Mike De Souza Quintet with special guest Emma Rawicz
Guitarist and composer Mike De Souza brings his dynamic quintet to the 606 for a special one-off performance, featuring rising star saxophonist Emma Rawicz. An alumnus of both the Royal Academy of Music and Leeds College of Music, Mike has performed with leading figures on the UK jazz scene and received widespread acclaim for his album "Chrysalis" (Fresh Sound New Talent). His music fuses jazz improvisation with the atmospheric intensity of alternative rock and indie-folk, drawing comparisons to Radiohead and Big Thief, while maintaining a strong melodic and rhythmic identity. Joining him is Emma Rawicz, a remarkable talent at just 23 years old. With three critically acclaimed albums ("Incantation", "Chroma", "Big Visit"), a signing to the prestigious ACT label, and performances at venues like the Berlin Philharmonie and Queen Elizabeth Hall, Emma is recognised as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary jazz. A BBC New Generation Artist (2024–26), she is the youngest ever Artist in Residence at the Cambridge Jazz Festival. The quintet also features Rick Simpson-piano/synth, Huw V Williams-bass and Jay Davis-drums. Expect an evening of transformative, genre-blurring jazz from two of the UK’s most visionary artists.
"As a composer, arranger and orchestrator [De Souza] exhibits an impressive command of colour, texture and dynamics, and most importantly melody.” The Jazz Mann; “…well-crafted musical landscapes …with some excellent soloing and interplay. This is a strong album from Mike De Souza, with much to enjoy.” UK Vibe; “Anyone with a penchant for jazz guitar would do well to checkout both this album and Mike De Souza in concert” Jazz Views; “De Souza unveils a stunning piece of work” Blue in Green Radio; “It has been clear for some time that Emma Rawicz is the rising star of UK jazz…a terrific saxophonist” UK Jazz News