Free improvisation project with cellist Shirley Smart

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James and Shirley met whilst playing with Ethiopian vibes legend Mulatu Astatke, and our duo project grew out of Green Room discussions on tour!!

With a shared interest in free improvisation and musical dialogue, this project draws on our shared musical knowledge and experiences of jazz, classical and folk traditions. 

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It occasionally extends to a quintet version and frequent collaborations, most recently with drummer/percussionist Demi Garcia Sabat.

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The duo released an album 'Entanglement' on FMR records in 2020, and recently released a triple album with "Stories" with Garcia Sabat.

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James Arben - tenor sax, flute, bass clarinet

Shirley Smart - cello