Get ready for a memorable night of creative, improvised jazz from two incredible local bands. Including pieces inspired by the paintings of visual artist and Cartographics member Kirsten. These paintings are the score for exploratory landscape-soundscapes.

Cartographics

A five piece group of multi-instrumentalists using a mix of instruments found in Western jazz, International folk music and found sound. They create musical scenes directly from painted scrolls – approaching their composition process collectively, focusing on the importance of connecting with each other and with their audience through their music. Individually they play in numerous bands in various genres. Cartographics first performed at the Lancaster Jazz Festival in 2025.

Sun Dogs
Music focused towards realisation of a collective purpose through improvisation. They are attracted by the possibilities of musical togetherness and individual expression through exploration of implicit and explicit forms and structures, the diverse nature of free improvisation and that which is resistant to definition. They believe in the transient encounter, the fleeting nature of music, and its reality in the moment of performance.

BAND MEMBERS:

Cartographics:

Kirsten Freiesleben – Kirsten is an artist, poet and multi-instrumentalist who moved out of the wild North Pennines into Morecambe in 2021. Her beautiful graphic scores are the heart of the Cartographics project. She plays in LCMC Big Band, Bay Beat street band, The Long Walk Chinese Ensemble, folk groups and is a member of the Lancaster based Women’s Music Collective.

Janine Fearon plays saxophones of all sizes as well as Bass and B flat clarinets. She performs withThe Bay Big Band, LCMC Big Band, folk groups and Off The Rails and is a fearless improvisor.

Nick Cooper has been immersed in the Lancaster music scene since 1982. He has a wealth of musical experience and knowledge which he applies to his sensitive and thoughtful percussion playing. He plays a wide array of instruments including those of his own making.

Bridget Cook came to Cartographics through working with Kirsten in the Long Walk Chinese Ensemble. Though primarily a pianist, Bridget brings her command of the Chinese bamboo flute , Dizi, to Cartographics.

Adam Bradbury first met the trumpet in 1979 and has been in love with it ever since. He plays with contemporary jazz group Katoush and currently leads the horn section of The Baybeat Street Band from More Music,  Morecambe. He believes there is profound joy to be found in the sharing of live music.

Sun Dogs:

Scott Montgomery – Bass
Scott is a sought-after bassist, regularly playing locally with jazz group Luca Brasi and as an integral part of the house band at the Lancaster Jazz Jam. He was a founder-member of local favourites Groove Cutters.

Stephen Kerfoot – Trumpet
Stephen has been involved in many music projects around Lancaster over the years, from Big Bands to free improvisation to fusion and party bands. He co-runs Lancaster Jazz Scene which promotes and organises jazz gigs in the city and runs the popular monthly Jazz Jam.

Sun dogs play in memory of their bandmate Paul Clarke who sadly died in June. A much loved musician, artist and friend, Paul will be greatly missed across the Lancaster music community