Upcoming Gigs – Winter/Spring 2018

1st-3rd January 2018 7pm – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ Ronnie Scott’s, Soho

Three nights at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s club, playing bari with Ben Cottrell’s Beats & Pieces.

13th January 7pm – Tom Ward / Roland Ramanan @ BRÅK, waterintobeer, Brockley

Our local residency at waterintobeer continues with Roland Ramanan!

14th January 4pm – Dirk Serries Large Ensemble @ Hundred Years Gallery, Hoxton

Should be an interesting gig playing some of Dirk Serries’ graphic scores with a large ensemble of great improvisers from around the Raw Tonk records scene.

17th January 8pm – Overground Collective @ The Vortex, Dalston

Paulo Duarte’s amazing big band returns to the Vortex!!!

19th-29th January – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ UK Tour

Taking in Derby Jazz, Southampton, Jazz at the Lescar (Sheffield), More Music (Morecambe) & some private events at RNCM.

17th February 7pm – Tom Ward / Olie Brice @ BRÅK, waterintobeer, Brockley

Playing with the fantastic bassist Olie Brice.

17th March 7pm – Tom Ward / John Macedo @ BRÅK, waterintobeer, Brockley

Duo with the John Macedo and his electronics!

Upcoming Gigs Autumn / Winter 2017

9th September 6:30pm – Tom Ward / Corey Mwamba @ BRÅK, waterintobeer, Brockley

The first of a set of three gigs in Brockley’s favourite DIY homebrew beer shop waterintobeer! This time, a first meeting playing together for myself & Corey Mwamba.

14th September – Kepler Orbit @ Plink Plonk, Norwich

The final gig of the 2017 Kepler Orbit run of gigs, back at the amazing Plink Plonk.

16th September 12:45pm – Madwort Saxophone Quartet @ Lancaster Jazz Festival, The Hall, Lancaster

Very pleased to be returning to Lancaster Jazz Festival after such a great time with Cath Robert’s project at the 2016 festival. The sax quartet are playing in The Hall in Lancaster.

28th October 6:30pm – Tom Ward / Alex Bonney @ BRÅK, waterintobeer, Brockley

At the beer shop with cornetist Alex Bonney.

4th November – Ben Owen @ IKLECTIK, Waterloo

More details tbc.

6th-12th November – Guimaraes Jazz Festival

More details tbc.

16th November – Madwort Sax Quartet @ efpi festival, Wonder Inn, Manchester

The sax quartet will be playing in Manchester alongside lots of lovely label-mates including Adam Fairhall, Beats & Pieces Big Band, Tullis Rennie, and more…

17th November – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ Rich Mix, London Jazz Festival

Beats & Pieces hit London on the way through into Europe!

18th-24th November – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ EU tour

Taking in Pappelgarten, Unterfahrt, Poznan, Bozar, Bimhuis and maybe more…

25th November – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ Cambridge

One last gig in Cambridge before we get home!

16th December 6:30pm – Tom Ward / Alice Eldridge @ BRÅK, waterintobeer, Brockley

At the beer shop with cellist Alice Eldridge.

Upcoming Gigs Spring 2017

12th January – JOT trio @ Noise Upstairs, Fuel Cafe Bar, Manchester

New improv trio with Otto Willburg & Johnny Hunter.

27th January – Kepler Orbit @ Club Integral, The Others, Stoke Newington

Another new improv trio, this time with Martin Pyne & Ed Riches.

9th February – Adam Fairhall/Tom Ward duo, Vortex, Dalston

Playing alongside Cath Roberts/Seth Bennett duo and Adam Fairhall solo, this will be a great night of improvisation back at the Vortex.

Madwort Saxophone Quartet Tour

To support the release of Live at Hundred Years Gallery on Efpi records, we’re doing some gigs around the UK, supported by Arts Council England!

12th February – Jazz North East / Splinter, Bridge Hotel, Newcastle
1st March – Plink Plonk, York Tavern, Norwich
2nd March – Blessington Carriage, Derby
5th March – IKLECTIK, London
6th March – The Wonder Inn, Manchester

14th February – Kepler Orbit @ Sonic Imperfections, New Cross

South London’s premier night for new music! And close enough that I can walk to the gig! Woohoo!

Ma/ti/om Tour

21 March @ Fizzle, Birmingham (Ti/om)
25 March @ 5 Years of Raw Tonk, London
26 March @ 5 Years of Raw Tonk, Manchester
27 March @ Plink Plonk, Norwich
29 March @ Safehouse, Brighton
20 May @ Non Figurative Musikk, Tønsberg, Norway

Upcoming gigs Autumn/Winter 2016

September 17th – Cath Roberts Large Ensemble @ Lancaster Jazz Festival, The Round, The Dukes, Lancaster

Very excited to be playing as part of a great ten-piece ensemble, playing new music written by Cath as Artist In Residence at Lancaster Jazz Festival!

September 28th – Ti/om @ IKLECTIK Art Lab, Waterloo

Another outing for the duo with Tim Fairhall, supporting Sloth Racket‘s first album tour.

October 23rd, 5pm – Madwort’s Menagerie @ Baby People Studios, Derby

The incredible Corey Mwamba’s Out Front project is hosting an amazing week of music, very privileged to be playing as part of that with my strings & winds sextet.

November 14th – LUMEkestra @ IKLECTIK Art Lab, Waterloo

This new ultra-large ensemble collective collaboration takes off at IKLECTIK. Sharing the bill with Ripsaw Catfish & Entropi, should be a classic LUME night.

November 13th – Overground Collective @ The Vortex, London (EFG London Jazz Festival)

Paulo’s oversized big band gets another outing, back at the Vortex. This will be mega…

Upcoming gigs Spring/Summer 2016

June 14th – Pyne/Riches/Ward @ Arch One

First outing of a new collaborative project with Martin Pyne (vibes) and Ed Riches (guitar), alongside Deemer and Cath Roberts.

June 26th – Article XI @ LUME Fest, IKLEKTIK Art Lab, Waterloo

I’ll be playing tenor sax with Anton Hunter’s awesome Article XI project.

June 28th – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ Watermill Jazz, Dorking

July 7th – Bennett/Hunter/Ward @ Brighton Alt Jazz Festival fundraiser, Verdict Jazz Club, Brighton

Another new collaborative trio, this time with Seth Bennett (double bass) and Anton Hunter (guitar) organised especially in support of the awesome Brighton Alternative Jazz Festival. Also on the bill are some very exciting things, including a set from improvising guitarist Ian Brighton.

July 29th – “What happens in our brain when we improvise” @ Manchester Jazz Festival

Dr Graeme Wilson lectures, hopefully illuminated with musical creations in duo with Adam Fairhall (piano).

August 5th – Ti/om @ V22, Forest Hill

A duo set with Tim Fairhall (double bass) as part of a Raw Tonk showcase night in our current homeland of South-East London

Upcoming gigs Winter 2015 / spring 2016

A couple of gigs that got missed:

December 17th – LUME: The Hat Speaks @ Hundred Years Gallery, Hoxton

The return of the hat jam, where improvisers submit to the will of a die and a hat full of names!

Sunday January 10th, 4pm – LJO @ the Vortex, Dalston

An enjoyable sunday afternoon big band gig depping on bari sax & bass clarinet & getting properly stuck into the LJO’s charts.

And some that are still to come:

Sunday February 7th 2016, 9pm – Overground Collective @ Jazz at the Salisbury, Green Lanes

Paulo Duarte’s big band roars in the Salisbury Pub on Green Lanes, with special guests Dave O’Brien & Jason Simpson aka the Quadraceratops rhythm section!

Sunday March 6th 2016, 8pm – Tom Ward / Adam Fairhall / Olie Brice / Andrew Lisle @ LUME at the Vortex, Dalston

A brand new collaborative quartet featuring myself alongside master improvisers Adam Fairhall (piano), Olie Brice (double bass) and Andrew Lisle (drums).

Sunday March 13th, 4pm – LJO @ the Vortex, Dalston

Back at the Vortex again with the LJO!

March 23rd-30th 2016 – Beats & Pieces Big Band @ Germany

I’m depping again on baritone sax with Beats & Pieces for their trip to Germany, Austria and possibly some other surrounding countries. Hopefully I will be able to renew my passport before I have to catch the ferry…

April 16th – Madwort Sax Quartet live album recording @ Hundred Years Gallery, Hoxton

We’re recording the first MSQ album at this very hip basement venue in Hoxton, presented by LUME.

April 23rd – Yazz Ahmed’s Family Hafla @ Bournemouth Jazz Festival

I’ll be depping on bass clarinet playing some of Yazz’s lovely Arabic-influenced music. And maybe we’ll see the sea…! More details at Bournemouth Jazz Festival‘s website.

Upcoming gigs Spring/Summer 2015

May 26th to June 16th – LUME (Quadraceratops/Entropi) on UK tour!

This is the big one – LUME on Tour! A string of nine dates featuring the double-bill of bands from Cath Roberts & Dee Byrne around the UK, partially funded by Arts Council UK.

26th May – Jazz At The Spotted Dog, Birmingham
27th May – Jazz At The Lescar, Sheffield
29th May – Fusebox, Leeds
31st May – Splinter Jazz, Newcastle
1st June – Freedom Principle, Manchester
5th June – The Bebop Club, Bristol
7th June – ‘LUME Presents…’, The Vortex, London
15th June – Friends Meeting House, Derby
16th June – Dempsey’s, Cardiff

Thursday July 9th, 7pm – LUME 2nd birthday party – Hat Jam!

I’ll be one of 15 amazing improvisers putting their names into the hat for a night of unexpected & impromptu ensembles at Hundred Years Gallery in Hoxton to celebrate LUME’s second birthday!

Tuesday July 14th, 9pm – Overground Collective @ Vortex Jazz, Dalston

The big band returns to the world-famous Vortex, featuring tunes by Paulo Duarte & other band members (possibly including one of mine…!)

Wednesday August 5th, 2.30pm – Madwort Sax Quartet @ Portico Library, Manchester Jazz Festival

We’ve very pleased to announce that the sax quartet will be playing a lunchtime gig in the beautiful surroundings of the Portico Library during the Manchester Jazz Festival.

Upcoming gigs Winter/Spring 2015

A few nice concerts in the coming months:

Sunday Jan 25th – Madwort Sax Quartet @ Jazz at the Salisbury, Green Lanes

This band’s first gig was at Jazz at the Salisbury way back in Sept 2012, I think the acoustic really suits this line-up so it should be a great gig.

Thursday Feb 26th – Ti/om @ LUME, Long White Cloud, Hoxton

A return to LUME for Ti/om featuring Tim Fairhall on double bass and myself on bass clarinet, this time possibly with a special guest.

Friday March 13th – Madwort’s Menagerie @ St Paul’s Sessions, Rossmore Road, London, NW1 6NJ

Part of a series of gigs Chris Dowding is putting on at St Paul’s church near Marylebone, I’m really excited to progress the menagerie band & compositions here and not at all phased that it’s on Friday the 13th… Oooo-eerrrr….

Wednesday March 25th – Anton Hunter’s Article XI @ Family Album, Derby

I’ll be substituting for the amazing Simon Prince in Anton Hunter’s large ensemble project Article XI.

Thursday March 26th – Andreae/Knight/Ward @ LUME, Long White Cloud, Hoxton

A brand-new trio project for 2015, featuring Sam Andreae on tenor saxophone, Richard Knight on no-input mixer & myself on alto saxophone, this unique line-up provides a fascinating palette for improvisation.

Thursday April 9th – Fairhall/Rolfsson/Ward @ Foley Street

Another new trio featuring Matilda Rolfsson playing a unique bass drum & percussion setup, alongside Tim Fairhall on double bass & myself on bass clarinet/flute. This group builds on and extends the sonic palette that Tim & I have been working on as Ti/om.

Upcoming gigs Autumn/Winter 2014

Sunday October 5th – Quadraceratops @ The Vortex, Dalston

After a lot of hard work by bandleader Cath Roberts, we’re very pleased to present the first Quadraceratops album at the London launch party!

Tuesday October 7th – Quadraceratops @ Freedom Principle, Manchester

The Northern leg of the album launch!

October 31st to November 7th – Philip Clouts tour @ Various places in Scotland

I’m again replacing Carlos Lopez-Real for a tour around Scotland with Philip Clouts.

London Jazz Festival

Tuesday November 18th – Paulo Duarte @ Charlie Wright’s, Hoxton

I’ll be depping for Chris Williams on alto with Paulo Duarte’s band.

Thursday November 20th – Quadraceratops @ LUME, London White Cloud, Hoxton

The first of two LJF shows by the Quadraceratops

Sunday November 23rd – Quadraceratops @ Jazz in the Round

We’re very happy to be playing on the Jazz in the Round stage at the South Bank centre. Timings TBC!

Upcoming gigs Autumn 2014

Thursday Sept 25th – Madwort Saxophone Quartet @ Lume, Long White Cloud, Hoxton

A rare London date for the sax quartet!

Sunday October 5th – Quadraceratops @ The Vortex, Dalston

The London launch party for the Quadraceratops album!