Lauren Kinsella’s Thought-Fox featuring Soufian Saihi

Winner of Ireland’s Music Network’s Young Music wide Award for 2010-2013, Thought-Fox are led by Lauren Kinsella, one of the freshest voices on the Irish and International jazz scenes.

Thought-Fox takes their name from a Ted Hughes poem written in his 1957 collection Hawkin the Rain. Lauren’s use of text brings the listener closer to the music but also serves to explore extended vocal technique, odd-time grooves and traditional jazz harmony. With trombonist Colm O’Hara, pianist Tom Gibbs, double bassist Michael Coady and percussionist Simon Roth, Thought-Fox brings together some of the top up-and-coming jazz musicians, as celebrated by their inclusion as the Irish representatives in the 12 Points Festival taking place in Porto’s Casade Musica in February 2012.

Moroccan oud player Soufian Saihi discovered the oud aged 15 and at 17 left Morocco to study in France where he played Arabic-Andalusian music with bands featuring Algerian and French jazz musicians. Having moved to the UK in 2004, Soufian performs as a soloist with several London-based bands, including recently formed Karama.

With his deep knowledge of both Moroccan and oriental music traditions, along with many years of daring exploration in exotic rhythms and alternative music, both Thought-Fox and Soufian are very excited to have the opportunity to collaborate for the Songlines Encounters Festival 2012.

See the full Songlines Encounters Festival programme

Curated by Songlines Magazine and Ikon Arts Management