Jazz: Alex Merritt/Antonio Fusco Quartet

The Alex Merritt/Antonio Fusco Quartet reunites friends and musical compatriots Alex and Antonio, who will be joined by sterling bassist Henrik Jensen and rising star pianist Nick Manz for this date at The Bebop Club.
Antonio Fusco is a highly-rated Italian drummer on a visit to the UK. He has worked and recorded across Europe and has spent a considerable amount of time in Asia, working with US and Japanese musicians. He has recorded over 39 albums as a side-man, and six albums as leader and co-leader. See antonio-fusco.com

Building on a history of collaboration that spans performances in London and Beijing, Antonio and Alex have chosen original music for this tour and arrangements of standards that highlight and bring out the distinctive approaches and musical personalities of each member of this band.

Contemporary straight-ahead influences sit side-by-side with inspiration from modern classical music leading to an engaging, fresh sound and approach to group interplay. The harmonic/melodic worlds of Olivier Messiaen, Scriabin and Ravel combine with jazz influence from John Coltrane, Joe Henderson and others in Merritt’s approach to writing. The pairing here with the young piano talent Nick Manz, who was a finalist in 2022 BBC Young Jazz Musician of The Year, is an exciting one and Nick brings a fresh and extremely mature approach to the material. Backed by the powerhouse rhythm section of Fusco and Jensen this promises to be a compelling evening of contemporary jazz.

Expect melodic and rhythmic daring and a fresh turn of phrase, with definite reference to the jazz tradition but with an eye, and an ear, to the future.

Alex Merritt – tenor saxophone, Nick Manz – piano, Henrik Jensen – bass, Antonio Fusco – drums