OLIVIA Moore’s natural curiosity has seen the Manchester-based violinist and composer adopt music and rhythm from every corner of the globe.
The sheer breadth of her career has embraced Cuban, Jazz, Indian and Arabic song, and fusing an abundant melting pot of sound with her quintet Unfurl, one of the headline acts at next month’s Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Festival from May 3-6.
It was as if Moore was born with a violin bow in her hand remarked one commentator.
“My first memory was sat on my mum’s lap, aged four, watching my brother’s music classes and I sang along perfectly in pitch,” she recalled.
“The orchestral leader Vivienne Price, who was founder of the National Children’s Orchestra, noticed that I had a good ear, so she encouraged my mother to start me on the violin.
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“So, I’m very fortunate and blessed that I could follow my dream.”
That dream led her to India where she sought out Kala Ramnath, one of the world’s finest violinists, and which became the first of many visits to a Continent that would shape her life.
“By then, I was a classically trained musician, so I was quite keen to do something a little bit freer, so I took my violin to India and jammed with lots of people around a camp-fire at a hippy gathering in the Himalayas,” she said.
“I was so far away I didn’t have to worry about what anybody thought.
“India can be quite overwhelming, but I travelled, hiked, met and played with so many incredible musicians, so yes it was a life-changer.”
She adds: “When I graduated, I had two years performing with the Indian fusion band Savateen, and a concert with them at the Birla Temple, Calcutta, I will remember for the rest of my life.”
As their track titles suggest, Tide Turning and Upstream, Unfurl’s music is influenced by earth and nature.
“Unfurl comes from the unfurling of ideas, musical adventure and exploration of what see around us in our precious world,” said Moore.
John Ball is Unfurl’s Indian exponent, playing Tabla (Indian hand drums) and the Santoor, an ancient string instrument.
“Unfurl has become the constant in my life but we are sort of finding our feet again after Adam Warne’s death in 2017,” she added.
“We founded the band together, and he was the person who gave me so much confidence as a band leader because of his assured musicality and easy-going personality.
“We didn’t feel like playing for a long time afterwards because we were so upset, so the gig at Clitheroe is a real boost for us and we know it will be a lovely occasion because it is such a friendly festival.”
Moore’s side projects have seen her team up with folk singer Kirsty Almeida, ex-Simply Red guitarist Sylvan Richardson, and the Beautiful South’s Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott.
“I enjoy composing and mixing with people who look at music from a different perspective and that gives my work a more cumulative effect.
“We’ve got some seriously talented musicians in Unfurl, but that fusion of Indian sound and the jazz harmony really makes the music speak.”
Unfurl, St Mary’s Centre, Church Street, Clitheroe, Saturday, May 4. Tickets for the Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Festival are available at www.thegrandvenue.co.uk
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