Fusebox

26.05.25
A very special collaboration between legendary free improv vocalist Maggie Nicols and drummer Dan Johnson.
A mainstay of the European improvisational community since joining John Stevens’ legendary Spontaneous Music Ensemble in the late 1960s, Maggie Nicols has performed internationally for several decades and worked with a great many improvisers from all over the world including: Irene Schweizer, Joelle Leandre, Rie Nakajima, Steve Noble, Julie Tippetts & Han Bennink. As co-founder of the Feminist Improvising Group with Lindsay Cooper, she has also worked to significantly further women in improvised music, dancing and other creative arts.
Dan Johnson is a Bristol based percussionist, performance artist and educator who pushes the boundaries of how drumming is perceived through his solo and ensemble work. Known for intense, intimate and often durational solo performances, his past and present collaborators include: Valentina Magaletti, Moor Mother, Ximena Alarcon, EP/64 & Robert Ridley-Shackleton. Additionally, Dan is a certified Deep Listening facilitator with Pauline Oliveros’ Centre for Deep Listening and leads the creative education and performance project Ecstatic Drum Beats
Also joining the lineup is Chris Sharkey’s ‘Sharkey’s
Kitchen’
‘Sharkey’s Kitchen’ is based on the idea of playing new music each session with a revolving group of players - the whole thing is worked out in front of the audience (and with their help) making it a kind of open rehearsal / gig / jam session / collaboration.
With:
Scarlett Baxter- drums
Chris Sharkey- electric guitar
Nika Ticciati- bass guitar/ synth
With support from Leeds Conservatoire student Iris Casling, on solo double bass.
Iris Joan Casling is a Double Bassist, improviser and hag based in Leeds. Her work embodies somatic ritualisation through free-improvisation coloured by contemporary classical and jazz influences.
Tickets here (£15/£7 conc./ Free for LCon students.)

APRIL 11th at Hyde Park Book Club Snug:
Matthew Bourne / Ed Jones / Mark Wastell + Conrad Clenton and Billy Goulding duo

Matthew Bourne (piano), Ed Jones (saxophones) and Mark Wastell (percussion) combine forces for this first time encounter. All three have an impressive track record, winning numerous awards and accolades, performances in territories across the globe and extensive discographies. Their varied activities include projects with a diverse list of associates including Derek Bailey, Keith Tippett, Maggie Nicols, Keeley Forsyth, David Sylvian, John Zorn, Yuriko Takagi, Arild Andersen, Stewart Lee, Mike Westbrook and John Stevens.

+ Conrad Clenton and Billy Goulding duo

Currently studying at Leeds Conservatoire, Conrad Clenton and Billy Goulding’s drum and sax duo explores the limitless boundaries of freely improvised spiritual music. With a use of a wide range of horns paired with spontaneous and colourful drumming, the duo creates a deeply moving and entrancing performance.

Don't miss this incredible line up of two brilliant groups of improvisers!
11/04/25
doors 7:30 PM
£5 (free to Leeds conservatoire students with ID)

Fusebox is back! and we are excited to share some incredible gigs this year.

04.02.25 Starting off this year, we have THE EXU, James Mainwaring (saxophones), Dave Kane (double bass) Emil Karlsen (drums)
Named after a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting and inspired by the artists multi-faceted stylistic approach - known for its raw, expressive, and dynamic qualities, blending street art with neo-expressionism to create bold, thought-provoking work. The Exu make layered, intense, creative & beautiful, thought provoking, genre fluid improvised music.

The trio brazenly draw their musical influences from the worlds of free jazz, grunge, death metal, hip hop, bebop, & experimental music. Kane says ‘we are the sum of our record collections, the films we have seen, the books we have read. It all goes into the mix to make our music.’

support by Milling / Thorisson : Guitar and drum noise

come down to Hyde Park Book Club
£5 (or free with lcon ID card)
doors 7:30PM

Reminder!
16.04.24 JOHNNY HUNTER QUARTET + APES AGAINST ACCEPTED TRUTH Johnny Hunter is a northern UK-based drummer and composer who comes from a background of both the Avant-Garde and mainstream Jazz. His own chordless quartet taking influence from the likes of John Zorn and Chris Speed, have been recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio 3, and have 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.

+ Apes Against Accepted Truth : New trio from leeds's experimental music scene ._ .sukiyaki big apish fresh weirdo guitar music.
Come on down! £5 OTD (free for Leeds Conservatoire students) 19:30 Doors