Spindle Ensemble:
Since their formation in Bristol in 2016 Spindle Ensemble led by the now Stroud based composer and pianist Daniel Inzani also featuring tuned percussionist Harriet Riley, cellist Jo Silverston and violinist Caelia Lunniss have garnered much praise for their innovative take on contemporary classical music, rooted in spontaneity and improvisation performed with deft musicianship and unique instrumental pairing all resulting in truly captivating sonic soundscapes. Their pieces are renowned for beautiful use of melody and harmony and a unique narrative style which transports listeners into their own inner-realm of imagery and storytelling.
The quartet are equally at home performing in concert halls such as the Union Chapel, the Southbank Centre, Bristol Beacon, St Georges Bristol and festivals including Shambala and Hidden Notes to churches, art centres, record shops and independent venues across the UK they continue to bring their music to a diverse and ever growing audience.
Their critically acclaimed second album ‘Inkling’ was released in May 2021 on vinyl, CD and digital download by Hidden Notes Records (founded by Hidden Notes festival). It was a top selling modern classical album that year on Bandcamp and was listed in the top 10 contemporary albums of 2021 by The Guardian.
Listeners may hear influences from composers such as Satie, Pärt, Ravel, Reich, Glass and Zappa’s favourite composer Varèse in their music but might also find the soundtracks of Morricone and the minimalist aesthetics of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra nestled alongside the more experimental leanings of groups such as Rachel’s, Esmerine, Bell Orchestre and Amiina.
“Effervescent music-making” “rich and evocative” BBC Music Magazine
“Compelling” “Intriguing” The Guardian
“Sumptuous, broad ranging and beautiful.”Joyzine
“Simply excellent” Chilly Gonzales
“Superbly composed and adroitly performed. "Louder Than War
“Pushing at neo-classical boundaries with sparkling aplomb” Electronic Sound
Rachel Musson:
Rachel Musson is a saxophonist, improviser, and composer based in Stroud. She has delved into the realm of improvised music over the last two decades. She has progressively woven composed elements into her work, drawing inspiration from text, field recordings, and processed sounds. As an improviser, Rachel collaborates regularly with musicians such as Mark Sanders, Pat Thomas, Hannah Marshall, Olie Brice, and Alex Ward, playing regularly at venues in the UK such as Cafe Oto and the Vortex, alongside festival performances such as London Jazz Festival, Blow Out Festival (Oslo), and Forward Festival (New York). Rachel has contributed to multiple releases, featuring a nonet that highlights her composition I Went This Way (577 Records), and collaborative improvising with Shifa, featuring Pat Thomas and Mark Sanders (577 Records) and Olie Brice Immense Blue (West Hill Records). In her 2024 release, Ashes and Dust, Earth and Sky (Lludw A Llwch, Daear A Nef), she documents her recent shift, integrating composition, processing, and field recordings into her work.
‘Musson draws from a broad-based language that includes tonal jazz traditions as well as avant garde technique, She tells stories with a cohesive precision while shifting back and forth between folk-melody, contemplative sax and raw, overblown sonic textures using a varied range of extended technique.’ Selwyn Harris, Jazzwise
