Explosive, anything-goes music from inspiring bass player John Pope and a compelling quintet drawing on 60s free jazz and hard bop with a contemporary ‘vibe-hopping’ sensibility. Always searching and generous, their music is beautiful and fiery, teetering splendidly on the edge. An outstanding ensemble of some of the finest Northern improvisers, with Jamie Stockbidge (Taupe, Agbeko) on alto sax, Faye MacCalman (Archipelago, Anenome Quartet) on tenor sax/clarinet, Graham Hardy (Northern Monkey Brass Band, Ushaw Ensemble) on trumpet, Johnny Hunter (Sloth Racket, MoonMot) on drums, their music is open-hearted, joyous and fearlessly intuitive. “…beautifully laid out avant-jazz pieces that connect like a first rate puzzle, effortlessly executed” – BigBeautifulNoise.com “Irresistable joie de vivre” – Jazzwise Exuberant and creative bass player John Pope has collaborated with violinist John Garner, and toured with Archipelago, Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Johnny Hunter, and Michael Moore, as well as appearing at festivals and venues including London Jazz Festival, Lancaster Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Gateshead International Jazz Festival, and the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. A fiery and exciting musician, alto sax player Jamie Stockbidge has performed at venues and festivals across the UK and Europe both as band leader of Manchester’s 12-piece ensemble Agbeko and as co-leader of Taupe. Described as “one of the most envelope pushing jazz artists today” (Crack Magazine), Newcastle-based Faye MacCalman (tenor saxophone, clarinet) is bandleader of Archipelago, nominated for UK Jazz Act of the Year by Jazz FM. An artist in residence at The Glasshouse ICM, she has also worked with Maximo Park, Zoe Rahman, Arun Ghosh, The Unthanks, David Brewis, Daniel Casimir, and Me Lost Me. An expressive and versatile trumpeter Graham Hardy has performed with Ushaw Ensemble and the Northern Monkey Brass Band as well as leading his own quartet. Drummer Johnny Hunter has worked with musicians including Ingrid Laubrock, Liam Noble, Gerry Hemingway, Laura Cole, and Alicia Gardener-Trejo. As both a drummer and a composer, he’s an inspiring presence who’s music always pushes forward and develops in original and unexpected ways.