Garner/Hunter/Pope

Spontaneous, playful and multi-textured music and a unique line up of three acclaimed and wonderful improvisers. We’re delighted to welcome back John Pope (bass), John Garner (violin, jinashi shakuhachi) and Anton Hunter (guitar).

Quietly explorative, their original music unfolds in fascinating, dynamic and engaging ways, with the sound of the shakuhachi flute bringing a meditative quality, contrasting with moments of joyous and energetic improvisation. They draw on jazz, deep listening practice and a playful attitude towards genre and the proscribed roles of stringed instruments in modern music, occasionally revealing unexpectedly familiar melodies.

Bass player John Pope is one of the most exciting improvisers on the UK jazz scene, playing at The Lescar most recently in his duo with John Garner, and also in a fabulous trio with US-based saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Johnny Hunter, as well as with his own glorious and acclaimed quintet, with award-winning trio Archipelago and with US sax legend Michael Moore. A vibrant and inspirational musician who brings so much to every performance, John has appeared at festivals and venues including London Jazz Festival, Lancaster Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, TUSK and Gateshead International Jazz Festival, the Bimhuis in Amsterdam.

Violinist John Garner is one of the most original and unusual voices to emerge in recent years, combining immaculate technique with a fearless musicality and free-wheeling improvisational aesthetic, John has toured and worked internationally with artists and groups as diverse as Chris Potter, guitarist John Williams, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Kate Williams’ Four Plus Three, and Jim Rattigan’s Triplicity and Riot Ensemble.

On guitar Anton Hunter is perhaps best known for his part in the acclaimed Beats & Pieces Big Band and Sloth Racket. His expanded Article XI line-up (on a double bill with Cath Roberts’ Favourite Animals) was one of our most incredible gigs. A quietly creative force on the Northern and UK jazz and improvised music scenes.

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Juliana Day

Forming the other half of this double bill, we’re delighted to welcome Juliana Day to The Lescar. Her music mixes recorders, voice, field recordings and live electronics, generating hypnotic, meditative and utterly beautiful looped melodies and textures.

Emerging from the particularly creative Sheffield music scene, Juliana has been making an impact more widely, most recently with an appearance at Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music, who commissioned her debut solo album, and as a lead member of improvising minimalist ensemble Emergence Collective.

Described as “utterly, soul wrenchingly beautiful” (Joyzine), her music takes influence from artists such as Tim Hecker, Kali Malone, Steve Reich, Ichiko Aoba, William Basinski and Pauline Oliveros.

“Fascinating and contemplative.” Jazzwise

"haunting and comforting at the same time" - CAMP radio, Panurus Presents

"that was a real journey wasn't it? The deft use of echo there to create this sinuous texture of sound. That was absolutely beautiful" - Corey Mwamba. BBC Radio 3

Doors 8pm, music 8.30pm, £10 or £7 for students