We’re all very excite here at the BTF hub as we announce the release of the latest ARQ album A Magic Life. Release Date 18 November 2016

The music is bursting with melodic and harmonic references from jazz, classical and folk musics. Rayner cites both Charlie Haden and Eberhard Weber as influences – but there is always a strong sense of Rayner’s musical personality evident in the poignant folk-inspired melodies, rootsy grooves, Hendrix stoked guitar in Mayday and improvisational invention.

Steve Lodder piano
Deirdre Cartwright guitar
Diane McLoughlin tenor, soprano saxophones
Alison Rayner bass
Buster Birch drums

Alison Rayner: ‘I was inspired to call the album A Magic Life because of two recent incidents. The loss of a friend last year, who wrote in her own epitaph about how magic her life had been; then a chance encounter with a young boy, who asked me “Is music stronger than magic?” I replied that to me, music is a merging of magic and logic. These events set me on a course of thinking about connections between memory, mortality, magic – and music.’

1. A MAGIC LIFE 05:25

2. MUSICOPHILIA 06:26

3. THE TRUNK CALL 06:01

4. MAYDAY 03:55

5. NEW DAY 08:43

6. SWANAGE BAY 07:07

7. THE OK CHORALE 09:30

8. FRIDAY’S CHILD 03:05

The band is touring England Autumn 2016 and Spring 2017 – see Gig page for more details.