Combining jazz, Indian and Arabic Rhythms the music of Unfurl is informed by a desire to create meaningful work. Inspired by nature and Buddhist ideals, the music has been described as ‘transcendental’, ‘organic’ and ‘divine’ by critics.
Olivia Moore met percussionist Adam Warne in 2003 while he was performing Leeds. Seeing his passionate enthusiasm he instantly became first choice for the band. His sensitive approach to music and his ability to play just the right thing at just the right time made him a perfect fit with Unfurl. On guitars Jim Faulkner is an extremely accomplished musician and adds harmonic depth and beauty to the band alongside Gavin Barras, who is currently one of the most in demand bass players in the North West, regularly touring internationally with his own groups. Gavin’s infectious enthusiasm has been another welcome new addition to the band since he joined earlier this year. Finally John ball is a specialist in Indian music and is the mastermind behind many of the more complex percussion solos and breaks that have recently found their way into Unfurl material. In partnership with Olivia’s vibrant violin playing, John brings colour into the band with his Tabla and Santoor.
Unfurl have performed at the Manchester Jazz Festival (2006), Marlborough Jazz Festival (2008), Marsden Jazz Festival (2008), Square Chapel Arts centre (2008), Otley Courthouse theatre (2008) and Seven Arts Centre (2009).
In the summer of 2009, Unfurl produced ‘Mask’, an exciting collaboration with the visual artist Mark Cameron-Minard and two sound-artists, Antti Saario and Philip Reeder. Commissioned by Manchester Jazz Festival and performed at the Contact Theatre, this project was the realisation of a long-held dream for Olivia. Please see the ‘review’ section for a write-up on ‘Mask’.