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Alison Rayner Quintet - new album and UK live dates 2019/20.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Alison Rayner Quintet (ARQ) will release their new album "Short Stories" on October 25th 2019. They will be touring in extensively in the UK from September 2019 to May 2020. Press release attached

We have received the following press release;


ARQ
PRESENT THE BRAND NEW ALBUM
SHORT STORIES
Released 25th October 2019


ARQ release Short Stories – their 3rd album – in October 2019. ‘ARQ’ are a renowned and widely celebrated group with decades of experience at the forefront of the international jazz scene. Their long list of accolades include winning ‘Ensemble Of The Year’ award at the prestigious 2018 Parliamentary Jazz Awards and the People’s Vote for ‘Best Small Group’ at the 2018 British Jazz Awards. Now they return with a brand new album and an extensive series of UK live dates.


ARQ’s music combines richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-tinged melodies. Along with their love of improvisation, this creates a compelling and coherent whole, creating a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. ARQ are known for their vibrant, communicative performances, so remaining accessible and appealing to those who appreciate a range of genres.


The new album Short Stories is available in CD, digital and vinyl formats, released on Blow the Fuse Records and distributed by Proper Music.

As Rayner says: ‘My music is allegorical and I write songs without words about experiences, places and feelings. Short Stories was inspired by the sudden losses of three young people within close family and friends. Their stories were too short but through my music I want to celebrate the joy they brought to our lives.’

As the co-founder of artist development partnership ‘Blow The Fuse’, Rayner has promoted jazz events and touring, also producing records on Blow the Fuse Records. Blow the Fuse have played a crucial role in promoting women jazz musicians for over 30 years: their critically acclaimed series in recent years Tomorrow the Moon has providing many emerging women jazz artists with the support, space and opportunity to perform.

Rayner has played on around 30 albums and performed with artists such as American guitar legend Tal Farlow, New York jazz poet Jayne Cortez and UK players such as Jean Toussaint, Ian Shaw and John Etheridge.

ARQ have been awarded funding by both the Arts Council and the PRS Foundation’s Women Make Music Fund, both glowing endorsements and further testament to the quality and ability of the group. Short Stories is an imaginative and accomplished body of work, destined to be enjoyed by jazz and discerning music lovers alike.


2019 Live Dates:

September 29                 Albany Empire                         LONDON

September 30                 Ashburton Live                       DEVON

October 1             St Ives Jazz Club                       CORNWALL

October 5             NC Jazz                                 NORTHANTS

October 11           Bracknell Jazz Club                   BERKSHIRE

October 12           Marsden Jazz Festival                 YORKSHIRE

October 13           Leeds Jazz                               YORKSHIRE

November 8         Wakefield Jazz Club                   YORKSHIRE

November 9           The Verdict                             BRIGHTON

November 15                 Kings Place (Jazz Festival Launch)      LONDON

December 19         Hemel Hempstead Old Town Hall     HERTS

2020:

February 26           Pizza Express Jazz Soho               LONDON

March 12               Jazz Coventry                         MIDLANDS

March 13               Birmingham Jazz Club                 MIDLANDS

March 14               Shrewsbury Hive                       SHROPSHIRE

March 31               Liverpool Parr Jazz                     MERSEYSIDE

April 1                 Sheffield Lescar                       YORKSHIRE

April 2                 Nottingham Bonington Theatre       NOTTS

April 3                 Derby Jazz                             DERBYSHIRE

May 3                   Colchester Arts Centre             ESSEX


ARQ are: Alison Rayner (double Bass), Diane McLoughlin (saxophones), Deirdre Cartwright (guitar), Steve Lodder (piano), Buster Birch (drums / percussion).

Short Stories
Recorded by Chris Lewis at Livingston Studio 1, London
Mixed by Chris Lewis
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks
Produced by Alison Rayner & Deirdre Cartwright
Released on Blow the Fuse Records BTF1914
Distributed by Proper Music


http://www.blowthefuse.com