Name: Manon McCoy + John Pope + Will Shaw
Start: 2025-12-10T20:00:00+00:00
Location: The Lescar, 303 Sharrow Vale Rd, S11 8ZF Sheffield, United Kingdom

A brand new collaboration of three inspiring improvising musicians creating new paths and sounds on the Northern scene with Manon McCoy (balo, Alice Brookes, Emergence) on harp/electronics, John Pope (Archipelago) on bass, and Will Shaw (balo, Life Aquatic Band, Emergence) on drums.
With string preparations and hand-made objects, live electronics as extensions of acoustic instruments; engrossing interactive and playful music from three energising presences. This gig follows a duo performance by Manon and John at Cobalt Studios in Newcastle, and we definitely wanted to bring that to The Lescar. Creative sparks are sure to fly as they build on the music they created at Newcastle, with Will in the mix too.
TICKETS: £10 or £7 for students.
Pay on the door, or alternatively get advance tickets by emailing [email protected] or messaging the Jazz at The Lescar.
Doors 8pm, music 8.30pm.
A musician with a fast developing reputation, innovative and boundary-pushing harpist and electronic musician Manon McCoy performs and records with drummer Will Shaw as one half of improvising duo balo, as well as performances and collaborations with Amirtha Kidambi, Lili Holland-Fricke, Juliana Day, Mishra, Emergence Collective, Pocket, Life Aquatic Band, and Stuart McCallum. Manon’s recent album with vocalist Alice Brookes was released on Elektramusic Berlin earlier this year.
Bass player John Pope is one of the most inspirational improvisers on the UK jazz scene, and one we’ve featured many times at The Lescar, including with his own quintet, a duo with violinist John Garner, with US-based saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Johnny Hunter, with award-winning Archipelago and US sax legend Michael Moore. John has appeared at festivals and venues including London Jazz Festival, Lancaster Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, TUSK and Gateshead International Jazz Festival, the Bimhuis in Amsterdam.
As well as balo, Will Shaw plays with Life Aquatic Band, Emergence Collective, and Pierre Flasse, a thoughtful and creative improviser, his explorations of the drum kit constantly reveal new and unexpected textures and approaches; one of the most exciting and distinctive drummers emerging on the Northern jazz and improvised music scene.