The Next Generation Of Cutting Edge Musicians & Composers -
Spring Season – 19 February & 19 March 2009

Showcasing the best in groundbreaking new music, Bishopsgate Emerging Artists Programme (BEAP) takes place at London’s Bishopsgate Institute. Its aim is to highlight the work of the next generation of cutting edge musicians and composers – those who draw inspiration from a whole host of genres, including contemporary classical, jazz, folk, electronica, world, and drum and bass. The inaugural BEAP shows, which took place in the autumn of 2008, were a huge success with audiences and critics alike and so marked the start of this ongoing series of concerts; the next of which will take place this spring.

The rise of European jazz through the success of record labels such as ECM has opened up a huge range of exciting new contemporary music. The Matt Fripp Quartet – the opening act at the double-bill BEAP show on 19 February – have been heavily influenced by this music and will present a fresh take on pieces by the likes of Kenny Wheeler, Stan Sulzmann and Ian Ballamy, as well as some of their own compositions.

Jazz vocalist Nia Lynn is a graduate of Guildhall School of Music & Drama and an active member of the London jazz scene, regularly performing at venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, The 606 Jazz Club, The National Theatre and Pizza on The Park. Flautist Gareth Lockrane and pianist Ross Stanley join her for her latest project, The Bannau Trio. The trio – who will stage the second performance of the BEAP show in February – have a repertoire full of jazz standards and original compositions and have recently appeared at a number of jazz festivals including Swanage, Pontypool, Brecon, Cheltenham Fringe and the Cyprus “Paradise” Jazz Festival. They have also just released their second album with 33jazz.