Two Sets of Improvised Music : Mandhira De Saram (violin) / John Butcher (saxophones) / Daniel Thompson (acoustic guitar)
Doors 3:30 | music 4pm | entry £8 cash
John Butcher
John Butcher is well known as a saxophonist who attempts to engage with the uniqueness of time and place. His music ranges through improvisation, his own compositions, multitracked pieces and explorations with feedback and unusual acoustics. Since the early 80s he has collaborated with hundreds of artists – including Derek Bailey, Eddie Prévost, Rhodri Davies, Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Okkyung Lee, John Russell, Christian Marclay and Matthew Shipp. Additionally, he values occasional encounters – from the WDR Sinfonieorchester and EX Orkest to duos with Keiji Haino, Sophie Agnel, Fred Frith, Angharad Davies and Joe McPhee. Recent compositions include “Penny Wands” for Futurist Intonarumori, three HCMF commissions, “Good Liquor…” for the London Sinfonietta and “Tarab Cuts” (shortlisted for a British Composer’s Award).
Mandhira de Saram
Mandhira loves music and enjoys playing and being creative in a variety of styles including classical chamber music, film soundtracks, experimental collaborations and improvisation. She is founder and leader of the Ligeti Quartet, one of the foremost contemporary music ensembles, and is also a member of the Riot Ensemble, alongside improvising duos with Steve Beresford, Luigi Marino and Benoît Delbecq. She is currently working on a piece with the Australian Arts Orchestra which will be performed later this year.
Daniel Thompson
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
