Friends for many years, Bruno Heinen and Maria Chiara Argirò come from two distinctive places musically and are excited to bring each others music to life through their mutual respect for one another's artistry and compositional voice.
Coming from three generations of classical musicians, Bruno Heinen started playing piano at the age of four. He began composing pieces early on and was introduced to the world of jazz through the music of Bill Evans by his uncle (jazz pianist Johannes Heinen) in his late teens. His compositional voice has been informed by his love of composers from Duke Ellington to Béla Bártok and from Wayne Shorter to György Ligeti.
In 2019 he was awarded an AHRC-funded practice-based PhD investigating improvised counterpoint.
Described by the Guardian as "eclectic, eccentric, unobtrusively erudite", Bruno has written for groups ranging from two piano’s and percussion (for a project with Pete Saberton), to classical string ensemble (for a commission in 2017 from the Camerata Alma Viva). In 2009, Bruno was nominated for the Paul Hamlyn Composers Award.
He recently held the piano chair for two performances of Bernstein's Wonderful Town at the Barbican Centre with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.
Maria Chiara Argirò has been quietly weaving her way around the UK jazz, classical and electronic worlds since she moved to London from Rome eleven years ago.
A pianist from the age of nine and a key player in the capital’s multi-national jazz scene, she’s lent her skills to indie band These New Puritans, lush jazz troupe Kinkajous and, more recently, collaborations with Jamie Leeming – their 2020 album Flow was nominated for one of the albums of the year in the Jazz Revelations Awards and was the Guardian’s jazz album of the month – and beat-driven duo Moonfish.
Her widely acclaimed new album, Forest City, finds a glistening thread between these movements: it marks her out as an exciting rising electronic artist, where jazz meets Kelly Lee Owens, Jon Hopkins and Radiohead. It’s a concept record, about the “duality of nature and city”, and where organic sounds and textures seem to flow above the urban sprawl.
Creating stories through sounds and words is at the centre of Evie Asio’s musical world. Evie grew up in South-East London, where she used the range of musical styles around her to begin writing songs at the age of 15. Throughout her journey, Evie has performed at notable venues such as The Spice of Life, Proud Camden and O2 Academy2 Islington, as well as supporting BAYLI on her London headline show in 2022.
In November 2022, Evie Asio released her debut album ‘Contending and Contention’, a 9-track concept album dealing with the themes of struggle and self-reflection that she has explored in her own personal battles. The album received critical acclaim in various publications, including Something Else! And Jazz in Europe. Songs across the album have received international radio play, with singles ‘Available’ and ‘From Here’ being named as China Moses’ ‘Late Night Track of the Week’ on Jazz FM, and ‘Turning Time’ and ‘Imperfect People’ being featured on BBC6 Music.
“powerful... poignant... imaginative... and provocative” - Sandra Booker - Jazz in Europe
Multi-award-winning jazz vocalist, lyricist and producer, Georgia Mancio, is a supreme storyteller, creating work of authenticity, adventure, beauty and bite. Whether interpreting her own luminous originals or standards, Georgia’s evoking performances connect deeply with her audiences and linger long in the mind.
Her copious industry acknowledgements include consecutive wins at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards: Best Vocalist (2021) and Best Album (Finding Home, 2020), and several nominations at the Jazz FM, British Jazz and Urban Music Awards.
Her revered partnership with Grammy-winning pianist/composer, Alan Broadbent, has yielded two albums (Quiet Is The Star, Songbook), a book (The Songs of Alan Broadbent and Georgia Mancio) and engagements across Europe and the US, including Ronnie Scott’s and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Other credits include: BBC Proms, Liane Carroll, Ian Shaw, Kate Williams, Nigel Price, Pat Metheny (lyric approval), Bobby McFerrin and her own festivals ReVoice! and Hang.
Features - Georgia Mancio (voice), Robin Aspland (piano), Andrew Cleyndert (bass), Dave Ohm (drums)
Award-winning Saxophonist/Composer Ed Jones returns to the quartet format with which he first made his name on the UK jazz scene over 30 years ago. This current lineup was formed in 2011 and initially inspired by the music of Wayne Shorter this quartet has branched out to feature original new compositions from Jones and bassist Riaan Vosloo with outstanding support from Ross Stanley on Piano and Tim Gilles on Drums. During this time through many tours, the Quartet have formed a unique identity of powerfully driven fire music with atmospheric improvised soundscapes drawing both from original compositions with arrangements and fresh interpretations of the American songbook repertoire.
Their last Recording the acclaimed “For Your Ears Only” was released in Autumn 2017 on Impossible Ark Records with a 20-date UK tour supported by Arts Council of England. In Autumn 2023 and Winter 2024, the Quartet will be touring the UK featuring new music that will be recorded later in 2024
”A formidable saxophonist. Ed Jones may have hit his highest profile through his work with bands US3 and Incognito, but he’s an improviser to his fingertips, a player of forceful imagination, and one of the Uk’s most distinctive saxophonists." John Fordham, The Guardian.
