Jazz North East presents Yoko Miura - Chalie Collinds Duo

A musical coup for Jazz North East as we bring Japanese pianist Yoko Miura to the Lit & Phil for her first ever Tyneside concert.

Initially influenced by such icons as Thelonious Monk and Paul Bley, Yoko moved increasingly into areas of free improvisation, quickly building a reputation in her home country. Since 2001 she has also appeared regularly in Europe, although her first visit to the UK had to wait until 2009 when she took part in the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra's annual festival. Since then she has made a handful of appearances in London, but this Newcastle gig is part of her first ever UK tour.

One of her most successful London collaborations was with percussionist Charlie Collins (recently in Newcastle with Linda Sharrock), and it's the hugely sympathetic partnership of Yoko and Charlie that will be at the heart of this gig. But Charlie himself has asked that Tyneside's own Zoë Gilby play a support set, showcasing the vocal/electronics project that she unveiled to great acclaim back in March . . . and there's always a possibility that Zoë will then join the duo for an encore where the creative sparks seem sure to fly.