"Mike Fletcher is a woodwind multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, writer and academic based between the UK and Spain. His music is primarily influenced by the melodic spontaneity of jazz, but also draws inspiration from folk, popular and contemporary classical fields.

During the first half of 2018 he will be appearing across Europe to promote his latest album Picasso(s), an experimental project for solo saxophone that draws on jazz and visual art. He has recently completed his PhD in composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK.

Mike is first and foremost a saxophonist and he most commonly performs on this instrument, either as the leader of one of his own projects - the Mike Fletcher Trio, Cuarteto Español, Mike Fletcher Jazz Orchestra - or as a sideman with ensembles including the Olie Brice Quintet, the flamenco-jazz Cuarteto Majao or Jonathan Silk Big Band. In 2015 he was nominated by Birmingham Symphony Hall to participate in the ECHO Rising Stars programme, and in 2013 was chosen by the BBC to represent the UK as lead alto with the European Jazz Orchestra.

The Mike Fletcher Trio album Vuelta was released on Stoney Lane Records in 2015, and the Fletcher/Brice/Jozwiak record Nick Of Time on Slam Productions in 2014. He has also recorded with notable contemporary jazz leaders such as Tony Bianco and Paul Dunmall.

Mike has appeared in clubs and jazz festivals across the UK (EFG London Jazz Festival/Cheltenham Jazz Festival/Manchester Jazz Festival), Europe (Outono Em Jazz - Portugal, Jazz Goes To Town - Czech Republic) and internationally (Cambio S Festival - Brazil, IAJE Conference - Toronto).

As a composer, Mike works across genres from jazz, contemporary classical to theatre and film. In 2017 he composed and conducted the music for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Dido, Queen of Carthage - described as 'one of the most beautiful scores...at the RSC for a very long time.' In 2013 he was commissioned by Jazzlines/THSH to write and perform a suite of music as part of a celebration of the work of Steve Reich. His large ensemble music has been performed by soloists such as Lee Konitz, Andrew D'Angelo and Dan Weiss. He is the director in residence with the Clasijazz Big Band S&F, based in Almeria, Spain. In this capacity he has worked with jazz luminaries such as Benny Golson, Barry Harris and Lee Konitz.

In addition to his music, Mike is also a writer and post-doctoral academic researcher affiliated with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK. He has delivered papers at numerous conferences in the UK and Europe, and has a number of publications, including chapters in edited collections published by Routledge and Leuven University Press.

Mike's interest in music began in the family home - his parent's love of jazz, classical and folk music infected him from an early age. After beginning by studying piano at age 6, and cello at age 8, he finally took up the saxophone at age 14. By 16 he was performing professionally, touring the UK and Europe with the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra before going on to study jazz performance at the Birmingham Conservatoire, graduating in 2005. He has since returned to the same institution where he completed his PhD in 2018 and now works as a post-doctoral researcher."

Birmingham, UK based drummer Tymek Jozwiak leads the group Torso with Alex Bonney on trumpet, Mark Hanslip on tenor saxophone, Dave Kane on double bass; the Slam Productions album Nick of Time with Tymoteusz Jozwiak with Olie Brice and Mike Fletcher; and the Hammond Organ quartet Unity Quartet.

"Paul Dunmall was born 1953, Welling, Kent; saxophones, clarinets, bagpipes, miscellaneous wind instruments.

As told to Watson (1989), Paul Dunmall was a working class lad from Welling who left school at 15 and spent two years repairing instruments at Bill Lewington's shop in Shaftesbury Avenue, London. He turned professional at 17 and, following two years touring Europe with a progressive rock band (Marsupilami), joined the Divine Light Mission, a spiritual movement led by Guru Maharaj Ji and moved from London to an ashram in America. He told Isham (1997), 'I moved to an ashram full of musicians - a music ashram - but it was still spiritual practice. That gave me a spiritual understanding through meditation, Coltrane's music, and all the rest of it, led me to that, and that's been a fundament in my life ever since - that I can actually sit down and meditate and forget my body. I realise how important meditation is in my life... but I don't do it so much these days.' During the three years he lived in America, Dunmall played with Alice Coltrane (in a big band with the Divine Light Mission) and toured for twelve months with Johnny 'Guitar' Watson.

Back in England, he played with Danny Thompson and John Stevens as well as folk musicians Kevin Dempsey, Martin Jenkins and Polly Bolton and then, in 1979 he became a founder member of Spirit Level (Tim Richards, piano; Paul Anstey, bass; Tony Orrell, drums), staying with the group until 1989. During his time with Spirit Level, Dunmall joined the two-tenor front line group Tenor Tonic with Alan Skidmore (1985), played and broadcast with Dave Alexander and Tony Moore in the DAM trio (1986) and formed the Paul Dunmall Quartet with Alex Maguire, Tony Moore and Steve Noble (1986).

In 1987 Paul Dunmall joined the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, being a constant member and appearing on all their recorded output from that date onward. The following year the improvising collective quartet Mujician was formed by Keith Tippett, Dunmall, Paul Rogers and Tony Levin and has continued to be a regular performing, touring and recording group, sometimes augmented by other musicians. Dunmall has also played in a trio with Keith and Julie Tippetts and in Keith Tippett's big band Tapestry. Two other duos have also sprung out of Mujician: Dunmall with Tony Levin (two CD releases) and Dunmall in folk-influenced outings with Paul Rogers. Another regular playing partner throughout this period and up until the present includes Elton Dean.

In 1995, two trios were formed, the first with Oren Marshall, tuba and Steve Noble, percussion, the second with John Adams, guitar and Mark Sanders, percussion, these sometimes coming together as a quintet. More recently, Dunmall has played in another reeds/guitar/drums trio with Philip Gibbs and Tony Marsh and there appears to be regular crossover between all these players. The Paul Dunmall Octet was founded in 1997."

Dunmall also has released a large number of albums and a box set on the UK FMR label, in various configurations and instrumentation.

Richard Foote is a Birmingham, UK tromobonist best known for his horns and drums band Young Pilgrims, approaching New Orleans jazz in modern ways.

"After graduating from the Birmingham Conservatoire's BMus(Hons) Jazz course with first class honours, I received a scholarship to study on the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program at the New School University, New York City. During my time living in New York I performed with ensembles including The Duke Ellington Orchestra at Birdland, The Coltrane ensemble and the Rene Marie Big Band at Town Hall, and with Matt Brewer and Tommy Crane at The Knitting Factory.

I am now working as a freelance Jazz musician/composer/arranger/recording artist (Trumpet/Double Bass) Since 2005 I have been lecturing in Jazz at the Birmingham Conservatoire senior and junior departments, I also have a roles as director of the National Youth Jazz Wales, tutor for National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland/National Youth Jazz Collective, music for youth mentor and improvisation clinician for Wales Music Teachers Federation.

I am also the artistic co-director of Harmonic Festival, producing and promoting two successful and adventurous jazz festivals in Birmingham in recent years.

I have featured in a number of performances aired on BBC Radio's Jazz on Three including live concerts with Alex Hawkins, Peter Evans, Paul Dunmall, Elliott Sharpe and a number of radio and televised concerts with the WDR Radio Big Band, Koln. I was a featured in Jazzwise magazine's 'Taking Off' interview. Recent musical highlights include performing Gil Evans Sketches of Spain with the Birmingham Conservatoire Jazz Orchestra and playing Trumpet for Evan Parker's 70th birthday celebration, Kings Place.

Some of the most prominent artists I have performed and recorded with include:

Claudia Quintet, Food with Thomas Stronen/Iain Ballamy, Bill Frissell, Paul Dunmall, Peter Evans, Jon Irabagon, Hans Koller, Dan Weiss, Matt Brewer, Michael Gibbs, Thomas Morgan, John Hollenbeck, Mark Dresser, Victor Bailey, Drew Gress, Ben Monder, Phil Woods, Claudio Roditi, Jeff Williams, Chris Speed, Matt Mitchell, Evan Parker, Jakob Bro, Elliott Sharpe, Vince Mendoza, Peter Erskine, Django Bates, Steve Swallow, Chris Potter, John O'gallagher, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Dave Liebman, Dave Holland and Norma Winstone.

For the past twelve months, I have also been a Jazzlines/Jerwood Foundation fellow, hosted at Town Hall-Symphony Hall Birmingham. This has allowed me to compose a new work written for octet and eight-voice choir - 'Far Reaching Dreams of Mortal Souls' - based on speeches and associated works of iconic figures through history. This will premiere in October, where I will perform alongside Julian Arguelles, Paul Clarvis, Hans Koller, Michael Janisch, James Allsop, Jim Rattigan plus choir.

I hold honorary membership (Hons BC) to the Birmingham Conservatoire in recognition of services to music."