Ferg's Imaginary Big Band

Ferg's Imaginary Big Band are a 24 piece jazz x noise machine who are part of the burgeoning left-field independent Leeds music scene spearheaded by the Tight Lines record label. Initially inspired by the cosmic jazz legend and musician/band leader Sun Ra, Ferg's Imaginary Big Band is a semi-fictional large ensemble whose primary aim is to bring big band music kicking and screaming into the 22nd century. The IBB play rowdy and always huge sounding arrangements of an incredibly diverse selection of tunes from composers including Duke Ellington, Sun Ra, The Rajasthan Express, Count Basie, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago alongside a growing number of original compositions written and arranged by Fergus and other members of the group. Tonight, the focus will be on the latter as the orchestra focuses on music from the debut album.

 
Consisting of members from Têtes de Pois, Skwid Ink, TC & The Groove Family, Ancient Infinity Orchestra, The Mabgate Organ Trio, The Fergus Quill Trio, State Of Satta, the Belgrave House Band, Project Hilts, Awen Ensemble, Golden Age of TV, Long Legged Creatures and Amon Ra Collective, it's literally a who's who of the vibrant Leeds DIY jazz/experimental/electronic music scenes. Obviously with such a huge line-up of incredible musicians, getting the ensemble together for live shows is a major challenge on it's own and thus to date, they've still only played less than 15 shows in 4 years. If you're lucky to catch them at one of these rare cultish happenings, it's less like a standard gig and more like a huge sound and vision experience. A place where fantastic musicianship and soloing meet theatrical drama and punk attitude with a huge dollop of humour binding it all together. There's literally no other ensemble like this in the UK today. 

 

Band leader Fergus Quill has released two solo albums in the last 2 years with his trio (both also on Tight Lines), and his profile within the UK jazz scene jumped up massively in 2022 when he won the prestigious Music Company/Tina May Award for "Best Young UK Jazz Musician Of The Year". He was also named as one of the top 50 young jazz musicians worth checking out by Readers Digest Magazine in an article about the UK jazz explosion of recent years. Now at last comes the debut album from his large ensemble Ferg's Imaginary Big Band and there's no better place to hear them launch it live than at the Brudenell through that amazing sound system. 

 

Support comes from the next generation of cosmic music travellers, Amon Ra Collective. They are a Leeds astro-spiritual jazz group exploring continuous groove-based group improvisation. Although the repertoire is often progressing, spiritual ideals of unity, change and reconnecting with the higher consciousness are unifying themes. Influenced by Sun Ra, The Coltranes (John and Alice), Pharaoh Sanders, electric Miles and folk music, they are one of the most adventurous new young jazz bands to emerge from the current intake at Leeds Conservatoire. They've already made their debut at the venue back in December supporting Mu Quintet so it's good to have them back.

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