Alison Rayner Quintet - ARQ

Alison Rayner   Bass

Buster Birch    Drums

Deirdre Cartwright   Guitar

Diane McLoughlin   Saxophone

Steve Lodder   Piano

Led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner, multi award-winning quintet ARQ are widely celebrated from several years of extensive UK and European touring and three critically acclaimed album releases August (2014), A Magic Life (2016) and Short Stories (2019). Their music combines richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk infused melodies and this, along with their love of improvisation, creates a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. ARQ play ‘songs without words’ and are lauded for their vibrant and communicative performances.

ARQ’s recent appearances include London’s Ronnie Scott’s and Pizza Express Jazz Clubs, Poole Lighthouse, Gateshead Sage and Liverpool Capstone Theatre. The band are currently previewing new material in their performance for a new album next year.