March’s Last Friday is a Flute and Piano Recital

March’s live music event is a chance to hear a flute and piano recital.

Sarah and Oli began performing as a Duo when in May 2023, due to illness, Sarah found herself short a pianist for an imminent recital. Oli stepped in and due to excellent sight-reading skills and knowledge of the flute repertoire, did a fabulous job. They have been performing recitals together since then, across London’s churches, libraries and care homes. This is their first recital together of 2024, exploring flute and piano music by female composers from France, Italy and the USA.

November’s Last Friday is a Second Helping of Lacuna Trio

We are delighted to be joined for a return visit by the charming and talented Lacuna Trio. Lacuna are made up of Jo Taylor (vocals, clarinet), Sarah Jane Rimmer (vocals, banjo) and Malcolm Thacker (vocals, guitar). Formed in the strange hiatus caused by the pandemic, Lacuna trio provide catchy, folky tunes, thoughtful lyrics and pure, clear vocals.

This concert sold out last time, so don’t delay – get yours today!

Doors open 1900, music starts 1930. There will be a short interval at 8pm. Music finishes 9pm.

Don’t forget to order your pizza!

October’s Last Friday is A Spagna in the Works

Something a little different this month – a concert of 16th century masterpieces for viol and lute, delivered by locals Alison Crum and husband Roy Marks.

Alison Crum is one of the best-known British exponents of the viol. As teacher, performer, and moving spirit behind several well-known early music groups, she has travelled all over the world giving recitals and lectures and teaching on summer schools and workshops.

After considering a career in meteorology, she decided to read music at Reading university as a French horn player. While there she started playing the viol, and later went on to study it with Wieland Kuijken in Brussels and Jordi Savall in Basle. Since then she has made over one hundred recordings with some of Britain’s finest ensembles and, as a soloist, on discs of Marais, Bach, and virtuoso Italian divisions.

Alison is President of the Viola da Gamba Society of Great Britain, and until 2020 she was Professor of Viol at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London, but she is still a visiting teacher at several colleges and universities in both Europe and the USA. She is also the author of two highly acclaimed books on playing the viol, and has been called the doyenne of British viol teachers.

Roy Marks is Alison’s husband. In early childhood he began his musical life playing the piano, and in his teens playing lead guitar in a rhythm and blues band. Rather than to conservatoires of music, however, he went to colleges of art to study – studies that culminated at the Royal Academy in London where he was awarded the prestigious David Murray scholarship for landscape painting.

Roy went on to teach painting and drawing in adult education, but turned his attention in his late thirties almost exclusively to early music – to the recorder, the viol, and the lute. Roy also edits, arranges, and composes music for his friends to play.

Together, Alison and Roy are very much occupied with playing music from the 16th to the 18th century and they have collected a large number of copies of early instruments – all of which they play. As members of The Rose Consort of Viols they have recorded many CDs of English consort music, and as teachers they are popular on courses and workshops in the USA and in Europe.

Get tickets.

September’s Last Friday is Brent Jazz Orchestra Quintet

We’re delighted to welcome back old favourites the Brent Jazz Orchestra Quartet to kick off our exciting autumn of music at the library. The line up will be joined on this occasion by a trumpet and tenor sax, making the full line up

Vito La Sala on trumpet
Stuart Ashton on tenor sax
Shura Greenberg on bass
George Harvey on drums
Pierre Guillot on guitar

And yes, there will be pizza! Don’t miss out! Book now!

See you there.

APRIL’S LAST FRIDAY AT THE LIBRARY – LACUNA TRIO

The fantastic Lacuna Trio will be our Last Friday performers this month.

Following the pausing of the world in 2020  Jo Taylor, Sarah Jane Rimmer and Malcolm Thacker emerged to find a musical space waiting to be filled. Jo and Sarah, who had previously performed together as The Sandersons had been pursuing new musical avenues, Jo leading online singing workshops and Sarah Jane releasing a solo EP.  A chance meeting at a folk music festival revealed that Malcolm Thacker, a familiar name on the London folk scene, was looking for a new venture. The three musicians met to share ideas and the space was filled. Writing and performing original songs for three voices, guitar and clarinet Lacuna have been warmly welcomed as a new trio.

Check out https://www.cricklewoodlibrary.org.uk/event/lacuna-trio/ for tickets. We usually sell out, so don’t miss out!

For more information, and to hear them in action, see https://linktr.ee/lacunatrio

January Jazz

Jazz in November was great – what will Jazz in January be like? You’ll have to come along and see!

The Brent Jazz Orchestra Quartet are back.  We can’t fit the full 17 piece orchestra in the library, but a hand picked quartet of musicians will perform a lively and entertaining set of swing, latin and bebop numbers. The perfect way to ease into your weekend. Those who saw them in November at the library will know they’re not to be missed!

There will be a donations bar, and pizzas can be ordered in advance. If you don’t see the pizza you like on offer, requests are accepted. We order from Basilico. Pizza sales end the day before the concert to give us time to place the order.

Brent Jazz Orchestra on Facebook

When placing your order, you will get a confirmation email – please check your spam for this as these often go astray. Rest assured that if your payment is successfully taken, you’ll be on the door list on the night.