Music Spoken Here presents
Airborn
The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester WR1 1TA
Thursday 11th December 2025, 7:30pm doors / 8pm start
Local promoter Music Spoken Here wrap up their 2025 “Kind of Jazz” program at The Marr’s Bar in Worcester on Thursday 11th December, with a performance from Airborn, a project from flautist, keyboardist and composer Eddie Parker.
Parker was a key figure in the big band Loose Tubes, regarded by some as the focal point for a 1980s renaissance in British Jazz. The collective of around 20 musicians released three albums between 1985 and 1988, on which Parker played flutes and keyboards and contributed several compositions. They disbanded in 1990 and the band members all went on to develop successful careers, including saxophonist Iain Ballamy, who performed at the Marr’s Bar in April 2024, and Evesham-born guitarist John Parricelli and saxophonist Mark Lockheart, who, incidentally, will be performing together at the Wolverhampton Arts Centre on Thursday 18th December.
Parker has played with South African pianist Bheki Mseleku and still performs and records with South African jazz players Africa Mkhize, Nduduzo Makathini and Nduduzi Mtshali. In addition to his own bands Airborn and rock-influenced EscherSteps, Parker also plays synth with the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble.
Airborn began life as, in Parker’s words, “a posh covers band”, playing music by Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett. Pretty soon he began to write original music for the combination and the Airborn Suite emerged, which will feature in this live performance on Thursday. The music “ranges from the mysterious further reaches of tonality to funky grooves to beautiful ballads, with influences from Schoenberg to Santana.”
The band features the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2025 Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year, Rob Luft on guitar, performing for the second time at the venue this year, after his own quartet played in March. The lineup is completed with Dave Manington on bass and Jay Davis on drums.
Doors open at 7:30pm and Airborn will take to the stage around 8pm. Admission is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members, or £15 on the door for non-members. For more information head over to the Music Spoken Here website.
Photography by Peter Goodair