Beat the Jams

Beat the Jams is a band led by the guitarist and composer Nik Svarc, playing short early-evening concerts at Copper Bar, Band on the Wall in Manchester's Northern Quarter.

Nik Svarc leads the group on guitar, with Richard Iles on trumpet as a special guest, Scott Devine on bass and Dave Walsh on drums. Svarc has performed at major festivals across the UK and Europe and has worked with several other musicians, and the band's playing is built on a deep, steady pocket, interplay between the players and a balance between arranged passages and spontaneous improvisation. The music draws on R&B, soul, funk, gospel and reggae, with soulful melodies and catchy grooves.

On this visit the band performs material from its new album. The set is shaped by moments of collective improvisation, and the players shift between tightly written sections and open, conversational playing.

The concerts form a live series designed for people finishing work who want to hear music before the journey home. They take place at Copper Bar, the room within Band on the Wall, a concert and performance venue on Swan Street in the Northern Quarter.