Brume x mjf: Stuart McCallum solo + vanillaforever + Emma Coates

A special mjf bill for the monthly Brume night at Whalley Range’s favourite independent music venue.

NB Running order subject to change.

Stuart McCallum guitars

Stuart McCallum is a genre-defying guitarist, composer, and producer whose music weaves together jazz, folk, ambient, and electronic textures. His solo performances of original material, alongside arrangements of old English folk songs, jazz standards and classical works are defined by spacious harmonic voicings, expressive use of reverb and delay, and melodic and virtuosic improvisation.

Stuart rose to prominence as guitarist with The Cinematic Orchestra; he is also one half of The Breath, whose blend of alt-folk and ambient textures earned a BBC Folk Award nomination. Rooted in a deep commitment to sonic identity, Stuart’s work has also explored how new technologies — including immersive audio and AI-enhanced creation — can amplify emotional depth in music.

His solo guitar catalogue includes Solitude (a series of acoustic EPs), Vinyl Room Session and Rain Is Coming, which uses generative music apps to create evolving sonic beds for improvisation and composition.

Stuart has collaborated with artists across genres, including Jordan Rakei, Richard Spaven, JP Cooper, Manu Delago, John Surman, Kenny Wheeler, Ari Hoenig, Ira Coleman, Danny Thompson, and Michael McGoldrick.

Emma Coates

Emma Coates vocals, saxophone / Tom McEwen guitar / Nika Ticciati bass / Louis Berthoud drums

Weaving jazz and folk, Leeds singer and saxophonist Emma Coates creates an intricate, intimate sound, taking inspiration from Men I Trust, Adrianne Lenker and This Is The Kit. She creates deeply personal storytelling, exploring feminine identity and growth, complimented by the delicate and airy tones of her voice and band.

Her debut EP Borrower attracted acclaim from BBC Radio 3, BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio.

vanillaforever – Beyond Nightmares

vanillaforever is the new project by Reuben Sheriden, familiar to Manchester audiences as the resident drum chair for expansive nu-jazz guitar trio nonunonu. For tonight’s Brume mjf special, Reuben brings together a group of like-minded spirits to explore textures, layers and beats, in keeping with the fertile testing ground of this much-loved monthly night.