Deirdre Cartwright - guitar
Deirdre Cartwright is an award-winning guitarist and composer who became well known presenting BBC TV’s ground-breaking series Rockschool. She also played with Afro Latin Jazz group The Guest Stars, recording three albums and touring in 17 countries.
In 1991 she formed the Deirdre Cartwright Group, which recorded five albums and played international festivals from Mexico to Warsaw. She has played with legendary guitarist Tal Farlow, studied in America with Mick Goodrick, toured with Jamaican composer Marjorie Whylie, and presented on BBC Radio 3.
More recently she has toured and recorded four albums with ARQ, who won Best UK Jazz Group at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards and British Jazz Awards in 2018. She won the public vote for Best Guitarist at the 2019 British Jazz Awards and in 2020 was awarded Services to Jazz with Blow the Fuse at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards.
In 2026 she released an album with her organ trio ORGANIK, which has garnered four-star reviews.
If there is a more complete guitarist in contemporary music than Deirdre Cartwright – I’d like to know who it is. - The Observer
Cartwright acknowledging her favourite forbears while leaving us in no doubt that her voice is irrevocably her own. - (★★★★) Andy Robson, Jazzwise, August 2026
Annie Whitehead - trombone
Trombone virtuoso Annie Whitehead is best known for her engaging mix of African grooves, blues, ska and Ellingtonian expressionism. One of the UK's brightest and most versatile trombone players, she has played on over 50 albums.
Annie learnt trombone at school and by the age of fourteen was already busy playing with brass bands and local big bands. At sixteen, she started her professional career with Ivy Benson’s All Girl Orchestra. Since then she has brought her distinctive sound to a wide range of projects, exploring many different musical styles.
As part of the UK jazz scene she has worked with Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath, John Stevens, Dudu Pukwana, Evan Parker, Paul Dunmall Octet (featuring Keith Tippett and Tony Levin), Elton Dean’s Newsense (alongside legendary trombonists Roswell Rudd and Paul Rutherford), The Charlie Watts Big Band and the Jazz Jamaica Big Band. Internationally she has worked with McCoy Tyner, Carla Bley, Abdullah Ibrahim, Louis Moholo and James Blood Ulmer.
Her session and pop credits include Joan Armatrading, Elvis Costello, Eddi Reader and Paul Weller. With the horn section The Kick Horns, she has done session work with Rufus Wainwright, Blur, The Beautiful South, Jamiroquai, Dr John, Eric Clapton and many others.
As a member of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra she toured worldwide and appeared on three albums: Broadcasting from Home, Union Cafe and Concert Program.
The Sly and Robbie of British brass, the woman everyone turns to when they want a class trombone player. - Time Out
Alison Rayner - bass
Alison Rayner is a bassist and composer who leads the multi award-winning quintet ARQ. The group won Best Ensemble at the 2018 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, and in 2019 Alison won the Ivor Novello Composer Award for Best Small Group Composition.
She also performs alongside Deirdre Cartwright in ARQ, who have toured and recorded four albums together.
Beneath it all Rayner is dark and sonorous, like a Haden or Weber, able to make a rounded single note underwrite the band’s soarings. - Jazzwise
Winston Clifford - drums
Winston Clifford is one of Britain's leading jazz drummers and has been a first call drummer on the UK jazz scene for over 30 years.
His powerful yet sophisticated playing has been the driving force behind an extensive list of artists including Carleen Anderson, Stanley Turrentine, Benny Golson, John Abercrombie, Joe Lovano, Norma Winstone, Peter Bernstein, Carmen Lundy, Freddie Hubbard, Monty Alexander, Courtney Pine, Julian Joseph, Jazz Jamaica, Ronnie Scott, Andy Sheppard, Tim Garland, Jean Toussaint, Mica Paris and Gwilym Simcock.
Winner of the British Jazz Award for Best Drummer, Winston is also a respected educator and can be found teaching the next generation of musicians at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Birmingham Conservatoire.
