Knats

Knats are a trio from Newcastle upon Tyne who call their music Geordie Jazz, blending rock grit, fusion and grooves. Bassist Stan Woodward and drummer King David Ike-Elechi, friends from Newcastle's West End, formed the group, and trumpeter Ferg Kilsby completes it. After moving to London in 2022 to develop their playing at Trinity Laban conservatoire, they built a following with sold-out headline shows and support slots for Str4ta and Theon Cross.

Their self-titled debut album appeared on Gearbox Records and earned a nomination for Jazz Newcomer of the Year at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. They later backed Eddie Chacon and signed to Fontana Records, and their follow-up, A Great Day In Newcastle, leans towards the heavier rock and metal side of their playing. Storytelling by Newcastle poet Cooper Robson and a range of guest collaborators shape it into a portrait of working-class life in the city, which the band calls Geordie Noir.

Press coverage has come from The Guardian, Jazzwise, DownBeat and Mojo, and radio support from Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, Soweto Kinch, Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft and Tony Minvielle. Hare & Hounds, a concert and performance venue in Birmingham, hosts the group.