Andrew Cheetham (top, by Agata Urbaniak) and Alan Wilkinson

Andrew Cheetham is a drummer from Standish, Lancashire, based in Manchester since 2004 with a special interest in improvisation. He has appeared on numerous releases with free rock group Desmadrados Soldados de Ventura and offshoot duo Yerba Mansa. He plays and tours regularly with Irma Vep and has performed one-off gigs with Rhys Chatham, Damo Suzuki and others. He toured the UK with Nate Wooley (& H Trio) in 2018 and Alan Wilkinson (as a duo) in 2017. In 2019, he is touring in a new quartet with Julie Kjaer/David Birchall/Hannah Marshall and in a duo with Eugene Chadbourne. He co-organises the monthly gig series, Curious Ear, in Manchester with David Birchall.

Alan Wilkinson was a formative part of the Leeds experimental music scene in the ’80s, founding the Termite Club and as part of the ferocious Hession/Wilkinson/Fell trio. Since relocating to London in 1990 he has continued to play and promote the music and remains one of the most powerful saxophone voices around today, recently adding bass clarinet to his usual alto and baritone. He has played with Derek Bailey, Peter Brötzmann, Chris Corsano, Akira Sakata, Thurston Moore, Spiritualized and many others, and is currently active with his Norwegian quartet Akode, Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble, Mark Wastell groups, The Founder Effect and running his club night flimflam.