Doors 7:45 PM, Music 8:30 PM – 2 set(s) of music
Line-up:
Tori Freestone – Saxophone
Alcyona Mick – Piano
Brigitte Beraha – Voice
+ Special Guest
About
‘The no-hiding-place exposure of an improvising sax/piano duo is a tough call but the British pairing of pianist Alcyona Mick and tenor saxophonist Tori Freestone make light of it’ – The Guardian, Jazz Album of the Month review
“Speaking is one thing, making music is another. Speaking through the music…this is Tori Freestone and Alcyona Mick… the level of interaction, variety and expressive possibilities of this duo are certainly endless” Concerto Magazine, Austria
This is the album launch of ‘Make One Little Room an Everywhere’, the much anticipated second release by duo Tori Freestone and Alcyona Mick. They’re currently creating a stir on the UK jazz scene after Tori won an Ivor Novello Award for Jazz Composition 2022, and Alcyona was nominated for a Parliamentary Jazz Instrumentalist Award 2023.
Joining them at the Vortex will be award winning vocalist Brigitte Beraha who is featured on the new album.
The due won the Help Musicians ‘Do it Differently’ and ‘Record and Release’ awards to write and collaborate on a second album during the 2020/21 lockdowns and some of the new music was premiered at concerts including the Up and Down Festival, Spain, and the Royal Albert Hall Elgar Room in collaboration with Steinway.
Tori and Alcyona formed their duo in 2015 after being invited to perform together at the Manchester Jazz Festival. Both much in demand players on the London jazz scene, the two have been working together for years in many different ensembles including Ingrid and Christine Jensen big band, Yazz Ahmed, Natacha Atlas, Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra, Cleo Laine/Alec
Dankworth band, and are both members and composers in the London Jazz Orchestra.
The duo has a spontaneous, interactive approach and shares a range of musical influences that fall not only within the jazz genre, including English folk, Brazilian music, Arabic music, free improvisation, Monk and more.