TIME: 8.00 – 11.00PM

TICKETS: £14

PERSONNEL

Alison Rayner: bass
Buster Birch: drums
Deirdre Cartwright: guitar
Diane McLoughlin: saxophone
Steve Lodder: piano

Led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner, multi award-winning quintet ARQ are widely celebrated
from several years of extensive UK and European touring – and critically acclaimed for their three
album releases August (2014) , A Magic Life (2016) and Short Stories (2019). Their music combines
richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-infused melodies; this, along with their
love of improvisation, creates a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. ARQ play ‘songs
without words’ and are lauded for their vibrant, communicative performances.
Short Stories, their most recent album, supported by Arts Council England and the PRS Foundation,
garnered extensive press acclaim and international radio play; its release was followed by a twentyfour
date UK promotional tour with one of the songs from the album ‘There is a Crack in Everything’
subsequently winning a 2019 Ivor Novello Composer Award.
ARQ’s recent appearances include London’s Ronnie Scott’s and Pizza Express Jazz Clubs, Poole
Lighthouse, Gateshead Sage and Liverpool Capstone Theatre; jazz festivals include EFG London,
Birmingham, Swanage and Ribble Valley. They band are currently previewing new material from
their forthcoming album (working title ‘All Will Be Well’) with release expected later in 2023.

PRESS
• A collection of eight perfectly formed originals. ★★★★ BBC Music Magazine
• Memories brought to life. ★★★★ The Observer
• Tells its tales through strong melodies, sinewy rhythms and luminous solos, is by turns tender
and exuberant…a great album.★★★★ All About Jazz
• ARQ have come up with another impeccable album. ★★★★1/2 thejazzmann.com
AWARDS
★ Ivor Novello Composer Awards 2019 Alison Rayner
★ All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2018 Ensemble of the Year
★ British Jazz Awards 2018 Best Small Group (Public Vote)

ARQs website   http://www.alisonrayner.com/  

Check out these videos

https://youtu.be/_OimqPN2P4c

https://youtu.be/8IHvKXPDKDs

https://youtu.be/boryQkP5nIY