Exotica, Calypso, West African Grooves, Japanese Folk and a sprinkling of Jazz from this sought-after London quartet.

Following sold out shows at esteemed clubs across Europe, including Ronnie Scott’s and The Vortex in London, Porgy & Bess in Vienna and B-Flat in Berlin, we are delighted to welcome Vienna-born, London-based saxophonist Guido Spannocchi to Worcester for the first stop outside London of his 2024 tour.

Spannocchi studied jazz saxophone and classical flute at the prestigious Conservatoire in Vienna before further studies at the University of Vienna and Université Paris. He moved to London in 2011, developing his unique sound and repertoire influenced by the multicultural London scene and extensive touring in Japan, Brazil, Africa and across Europe. He has worked alongside greats such as Joe Zawinul, Bobby McFerrin and Orphy Robinson and, just as comfortably, with more contemporary artists including Rosie Turton, Nubya Garcia and Tony Kofi.

His own compositions have resulted in four studio albums released on his AudioGuido Records label, the most recent being Perihelion in 2021, which featured Jay Phelps on trumpet, Robert Mitchell on Wurlitzer and piano, Sylvie Leys on tenor sax, Michelangelo Scandroglio on bass and Tristan Banks (whose quartet played for us in April last year) on drums. In 2022, the live recording of his quartet’s performance at Porgy & Bess in Vienna was released, also on the AudioGuido label, to the following reactions:

“This is so fantastic I keep re-playing it” – Andy Hamilton, The Wire

“Buy it, play it, turn it up, sit back, and enjoy good jazz music played by an ensemble who know exactly what they are doing, led by a talented musician with generous arrangements. What, I ask is not to enjoy?” – Sammy Stein, Something Else

“Firmly embedded in the tradition of Jazz yet with a strong grip onto the present and a glimpse into the future” – Emily Saunders, Connects Music

The lineup on that 2022 recording has remained largely unchanged for this rare appearance in Worcester for Music Spoken Here that will introduce brand new compositions being played live for the first time outside of London! Spannocchi will be accompanied by pianist Danny Keane (Mulatu Astatke, Jason Singh, Nitin Sahwney and MD for Anoushka Shankar) and Pete Hill (Alfa Mist, Ashley Henry, Jo Harrop) on drums, with bassist Jason Simpson (John Etheridge, Tony Coe, John Horler) being the only change to the Vienna line-up.

Expect provocative, contemporary compositions that encompass classical music, grooves, tradition and avant-garde.