A somewhat bitter-sweet event on 7th December 2022. The “Plague Doctors Cure All” are playing what may well be the last of the venue’s Wednesday night gigs at the Queens Head in Monmouth, due to ownership changes. For seventeen years the Queen’s has been putting on world class alternative music with guests from Europe, Australia and the Americas. Always free entry as a means of bringing new audiences and musicians together. Often its been the “foot in the door” for many major tours and will be a sad loss if the new owners don’t continue the spirit of the place. Watch this space!
It seems fitting in a way that the Plague Doctors are having this final gig – truly in the spirit of the place the band is improvised, original, different and lots of fun. The band first played together in the back room of the Queens and whilst being a band for festivals or larger clubs this is going to be up close and personal. Hope to see you there! Diagnosis Positive! If you’re going to catch anything, catch the #plaguedoctorscureall
With guttural basslines, skronking sax, freeform guitar riffs and tribal drums, improvised jazzmetal never sounded so dangerous, healthy, fresh and essential; its kind of improvising jazz rock group with some goth overtones (I guess). Line up is Will Cass on guitar, Liam Lee-Hines on electric bass, Andy Goodall on drums and myself on Tenor & Soprano Sax and EWI.
Plague Doctors Cure All Tour Dates & Tickets Coltrane Dedication Tour Dates & TicketsSome fun events in the past …
Start the year 2022 with a bit of free-form ... Wednesday 5th January 8.30pm at the Queens Head, Monmouth, the spiritual home of experimental jazz in S.E. Wales I'm pleased to be part of a quartet comprising Phil Gibbs (Guitar), Ashley John Long (Bass), Alex Goodyear (Drums) and myself on Reeds.
”arwyddion ffyrdd Cymru/Welsh Road signs” Pepper’s West Wales Arts Centre, Abergwaun/Fishguard jazz festival. Saturday 28th August 2021, 1.00 pm LMnO (Long, Moyes ‘nd Owen) playing a series of free-form interpretations based on the road signs of Wales.
The Kitchen Singers. Handel’s “Messiah” in St Nicholas Church, Grosmont Saturday 21st December 2019, 7.30pm. Supporting the true community spirit of Grosmont village, Monmouthshire, and their ambitious production of Handel's Messiah. They asked me if I could play trumpet. A resounding 'no' but I'm doing it on Soprano Saxophone along with harpsichord and string quartet.
BBC Radio 3 "Music Matters" - Interview about Cornelius Cardew and the Scratch Orchestra Saturday 26th October 2019 After the performance of "The Great Learning:Paragraph 3" at the "Voices of Monmouth - Together" event on Thursday 24th October, Lyndon Owen and Caractacus Downes are interviewed by Kate Molleson as part of their piece about the 50th Anniversary of the Scratch Orchestra.
Voice of Monmouth - Together / Lleisiau Mynwy - Gyda'n Gilydd St Mary's Church, Monmouth Thursday October 24 2019 "The Great Learning:Paragraph 3" Cornelius Cardew and a new piece by Ashley John Long. Music in Monmouth are hosting an event which brings together numerous singing and playing groups from the Monmouth community resulting in an 80 strong choir and an Orchestra of 20 double basses to join in a truly communal event. The event will be jointly conducted by Caractacus Downes (Choir) and Lyndon Owen (Orchestra). Several Guest performers will be appearing. www.musicinmonmouth.com
Green Man Festival, Nr. Crughywel SOLD OUT Sunday August 18 2019 Maurice El Medioni - film and music Eclectic Films will be showing a new film 'Maurice El Medioni', and celebrating all that is Middle Eastern Jazz with a specially devised set from world jazz multi-instrumentalists Eira\Snow.
Latitude Festival, Henham Park near Southwold Friday 19th July 2019 The Lavish Lounge BBC3 stage DJ Max Reinhardt (BBC Radio3 Late Junction presenter) laying down world beats with Lyndon Owen, Caractacus Downes, Sheema Mukerjee and friends.
Latitude Festival, Henham Park near Southwold Thursday 18th July 2019 Lavish Lounge Screen Playing improvised soundtracks to Ingmar Bergman's "Persona" (1966) and Luis Bunuel's "Belle de Jour" (1967) with the Instant Scorechestra with Sheema Mukherjee (Sitar & Bass) Sarah Nicolls (prepared and unprepared piano)