Mick Beck: tenor sax, bassoon and whistles
Anton Hunter: guitar
Johnny Hunter: drums


The recent Discus CD put out by Mick Beck’s trio emphatically shows why threesomes are his favourite means of creating dynamic music and performance. The partnership of his experience and power with the younger talented Hunter brothers is an exciting combination.

They easily span free music and free jazz, even making incursions into the wild west and middle European fantasies. The group was formed about two years ago and immediately caught the attention of critics and audiences:

“Saxophonist Mick Beck has been a fixture on the Sheffield free music scene since the early 1980s, but in this trio with the two younger Hunter brothers he sounds more like a denizen of some imaginary Chicago. His tenor darts from chatterbox quack to exasperated wail on the pugnacious “Hunting for Metal”, but he’s more playful on the longer tracks, exploring whistles, nose flute, and a rudely blurting bassoon. The guitar sharpens from soft pedal swells to tightly twanging pings, while the drums sketch a needle-sharp metallic pointillism of tinkling clatter-splat. Agressive when it needs to be, but comfortable winding down into unhurried, meandering humour, it sounds like a miniature Art Ensemble at play.” – Daniel Spicer, The Wire, 2014

“…truly mind-blowing, ranging between a cardiac arrest, epileptic fit and a nervous breakdown. The trio are extremely tight, threatening to unravel before skilfully coming back into sync. There is some jaw-dropping guitar work and Mick is a maestro on the saxophone, the music oscillating between anger and desolation.” – Rob Aldam, Now Then Magazine Oct 2013

PLUS

In Threads
James Parsons: drums
Verity Spott: cello
Daniel Spicer: trumpet, blowy things and percussion

In Threads is a new trio featuring members of Paniak, Bolide, Four Manatees, Binnsclagg and West Hill Blast Quartet, with an album forthcoming from Beartown records.

PLUS

Wildcard Quartet:

Z*qhygoem: guitar and electronics
Sara Jane Glendinning: clarinet
Gregg McKella: clarinet
Clive Craske: percussion