ZALDUA/JASNOCH/BECK – 26 May 2026

ZALDUA/JASNOCH/BECK
Alistair Zaldua – violin
John Jasnoch – fretless guitar
Mick Beck – bassoon

A recently formed trio with a lively and nimble approach to improvised music. New ideas are
constantly being developed – some from scratch, some as responses to what has gone before.
The group has a wide ranging and engaging sound.

Alistair Zaldua is an improviser and sound artist and is based in Manchester; he plays both the
acoustic violin, the e-violin and live electronics in different combinations. Alistair is interested in

both collaborative and solo improvisation; recent projects have been with David Birchall (e-
guitar), Lauren Redhead (organ) and Michael Vaughan (composition), Fran Comyn (percussion),

Alwynne Pritchard (voice), Christopher Gallio (saxophone), and Steve Altoft (trumpet).

Initially John Jasnoch played Country & Western and general popular music. He switched to
improvised music in 1979. Having started on guitar and mandolin, he subsequently became
interested in exploring a wide variety of plucked string instruments. Over the last 40 or so years
he has played a considerable number of solo and group performances in the UK, mainland
Europe and North America.
Mick Beck was originally a tenor sax player but later took up bassoon as a second instrument.
He has played in a number of regular line-ups including the improvising big band Feet
Packets,and the trios “Something Else” (with Paul Hession and Simon Fell), “Beck Hunters” (with
Johnny and Anton Hunter) and “Weavels” (with Alex Ward and Chris Cundy). He subsequently
formed another improvising big band “Gated Community. He continues to be an extremely busy
player and event organiser.