Argia (Tara Cunningham / Caius Williams / Theo Guttenplan) - Downstairs

Tara Cunningham is an instrumentalist and composer based in London. Her work as a band member, collaborator and improviser has been described as having a "distinctive style that draws on both jazz and avant-rock... genuinely impressive" (Ian Mann). Tara grew up in Bath, and took an interest in music from an early age, heavily influenced by her father's record collection consisting mainly of 70s and 80s avant-pop. At 16 years old she attended the junior jazz course at the Royal Academy of Music before moving to London to study a BMus in Jazz guitar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music. It was here that she studied improvisation with Hans Koller, Lauren Kinsella, Liam Noble and Tom Challenger among many others. Now making her mark on the UK music scene, Tara has been a collaborator in multiple projects including experimental duo 'i don't need light please give me water', folk outfit 'Wanderland', avant-jazz sextet 'Tenderhost' and most recently trip-hop group 'Red Snapper'. With these and many more she regularly performs in London's most celebrated venues, collecting praise from audiences, peers and critics alike, with a versatile and evolving skillset, but first and foremost "a wonderful guitarist" (Steve Mead - Manchester Jazz Festival).