Greg Sanders - Guitar

Sam Rapley - Tenor Saxophone

Tom Herbert - Bass Guitar

Ben Brown - Drums

New quartet Lophae (pronounced "lo-fi") launch their debut LP 'Perfect Strangers' with this rare live show.

There’s a specific thrill that record collectors feel: not while digging through crates for classics, but when intuition leads you to pick out something as-yet-unknown. You take it home, put it on the turntable, and are bathed in spectacular sounds that become new favourite sonic destinations. You have discovered rare and beautiful treasure.

On Lophae’s debut album Perfect Strangers, they carry out the performing equivalent of that crate digging: we are treated to world-class musical explorers searching for (and very much finding) sounds that both hit home with familiarity and bestow that thrill of discovery.

Don’t be fooled by the title: though it is their first time recording together in this particular line-up, these four are no strangers, neither to each other, nor to the singular art of sculpting sound through collective improvisation. Their enthusiasm for the process is palpable on every track, taking many forms and expressing many moods.

Guitarist and composer Greg Sanders – known for his work with Juanita Euka and Teotima – brings a unique aesthetic and an unmistakable feel to every musical setting he appears in. His writing and playing combine melodic elegance with rhythmic complexity, and provide a lush foundation for improvisation and dialogue. He also has a tried and tested talent for bringing together specific constellations of extraordinary musicians to interpret his original music.

To form Lophae (pronounced Lo-fi), Sanders calls on three of his favourites:

Drummer Ben Brown brings wide-reaching rhythm expertise, honed while performing with Ethio-Jazz legend Mulatu Astatke and leading his own group Waaju. Brown’s intricate playing propels the band with absolute confidence and fierce energy.

Bass player Tom Herbert is a mainstay of the UK jazz scene, known for his work with The Invisible, Polar Bear, London Brew and Acoustic Ladyland. Herbert is much in-demand for his unparalleled ability to ground any musical situation with his massive sound, beautiful tone, highly-tuned sensitivity and unceasing musical curiosity.

Saxophonist Sam Rapley possesses a lyrical flair and a relaxed mastery of his instrument in the vein of tenor giants such as Stan Getz and Sonny Rollins. Rapley weaves seamlessly between textural and melodic roles with understated skill and grace.