The Flame
Come along for a night of the very best in jazz improvisation from three powerful musicians as brilliant pianist Robert Mitchell leads an incendiary trio featuring bassist Olie Brice and drummer Johnny Hunter.
The title for the band alludes to a quote that playing with John Coltrane was akin to 'stepping into the flames' every night.
One of the most significant voices in UK jazz, an extraordinary pianist, poet, composer, and Steinway Artist, Robert Mitchell has recorded with Greg Osby, Courtney Pine CBE, Daymé Arocena, Jason Rebello, Basement Jaxx, and Jacqui Dankworth MBE.
A restlessly creative, imaginative and thoughtful musician, he has recorded fourteen albums of his own projects, as well as publishing three poetry collections and participating in over 100 projects as a sideman and performing in more than 40 countries.
Prices
£10.00
Additional Information
A festival creator and curator, as well as a highly respected educator, Robert also leads TRUE THINK, Epiphany3, and has won awards including at the BBC Jazz Awards (Innovation, as part of the F-ire Collective), Best Jazz Album (BBC Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards), a Paul Hamlyn composition award and has been nominated for many more including 2017 British Jazz Composer Award. The Flame have released two highly acclaimed live albums on the NYC based label 577 Records. "absolutely transcendental music" by Corey Mwamba "Robert Mitchell is one of Britain's finest and most versatile pianist-composer-improvisors" The Wire "There are two poems by Mr. Mitchell included in the liner notes, both of which show him to be a wonderfully thoughtful, articulate and probing poet of the highest order." Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG NYC Olie Brice is a bass player at the forefront of UK improvised music, a purposeful, energising and similarly thoughtful musician who's collaborations include Tom Challenger, Alexander Hawkins, Rachel Musson, Jason Yarde, Evan Parker, Tony Malaby, Ingrid Laubrock, Ken Vandermark and Louis Moholo, as well as performing at venues and festivals across Europe. His own quartet featuring Rachel Musson, Alexander Hawkins and Will Glaser releases a debut album in 2025, and he has also led a trio, quintet and octet which can be heard on albums including 'Fire Hills' and 'Day After Day'. You may have caught Olie previously at The Lescar leading his own inspiring ensembles, as well in bands including Dee Byrne's wonderful Outlines project. "Brice makes the entire body of his bass sing. He has the ability to deliver a fractal line that is as purposeful as any by the great jazz bassists, but to do so within an entirely abstract setting" Brian Morton, Point of Departure "imaginative and adventurous" London Jazz News "consistently inspired" The Wire A regular visitor to The Lescar, with strong links to the Sheffield music scene, enterprising and vibrant drummer and composer Johnny Hunter has featured in so many wonderful line-ups over the years, including leading his own quartet, and with many groups including Revival Room, Misha Gray's Prehistoric Jazz Quintet, Sloth Racket, the John Pope Quintet, Engine Room Favourites, Blind Monk Trio, Swiss-UK collaboration MoonMot. His music has been recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio 3, and performed across the country in notable venues such as London's Ronnie Scott's, the Manchester Jazz Festival, Birmingham Jazzlines at Symphony Hall, Liverpool International Jazz Festival, among many others.