nakao (sax, trombone, clarinet), Osamu Kuroda (performance), Kyoko Oikawa (violin), Ryouichi Saito (guitar), SACHI-A (drs), Jyunzo Tateiwa (percussion), Michi Kinugasa (sax, clarinet)

N.O. Moore

Photo by Seán Kelly

N.O. Moore is an electric guitarist with a parallel interest in electronics and drum machines. As an improviser, he has played with people such as Eddie Prévost, John Butcher, Rachel Musson, John Edwards, Sue Lynch, Alan Wilkinson, Steve Noble, and Steve Beresford. He can now be heard on a number of recordings, including Nous (with Prévost and Jason Yarde) on Matchless, and The Secret Handshake with Danger (with Henry Kaiser, Binker Golding, Olie Brice, and Prévost) on 577.

Maggie Nicols

Photo by Seán Kelly

Maggie Nicols joined London’s legendary Spontaneous Music Ensemble in 1968 as a free improvisation vocalist.

She then became active running voice workshops with an involvement in local experimental theatre.

She later joined the group Centipede, led by Keith Tippets and in 1977, with musician/composer Lindsay Cooper, formed the remarkable Feminist Improvising Group.

Eddie Prévost

Photo by Seán Kelly

Drummer Eddie Prévost was born on June 22, 1942 in England. As a teenager he played drums in Skiffle and trad jazz bands before showing signs of the creative musician that was forming. After his initial exposure to his greatest influences Max Roach and Ed Blackwell, Prévost became fascinated with the endless possibilities of improvisation. He began incorporating all sorts of non-traditional percussion with his standard drum kit. In 1965 he co-founded the English improv ensemble AMM with saxophonist Leslie Gare and guitarist Keith Rowe.

Jakub Rokita

Photo by Seán Kelly

Jakub is an audio-visual installation artist, performer and an arts-activist working out of Luton.

Maya-Leigh Rosenwasser

Maya-Leigh Rosenwasser (she/they) is a performer, improviser and composer and researcher specialising in performing and composing new works for piano (solo and chamber), live electronics and multi-disciplinary ensembles.

Notable performances, compositions and broadcasts include Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2023, BBC Radio 3’s Freeness: Circular Wanderings ‘Harbringers of Change’- Cafe Oto (One Orchestra New performance), Made at the Red House residency with Wild Plum Arts (PLASTIC BODIES), and residency and performance with experimental duo flxnflx at Kirkos Ensemble’s Unit 44.

John Russell

Photo by Seán Kelly

John Russell got his first guitar in 1965 while living in Kent and began to play in and around London from 1971 onwards.

Maria Sappho

Maria Sappho is a Puerto Rican American, currently working as an improviser, artist and researcher in the UK. She is a member of the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra (GIO) and founding member of the Noisebringers ensemble (CH/UK). She is a winner of the BBC Radiophophonic Daphne Oram award (2021), Dewar awards (2018) and New Piano Stars Competition (2015). She has worked with a number of large ensembles; International Contemporary Ensemble (US), BBC Scottish symphony orchestra, Australian Art Orchestra, and the Instant Composers Pool (ND).

Paul G Smyth

Photo by Seán Kelly

Paul G Smyth is Ireland’s leading improviser where he has played and toured with a.o Charles Gayle, Derek Bailey, Keiji Haino, Evan Parker, Barry Guy and Damo Suzuki. Outside of improvisation, his group The Jimmy Cake was described in The Irish Times as being “the most powerful musical force in Ireland”.

Alan Tomlinson

Photo by Seán Kelly

Alan has toured all over Europe and as far afield as North America and Siberia. His first solo album, Still Outside, came out in 1980 and several composers have written solo pieces for him. He currently works with his own trio with Dave Tucker (guitar) and Phil Marks (drums). He is a member of the contemporary music groups Sounds Positive and the New Wind Chamber Group.