EFG London Jazz Festival 2022

Matt Ridley 'The Antidote'

Event Has Passed

Last Show: Saturday 19 th November 2022

PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

‘The Antidote’ are an exciting young contemporary jazz quintet, featuring leading lights of the UK scene. Brainchild of bassist Matt Ridley, the music is firmly rooted within the contemporary jazz discipline, and also emanates both rock overtones and classical influences, evolved from decades of genuine passion for music. Matt inhabits his own space within the creative diaspora, being able to navigate a broad spectrum of inspirations and transform them into a vibrant and exciting sound.

"One of the strongest releases by homegrown jazz talent in 2021"

Editors Choice, Jazzwise Magazine

The Antidote features the formidable quintet of Alex Hitchcock on saxophone, Ant Law on guitar, Tom Hewson on piano, Marc Michel on drums, and of course Matt Ridley on bass. With an insistence on detailed, expressive and thought-through compositions, Ridley allows time and space for both himself and his band members to express and showcase both their individual and collective talents thorough dynamic improvisation. The synergy between the group and a mutual understanding of each players’ specific nuances are more than apparent, while still allowing enough freedom for independent flair to shine though. Combining this with the more melodic and compositional aspects of the music makes for a truly engaging experience. Rather than a 'leader + sidemen' attitude, Ridley has cultivated a genuine 'band' sound, as Tom Hewson elucidates:

“This project totally captured my imagination from the first minute of rehearsal. Matt has managed to create something full of incredible compositional range whilst staying totally grounded with this immediate, unpretentious sense of energy. As someone that came to jazz through rock and prog I love that feeling of unshackling, that desire not to hold back from. The whole band really bought into the spirit from the start - something you can really hear on the record, and something that definitely comes across live.”