The Alex Clarke/ Eddie Gripper Quartet

After a short stint of gigs in 2023, the quartet reunites for a one-off evening of hard-bop and swing.

As a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, winner of the Rising Star category in the 2019 British Jazz Awards and nominee in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2021 & 2022, Alex Clarke is known to be one of the most in-demand and versatile saxophonists to have emerged on the British jazz scene. Praised for her intelligent ear for harmony and a deep knowledge of repertoire across a variety of styles, Alex’s sound is steeped in the tradition of swing and bebop, “leaving the listener captivated by every phrase and nuance” (Jazz Views).

Having “already garnered comparisons with the greats” (Jazzwise) after the release of his debut album ‘Home’, Eddie Gripper has been rapidly establishing himself as another young contender on the national jazz circuit. He has worked as a performer, promoter and producer alongside top musicians in his field, including Huw Warren, Iain Ballamy, Laura Jurd, Alex Merritt and Yuri Golubev. As a composer, he has collaborated with Welsh folk artist Angharad Jenkins in a handful of projects, exploring the various aspects of folk, jazz and contemporary classical traditions.

The band will be completed by Nick Kacal (Double Bass) and Alex Goodyear (Drums), two hugely innovative players in their own right.

“Clarke is a rising star…and here is the evidence” – Jazzwise
“Bathe in her command of rhythm and her gorgeous sound on alto and tenor” – All About Jazz
“A young, up-and-coming, fantastic wizkid on the British jazz scene” – JazzLondonLive
“A sensitive pianist of the Bill Evans school of less is more” – Bebop Spoken Here