Three contrasting sets showing the diversity to be found in the world of free improvisation in the friendly intimacy of London’s famous “listening Jazz club”. Michael Giaquinto (e.bass), Chris Hill (clarinet/electronics/amplified objects) & Alec Kronacker (e.guitar) DiscountGnostic was set up by Chris Hill (clarinet, soprano saxophone and amplified objects) as a recording vehicle to explore the potential of sound art, namely field recordings and sound manipulation along with live improvised material, as artistic practice.

CRUSH!!! CRUSH!!! are Sonic Pleasure, Mark Browne and Ian Smith. The group utilises a vast array of found and home-made sound making devices combined with more traditional instruments. Sonic Pleasure is famed for her unique crafting of sound from bricks and masonry, reducing much of her instrumentation to dust by the end of a concert. Mark Browne plays castrato saxophone, broken glass, percussion, whistles and bones. Ian Smith will play trumpet in an extraordinary manner.

Jim Dvorak & Harrison Smith A long established and highly respected partnership, Harrison Smith’s first public outings were with the Herrington Colliery band in Durham, leading to later experiences in dance bands and soul/rock groups around the North East of England, whereas Jim Dvorak (great nephew of the composer Antonin) hails from Brooklyn, where he took private tuition, before graduating from the prestigious Eastman school of music. From such different beginnings, and following a shared interest in improvising, the two musicians ended up in London in the late sixties / early seventies as collaborators in some of the leading groups of the time.

The Mopomoso end of year show! It’s that time of year again and Mopomoso celebrates all things improvised with our annual extravaganza at the Vortex. As in previous years the number of performers gets added to up until the day itself but typically we expect around 50 musicians playing short sets of 5 – 10 minutes or so. A great way to check out the vibrancy of the London free improvisation scene and see old friends and make new ones in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Mopomoso special as part of The London Jazz Festival THE WORKSHOP INVITES Formed in 2016 to mark the 25th anniversary of the first Mopomoso concerts the Mopomoso workshops have continued each week in London’s West End. Guests are invited to take part in a monthly concert open to the public and for this special show the workshop takes over Mopomoso’s regular afternoon slot at the Vortex to present a diverse and engaging mix of improvised music featuring its members in collaboration with a specially invited group of guests from the wider improvising community.

Yves Charuest (sax) & Dominic Lash (bass) duo Montreal based alto saxophonist YVES CHARUEST was a member of the Peter Kowald Trio (1985-1990) with Peter Kowald and Louis Moholo, with whom he played extensively in Europe and in the USA. He has also worked with John Betsch, Agustí Fernández, Georg Graewe, Roscoe Mitchell, William Parker, Mathias Schubert and Nate Wooley, as well as with many of his fellow Canadian creative musicians such as Jean Derome, Lisle Ellis, Michel Ratté and Sam Shalabi.

DISCOVERY PLUS Our regular monthly afternoon series continues at The Vortex “London’s listening Jazz club’ with, in different guises, some of the participants from the previous day’s Discovery festival in Walthamstow. Stefan Keune (sax) & John Russell (acoustic guitar) Alison Blunt (violin) & Yoko Miura (piano) Ola Paulson (alto saxophone), Anders Lindsjö (electric bass guitar), John Russell (electric guitar) & Anders Uddeskog (drums & percussion) plus surprise guests!!!

Fête Quaqua 2017 Three days of improvised music with 14 world class musicians. The Sunday concert is at 2.00 pm and the Monday and Tuesday concerts both start at 8.00 pm. A three day pass is £20 or £15 concessions and individual concerts are £8 or £6 concessions. Tickets purchases / reservations from The Vortex or from the door on the day. Every year the guitarist John Russell puts together a project involving a group of highly creative and individual musicians to work together, sometimes for the first time.

“Great music and a wonderful way to spend the afternoon” - George Coote. Indeed correct George! A Sunday afternoon at The Vortex listening up close and personal to some great musicians soothes all savage breasts. James O’Sullivan (guitar) & Chris Prosser (violin) The New Zealand based violinist and London based guitarist renew their partnership in a duo that promises to further enlarge upon their shared delight with the process and practices of free improvisation.

TICKLISH – Phil Durrant (modular synth), Rob Flint (video), Kev Hopper (bass guitar & effects) & Richard Sanderson (amplified melodeon). These veterans of the electronic music and improvisation scene are on this occasion wielding slightly different instruments while still retaining the distinctive eccentricities of the Ticklish sound; gurgling body noises, startling contrasts in texture and quirky, live film making. The four band members come from a variety of musical backgrounds including left-wing pop, punk, underground, and free improvisation and have worked with musicians as different as Derek Bailey and Grooverider so we can expect a wide ranging and constantly moving sound field.