John Etheridge & Vimala Rowe

Our opening Goosfest concert is designed to put you in a mellow mood for the weekend – a wonderful way to unwind on a Friday evening.

John Etheridge and Vimala Rowe bring their unique blend of jazz music to Cheshire for the first time, so this is a fantastic opportunity to hear something special.

John is a virtuosic fusion guitarist – one of a handful of players who can claim to have helped shape the character of modern jazz guitar. He has been described by fellow fretsman Pat Metheny as ‘one of the best guitarists in the world’, due largely to his tireless exploration of the possibilities of his instrument. A hugely respected artist in his own right, Etheridge also claims an impressive collaborative history, from his role with ground-breaking fusion group Soft Machine to his longstanding status as the guitarist of choice for jazz icon Ste’phane Grappelli.

In vocalist Vimala Rowe, he has not only found a partner of rare ability but a talent that perfectly complements his explorative nature. An exemplary jazz singer with a faultless and deft expression, Vimala has a unique style that is further enhanced by her past training in classical Hindustani vocals. Her soulful, moving, and unerringly committed performances on the album produced with John, ‘Out Of The Sky’, are truly memorable.

Vimala took the role of Billie Holiday in Alex Webb’s music-theatre show Cafe Society Swing, but though flawless tributes to the great jazz vocalists are her speciality, she is also an award-winning original composer, and this evening’s concert will showcase well-known songs with some beautiful newer examples.