Matt Carmichael

A London premiere and album launch by Glasgow-based saxophonist and composer Matt Carmichael, staged at Cecil Sharp House. The evening presents the new album Held in the Dark.

Matt Carmichael is a saxophonist and composer based in Glasgow, born just outside Inverness before moving to the city. At eleven, a letter from the local music service offering saxophone lessons arrived at school and was carried home, which led to a musical path. The debut album, Where Will the River Flow, amassed over 8 million streams. After signing to Edition Records, the act released the second album, Marram.

The sound blends melodic jazz with folk, described as Scottish folk-jazz. The latest album before this one, Dancing with Embers, included collaborations with Rachel Sermanni and Brìghde Chaimbeul, was shortlisted for the SAY awards and won Best Album at the Scottish Jazz Awards. BBC Music Magazine has singled out the saxophonist's voice as distinctive within a crowded field.

Held in the Dark moves into a more guitar-textured space, adding indie influences to the established folk-jazz style. The album reflects a personal period of supporting a loved one and holding on to hope. This London evening at Cecil Sharp House marks the premiere and launch of the record, and the venue hosts concerts across London.