The French-born reedsman Robin Fincker was a recognised figure on the vibrant young London scene during the noughties making his presence felt as a co-founder member of the LOOP Collective and in underground bands such as Outhouse and Blink.

Returning to his native Paris in 2009, he has since continued to develop his left-field improv-composition aesthetic in tandem with lyrical roots-based styles. The collective acoustic chamber-improv folk band Bedmakers, formed in 2016, is a case in point. The ensemble, recorded live at the Jazzdor festival in Berlin, consists also of the Irish bassist Dave Kane, known for his work for LIMA collective in Leeds and as part of the inimitable Bourne-Davis-Kane trio, and a pair of fine French musicians who mostly work in the avant-jazz field. Bedmakers go about reinventing an imaginary English folk music repertoire by applying collective improv from their backgrounds in jazz and avant-garde music, without relegating the folky melodic material entirely to the sidelines. The live setting allows the band to stretch out more than on the studio recording Tribute to an Imaginary Band, released in 2018 out of which came the tour that included this recording date.

Fincker and Werchowski sound like they have a particularly good understanding, demonstrating a playfully elegant counterpoint and seamless management of idiomatic twists and turns throughout. A challenging yet really enjoyable live set that transfers very well onto record.