Adam and Johnny, stalwarts of Manchester’s creative music scene, have established a piano and drums duo to explore early jazz forms through an experimental lens. The piano/drums format is perfectly suited to this, being a favoured format in both Harlem stride and free music.

As you can hear on their album on Discus records the restriction of just playing the snare drum rather than the whole drum kit is a creative challenge that brings out Johnny’s musicality, humour and mastery.

With an album of Winifred Atwell songs under their belts, this latest project puts together a programme of the music of Mary Lou Williams, a hugely influential figure who lived and played through the entire history of jazz, from ragtime to avant-garde.

She wrote and arranged for Duke Ellington and taught Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. Her restless and inquisitive spirit is lovingly channelled by this duo.

You may have been lucky enough to enjoy performances from Adam and Johnny at More Music previously: Adam most recently on accordion with Olivia Moore and Johnny with the John Pope Quintet.

“A wonderfully evocative and enjoyable tribute to a jazz master, by two highly reflective and creative musicians.” – Andy Hamilton, THE WIRE

“A hall of mirrors where ragtime and free jazz mutually morph” – Jazzwise