Match&Fuse presents: Pulcinella & Brass Mask

Match&Fuse have presented innovative and creative music to UK audiences since 2011, importing over 35 international acts through tours and festivals, as well as championing original British music at home and abroad.

M&F stand for quality and uncompromising artistry that can span free improvisation, electronica, progressive rock, experimental pop and thrash jazz. Tonight, M&F present the elegant “orchestral circus” act Pulcinella, hailing from Toulouse, alongside London-based beast of a brass band Brass Mask.

Combining Balkan, rock, jazz and tango influences, Pulcinella have performed across the world, to immense critical acclaim. The quartet comprises accordion/sax/double bass/percussion of Florian Demonsant, Ferdinand Doumerc, Jean-Marc Serpin and Frédéric Cavallin. Driven by the high energy and fertile imaginations of the 4 active musicians on the Toulouse scene, Pulcinella has played over 300 concerts since forming in 2008.

Brass Mask, led by Tom Challenger features some of London’s most exciting young improvisers, and Challenger’s original compositions draw influence from New Orleans brass bands, Gil Evans and Henry Threadgill. Brass Mask are:

Tom Challenger (Tenor Saxophone, Alto Clarinet)
Dan Nicholls (Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet)
George Crowley (Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet)
Alex Bonney (Trumpet)
Rory Simmons (Trumpet)
Nat Cross (Trombone)
Theon Cross (Tuba)
John Blease (Percussion)

"...Poetic and revealing fantasy, travelling across borders of a strange and honky-tonk, the music of [Pulcinella] leads us in a kind of joyful and sweet barbaric witchcraft…" Jean Marc Gelin, Jazzman

"...Captivating, surprising, confusing; many words can describe Pulcinella.... bursting with originality and creativity..." La Dépêche

"During Putin’s tsarist empire [Brass Mask] would risk something like beatings and jail"