We have such a big year coming up in 2026. It’s the year of the Fire Horse associated with optimism, energy and freedom and …..a Golden Jubilee! 50 years ago (1976) Alison & Deirdre met in a shed in Peckham. Deirdre was a ‘lead’ guitarist, Alison had been playing bass for 2 weeks and apart from long hair and flared jeans, they appeared to have little in common.

Despite this rather unprepossessing start, they have played together since then in many groups including Jam Today, Sisterhood of Spit, The Guest Stars, The Emma Peel Fan Club, The Electric Landladies, Deirdre Cartwright Group, ARQ and too many other groups not led by us to mention…and run Blow the Fuse club, promotions and records.

Children have grown up, family members have passed away, many dear friends have gone from this life and still we create music and our journey continues.

We know that some of you have been a part of this extraordinary adventure from the very beginning and many of you have joined us more recently. We hope to see you during 2026 – so let the 50 year Celebrations commence with these marvellous gigs and watch out for some big events during the year!

Deirdre has just recorded a new album with ORGANIK – the launch is at Pizza Express Dean Street on Wednesday 15 July – with some very special guests..

Also look out for Alison’s group ARQ with new dates for 2026 including Ronnie Scott’s – plus our new Jazz in the House season at Lauderdale House. All details below and on our gigs page.

Mrs Dates Diary:

• Thurs 8 Jan Deirdre w/Jo Fooks, Marianne Windham Fleet Jazz lunchtime
• Sat 10 Jan ARQ Bath Jazz Weekend, Widcombe Social Club BOOK SOLD OUT
• Fri 6 Mar Deirdre Cartwright’s ORGANIK Birmingham Jazz BOOK
• Sat 7 Mar ELECTRIC LANDLADIES IWD Celebration
  St Matthias Hall BOOK SOLD OUT
• Tues 17 Mar ARQ Ronnie Scott’s SOHO BOOK
• Thurs 26 Mar ARQ Folkestone, Neptune Basement Jazz Club BOOK
• Fri 24 April Deirdre Cartwright’sORGANIK Guildford Jazz BOOK
• Fri 1 May SeaChange St Matthias Hall N16 BOOK
• Fri 15 May ARQ Bracknell, South Hill Park Arts Centre BOOK
• Sat 23 May ARQ Southend, The Jazz Centre UK BOOK
• Wed 27 May Deirdre’s Quartet (featuring Alison) Twickenham Jazz Club

Blow the Fuse ‘On Air’ 
In 2020 – 2021, we were awarded funding by the Arts Council of England to produce a series of online concerts recorded exclusively by Blow the Fuse from the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston plus archive film footage and interviews. We’d like to thank everyone who’s supported us through these extraordinary times and to all of you who became a BTF Patron through donations. Your support was crucial and helped us to produce TEN shows in all. A very steep but rewarding learning curve.

All shows can now be viewed anytime on our You Tube channel HERE

Carol Grimes • Deirdre Cartwright • Liane Carroll • Annie Whitehead
D’n’A present vintage Guest Stars • Martha & Eve + The  DaDa Dandies
Back to the 70s • The Casimir Connection + Add3io • Ian Shaw • ARQ

Please join our club by clicking here and receive links to the shows. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and look on our fb page for more updates.

See you at a LIVE gig soon.

Thank you to all our supporters and watch this space for more news…

‘Wild is the music of autumnal winds Amongst the faded woods.’ William Wordsworth

C R E A T I V E    •   C U R I O U S
•  E X P E R I E N C E D  •

In May 2019, Blow the Fuse celebrated 30 years and we’re now in our 36th year!
Started in 1989 by musicians and composers Deirdre Cartwright and Alison Rayner who were members of the internationally acclaimed jazz group The Guest Stars, BTF have played a crucial role in raising awareness about women jazz musicians and importantly giving them support, a space and opportunity to perform in times which have sometimes been very challenging.

BTF have been very much part of the new resurgence of jazz musicians, which contain many talented young women. Beginning in 2012, Blow the Fuse seasons Tomorrow the Moon ‘one small step for women’ have featured groups led by composers Laura Jurd, Yazz Ahmed, Laura Cole, Dee Byrne, Shirley Tetteh, Lauren Kinsella, Roz Harding, Nikki Iles, Shama Rahman, Daphna Sadeh, Flo Moore, Chelsea Carmichael, Camilla George and Nubya Garcia.

BTF have managed many UK jazz tours with new musical works, innovative collaborations and educational projects and run the Blow the Fuse record label. In 2021 after lockdowns, we produced Blow the Fuse ‘On Air’ a series of online performances recorded live from The Vortex. We’ve had over 15,000 views for these shows on You Tube and Facebook.

Performances for the ‘Resistance’ and ‘Tomorrow the Moon’ seasons took place at the Vortex Jazz Club and the Old Church on Stoke Newington Church Street.
In 2022 we began presenting regular events St Matthias Halls N16 8DD.
In 2023 we began programming  ‘Jazz in the House’ Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate, London.

See our gigs page for details on all our events.