Opening night of Match&Fuse London 2015
Powered by musician DIY, Match&Fuse are igniting progressive music with pan-European festivals, this year in Warsaw, Toulouse and London. The Vortex hosts two nights of the 4th annual London festival with this powerful opening night involving a new partnership and kicking off with the unapologetic energy associated with Match&Fuse.
The festival dissolves barriers between genres and countries and initiates collaborations that ‘fuse’ musicians and bands. It’s a rare chance to experience a spectrum of sounds from the European and UK underground, and the first night sets the tone with an extra-ordinary line up of composers and bands who compel and challenge.
JÜ Meets Møster / Mopo / J=J / Blue-Eyed Hawk
Match&Fuse take a new and lively direction by partnering with the renowned Rare Noise Records to present the UK premier of JÜ Meets Møster. A mash up of the trio JÜ from Budapest and the Norwegian saxophonist, Kjetil Møster, they bridge free jazz with hellacious, distorted, guitar-driven hardcore. Their self-titled album mixed by the mighty Bill Laswell, was released at the end of 2014 and is described as a ‘subversive meeting of minds’.
Scandinavian vitality also comes in the form of Mopo, a trio of saxophone, double bass and drums from Finland. Mopo is the word for moped and the band say they like to take listeners on a journey through their influences of jazz, ’70s punk and Finnish nature. Having performed at the EFG London Jazz Festival, Dublin’s 12 Points Festival and been featured on BBC Radio’s Jazz on 3 they are expanding their reputation for acoustic imagination.
J=J from Poland revel in acoustic wave with hits of electric energy whilst Blue-Eyed Hawk led by rising artist, Laura Jurd on trumpet and keyboards, summon an emotive and ethereal sound that draws on literature. The vocal style of Lauren Kinsella, sensitive guitar-work of Alex Roth and Corrie Dick’s expressive drumming make for a unique quartet.