"Martin Archer was born in Sheffield, England, in 1957. He started playing saxophone at age 15 and first got active on the Sheffield improvisational scene in 1973. In the early '80s, he recorded an LP with Bass Tone Trap, his first group. In 1983 he formed the saxophone quartet Hornweb, which, in ten years of existence, released three albums. It is during that time that Archer released his first solo album, Wild Pathway Favourites (1988) and founded the Discus label on which he since releases all his music.

In 1993, he disbanded Hornweb and turned to synthesizers and sequencers while shifting his activities from stage to studio. He developed a compositional approach in which he records improvisers soloing, then manipulates this raw material, combining it with electronics and structuring it into a whole new piece. This technique is illustrated on Wild Pathway Favourites, Ghost Lily Cascade (1996), and Pure Water Construction (with bassist Simon H. Fell, released in 1999). Later works such as Winter Pilgrim Arriving (2000) moved toward more constructed and less abstract pieces, even making room for melodies and rhythm tracks at times.

Apart from his solo work, Archer is also involved in Ask, a duo with guitarist John Jasnoch, and Transient v Resident, an ambient electronics project with Chris Bywater."-All Music, François Couture

"Martin Archer is a composer / improviser who is equally at home on stage or in the studio. His own distinctive saxophone playing is rooted in AACM jazz. Through his use of keyboards and electronics, and as a studio producer, he extends this interest into extended song form and leftfield rock music. He is also co-director of the uncategorisably avant choir Juxtavoices.

His principle music work is the Discus Music label, the imprint for his various releases, notably by the groups described below.

His current jazz based projects include Engine Room Favourites (current a 4 drummer, 14 piece big band), Story Tellers (6 piece group including shaman instruments alongside the conventional instruments), plus various ad hoc smaller groups. All of these are strongly aligned with AACM tradition and teaching.

Archer has a long running duo with veteran vocalist Julie Tippetts. Each of their highly acclaimed CD releases deliberately explores song from a different perspective - the duo aims to be truly progressive, and takes in elements from jazz, rock, soul and pure abstraction.

Archer's main live performance vehicle is the trio Inclusion Principle with Herve Perez and Peter Fairclough. The group operates in a space between electronics, nu-jazz, contemporary electroacoustic music and free improvisation. In performance you will hear pure jazz skill, electronic beats and areas of texture and abstraction all seamlessly woven into a fascinating and constantly shifting tapestry of sound.

The sprawling Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere was formed by Archer as an improvising rock group with shades of Terry Riley, Magma, Alice Coltrane and Sun Ra, very much in the progressive / krautrock tradition, and noted for its large scale string, horn and vocal arrangements.

Also in rock music, Archer is a member of the USA based heavier than plutonium prog / sludge / zeuhl group Combat Astronomy under the direction of Jamie Huggett.

Surprising, delighting and occasionally alarming audiences for a number of years now, Juxtavoices is a 30 piece choir for mainly untrained voices co directed by Archer with Alan Halsey which has racked up dozens of performances and issued three CDs.

This eclectic combination of sources and highly individual applications makes Archer a unique inhabitant of the school of English maverick composer / improvisers. "-Discus

"John Jasnoch: 6 & 12 string acoustic, electric, electric soprano 12 string, lap steel, fretless baritone + tenor banjo & mandolin

Born: Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England, April 3rd 1953.

Began playing guitar 1967. After having spent a number of years in various areas of popular music (primarily 'folk', top 40 music and Country & Western), became involved with improvised music in 1978. Moved to Sheffield in 1979 and joined Sheffield Free Music Group. Subsequently joined 'new-wave/free-jazz' group Bass Tone Trap. Then went on to work extensively with (for example) woodwind player Charlie Collins in The Modum Quartet, The Bone Orchestra plus a regular duo and other ensembles; + Martin Archer in the electro-acoustic duo ASK and the extended sax quartet Hornweb.

In 1988, took part in Derek Bailey's 'Company Week' at ICA, London. Went on to play many concerts in UK, mainland Europe and North America both as a soloist and with various ad hoc ensembles (with, for example, LaDonna Smith, Davey Williams, Paul Lytton, Louis Moholo, Jeffrey Morgan, Erhard Hirt).

Current main activities are duo with instrument builder/sound artist Helmut Lemke and duo with drummer/percussionist Rob Dainton.

Approach to guitar is a multi-instrumental one utilising a number of types of guitar and guitar-variants (as is common with woodwind players). No interest in instrument preparation or alternative tunings - more interested in using conventional guitar language (as I understand it) in a creative way."

"Sarah Farmer: Birmingham based artist and musician mostly working with sound,violins and improvisation. A poor woman's scientist and crafts person, taking an interest in questions of science and and technology and exploring them through hands on endeavours of making and sharing through a medium of sound, D.I.Y, found materials, wood and strings and the odd bit of electronics. Interested in site specific work, relational work, work that involves a lot of learning and researching - both receiving and sharing information, working in a way that facilitates learning about this stuff of life, our environments, our histories and possible futures, our materials and how we've gone about navigating these constant questions."

Lee Boyd Allatson is an English drummer. He was born in Leicester in 1970, but now lives in Market Harborough, South Leicestershire, UK. He is known for the groups Alto Stratus & Friends, Jackie Leven & The Stornoway Girls, Quadelectronic, South Leicestershire Improvisers Ensemble, Unfolk Collective, and Wasp Honey. Since 2009 he has run the Dye House Drum Works school providing drum lessons and drum equipment to many local players.