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.

Three highly distinct and distinctive trios illustrating in a very real way the range of musical approaches to be found in free improvisation.

Free improvisation at its finest in ‘London’s listening jazz club’ Steve Beresford (piano,electronics) & Mandhira da Saram (violin) Steve Beresford is a name anyone with an interest in free improvisation should be familiar with. Possessor of a considerable musical intelligence, full of wit and with an inventiveness that has seen him play with some of the world’s finest improvisers, he is always a welcome addition to any Mopomoso bill. He is joined here by Mandhira da Saram, a versatile violinist who works as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player and is also a founding member and leader of the Ligeti Quartet.

This month Mopomoso brings you an afternoon of performances by musicians who are all recognised as stalwarts of this country’s free improvisation scene. Kay Grant (voice), Marcio Mattos (bass and/or cello) & Lawrence Casserley (electronics trio) The first set promises to be fascinating as it features three musicians who will be familiar to all our regulars, but in a new combination. American vocalist Kay Grant has established herself as a firm Mopomoso favourite since settling in London, and here she is joined by two venerable figures.

This month’s Mopomoso concert in our ‘Afternoon Sessions at The Vortex’ is an all UK programme of small group interplay with seven highly regarded musicians. The Paulinus trio – John Rangecroft (reeds), Marcio Mattos (bass) & Dave Tucker (guitar) A welcome return to Mopomoso from this no nonsense group. Ears open, eyes down and full steam ahead! A constantly shifting musical narrative of depth and clarity. Pat Thomas (keyboards) & Kay Grant (voice) Two musicians featured on the ‘Making Rooms’ 4 CD boxed set (Weekertoft), for which they have received rave reviews, here performing as a duo for the first time.

More quality free improvisation as we continue our afternoon concert series at The Vortex (details below) Martin Hackett (electronics), Daniel Thompson (guitar) & Phil Wachsmann (violin) A new trio put together by synthesizer player Martin Hackett and, in Phil Wachsmann, featuring one of the finest improvising violinists to be found anywhere. Thompson is a younger guitar player who has over the last few years created quite a buzz with his sensitive, measured playing.

It’s the End of Year Show!!! Starting at 2.00 p.m at The Vortex this is our final concert before the holidays and as usual will feature a large cast of musicians playing in different groupings and you are invited to bring food to share. We already have some musicians confirmed and the list will be added to right up until the day. We usually get about 50 people taking part and it is lots of fun with a chance to hear and meet up with old friends and also meet and make new ones.

I’Klectik Ballistik Friday 2 / Saturday 3 / Sunday 4 December 2016 3 days of improvised music and more. A celebration of the diversity and collective power of improvised music. Dec 2 Friday (doors 7pm) The Mopomoso workshop group Susanna Ferrar (violin) performing with film shot during her recent visit to the Discovery Hut Antarctica Peter Marsh (bass), David Ross (electronics) & Andrew Sharpley (electronics) Sarah Gail Brand (trombone) & Mark Sanders (drums) Steve Beresford (piano) & Satoko Fukuda (violin) John Russell (guitar) & Stale Liavik Solberg (percussion) Dec 3 Saturday (doors 1.