Colchester Arts Centre, 27 Sep 2026
Tickets £16 / £15 concesions.
This gig is for a seated audience.
Greg Osby: sax, Joāo Barradas: accordion, François Moutin: bass, Florian Arbenz: drums
"Jazz is supposed to be the most unselfish of art forms. In jazz, you give yourself completely to make somebody else play their best. You try to do something to make them, inspire them to do something. So it is a matter of sacrifice." - Dizzy Gillespie
In this brand new cross-continental collaboration, acclaimed Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz joins the sensational Portuguese accordion wizard Joāo Barradas, US sax legend Greg Osby and French bassist François Moutin to launch ‚Conversation_LAB'.
Florian first collaborated with Osby back in 1998 and, whilst the professional relationship has now lasted over 28 years, this is their first project together featuring Portuguese Accordion-star Joāo Barradas and French bass-legend François Moutin!Across a career spanning more than 30 years, drummer and percussionist Florian Arbenz has carved out a reputation as not just a skilled musician, but as a creative collaborator.
This is on full display in his new quartet which brings together fellow musicians whose rhythmic concept, harmonic vision and open-minded playing take the listener on a journey which ranges from hard-swinging solos and free improvisations to dreamy soundscapes.
This slightly unusual line up of accordion, bass, sax & drums gives this group a very special and very specific sound.
With a slew of awards and world-class collaborations under their belts, the ensemble’s collective international reputation cannot be understated.
From Osby’s appearances on numerous Blue Note albums, Barradas winning the World Accor-dion Trophy (twice!) and Arbenz’s European Award for Culture, each member of the quartet is a powerhouse in their own right.
"Arguably one of the best drummers in Europe" John Fordham, The Guardian
Videos: https://bit.ly/OsbyBarradasMoutinArbenz
Website: www.florianarbenz.com
Never knowingly understood.
Church Street, Colchester, CO1 1NF
01206 500 900 / info@colchesterartscentre.com