Composer and bassist Dave Kane was born in Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. At age 16 he bought an electric bass guitar from a catholic priest for 50 pounds, and began moving his fingers up and down the E string in local punk and alternative bands. With aspirations of eventually playing on the other three strings of the bass, Kane began studying music at a local college with the internationally acclaimed composer and bandleader Brian Irvine. As a direct result of hanging out with Irvine, Kane began to explore the idioms of free improvisation, contemporary jazz, classical music, funk, metal, red wine and general mayhem! Further exploration was required, so Kane rowed across the Irish channel on his double bass and studied Contemporary music (essay writing!) at Bretton Hall College of the University of Leeds.

Unfortunately, there were no influential teachers there like Irvine, so he learnt how to use a library and subsequently encountered the music of John Cage, Edgar Varese, Cecil Taylor, Barry Guy, John Coltrane, Iannis Xenakis, Charles Mingus, Frank Zappa and John Zorn. Upon graduating from university, Kane lived and worked in London for a while trying to get his ‘shit together’ and playing free music with some British Jazz legends, including Keith Tippett, Paul Dunmall, Elton Dean, Evan Parker, Tony Levin, Mark Sanders, Paul Rogers, Alex Maguire and many other heads! Currently based in Leeds, Kane is a founder member of LIMA (Leeds Improvised Music Association) and the musical director/composer for the LIMA orchestra. An ever expanding large improv orchestra featuring some of the UK’s finest young musicians including Matthew Bourne, Chris Sharkey, Christophe De Bezenac andPetter Fadnes. Other projects include the internationally acclaimed Bourne/ Davis/ Kane; Dave Kane (solo double bass + voice); The Shank Trio (featuring saxophonist James Allsopp and drummer Tim Giles); Didrik Ingvaldsen’s Quartet Alpha; and Dave Kane’s Rabbit Project.

For Contra Pop 2018, Kane plays double bass as part of a new free improv quartet, with Alex Ward (clarinet/guitar), Chris Sharkey (guitar) and Alex Neilson (drums).