Alison Rayner Quintet
Thursday 16th July 2015
‘With her big warm acoustic sound, faultless time, tuning and taste and creative solo ability, she clearly belongs in the front rank of contemporary bassists’ - Digby Fairweather
Bass player, composer and band leader, Alison Rayner has been playing jazz and other styles of music since the mid-70s.
She toured the world in the 80’s with the critically acclaimed jazz-latin group The Guest Stars, before forming her own jazz quartet. “The music I write is informed by what I grew up with – 60s soul and Tamla Motown; British rock and pop; European art music; my discovery of jazz-rock in the 70s followed by be-bop; then the influence of African and Latin musicians on the 80s jazz scene. I love great grooves, beautiful melodies and the wonderful freedom of improvisation. Most of the set is my own original writing but there are a few choice arrangements of other composers’ music”
The ARQ lineup is terrific, featuring pianist Steve Lodder (Andy Shepherd, George Russell, John Harle); guitarist Deirdre Cartwright (The Guest Stars and BBC TV’s Rockschool programme); Diane McLoughlin a consummate saxophone player (Giant Steppes Orchestra) and drummer Buster Birch bringing his huge range of experience including jazz, orchestral and world music with great improvisational skill and flair.