Atmospherics Biographies

For the last couple of years he has been giving a series of concerts consisting entirely of his own work: a fusion of chamber music with jazz, folk and world music improvisation, performed by a six piece ensemble - the Michael Spearman Association. In 2006 he took things further with a larger group playing his fully composed pieces for a 12 member chamber orchestra, exploring the power and influence of cinema.

Michael also has been actively involved in music education for many years, running popular jazz workshops for adults as well as working in schools.

Anne Burton’s style reflects her varied musical background. From a conventional classical
training, she has gone on to explore many different types of music; playing in orchestras, folk
groups and jazz bands and presently working as the violinist in the popular Ipswich based
folk/rock band Fiddlers Elbow. Her main love, though, is jazz. She is the violinist, pianist
and singer in the well established Suffolk jazz band Body and Soul.

She is highly experienced, clocking up many hundreds of gigs over the last few years, and has
played her violin to audiences of several thousand on several occasions.

Anne also sings in the all female “Decibelles”, and is an accomplished songwriter, arranger
and lyricist. She has released several CD’s.

Michael Spearman has been a professional musician for most of his life. He has done the rounds; playing as a freelance guitarist at everything from pubs to concert halls; working in all
sorts of bands and groups, and presently holds the post of 'Associate Artist at Colchester Arts Centre' - a position designed to support his work as a composer (and sponsored by the Arts Council East, Colchester Borough Council, and Signals Media Arts). He is also an occasional jazz tutor at the Colchester institute.

Geordie Michael plays jazz and latin guitar in a variety of lineups. He has released two Cd’s: with Karen Sharp and Jim Mullen. Other recent collaborators include John Etheridge, and Nikki Illes. www.michaelspearman.com