Ishmael Ensemble

Biography

Ishmael Ensemble is a Bristol-based experimental jazz collective formed in 2017 by producer, saxophonist, and bandleader Pete Cunningham, who hails from a small town 12 miles south of Bristol. Growing up in a musically rich environment, Cunningham was influenced by his father's folk music and instrument collection, joining his first band at age nine with future ensemble member Jake Spurgeon, covering tracks like Muse and Alicia Keys. By his early teens, he immersed himself in Bristol's vibrant scene, DJing at free parties, attending dubstep nights like Pinch’s Dubloaded, and St Paul’s Carnival, which shaped his eclectic style blending jazz, electronica, dub, and psychedelia.[1][2][3][6]

Starting as a bedroom recording project and solo endeavor, Cunningham expanded Ishmael Ensemble into a live band after touring revealed the need for more hands, enlisting longtime collaborators Stephen Mullins on guitar, Jake Spurgeon on keys/bass/synths, Rory O'Gorman on drums, and vocalist Holly Wellington (aka Holysseus Fly). Their debut EP 'Songs for Knotty' (2017) and album 'A State Of Flow' (2019) garnered attention for lush cinematic and psychedelic soundscapes, followed by the critically acclaimed 'Visions of Light' (2021), named BBC 6 Music Album of the Year by Huey Morgan and The Guardian's Album of the Month. Their third album 'Rituals' (2024) pushed boundaries with epic, cinematic expansions post-lockdown touring.[1][2][3][4][8]

Rooted in Bristol's DIY ethic and history—from Massive Attack's hip-hop drone to dub and experimental nights—the ensemble defies 'new UK jazz' labels, fusing live instrumentation with electronic elements. They've performed at festivals like New York Winter Jazz Fest, contributed to Blue Note Re:imagined with a cover of McCoy Tyner's 'Search For Peace,' and earned praise from artists like Caribou and Carl Craig, establishing a legacy in the thriving UK jazz-electronica scene.[2][4][5]

Fun Facts

• The ensemble is named after the narrator Ishmael from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, reflecting its exploratory sonic voyages.[2]
• Cunningham started DJing at free parties in local quarries and warehouses at age 14, attending Jah Shaka and Aba Shanti-I dances.[1]
• They contributed a soulful rendition of McCoy Tyner's 'Search For Peace' to the Blue Note Re:imagined project alongside Ezra Collective and Nubya Garcia.[5]
• Cunningham's philosophy is to 'record everything' for hidden magic in first takes and ensure fun in every session.[6]

Members

• Ishmael

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Tom 'The Captain' Harwood - Inspired through legendary solo shows at experimental nights in local pubs (Local experimental performances) [early 2000s (age 15)]
• Johnny Rench - Inspired by dub rework nights with house band and massive sound system (Dub rework nights) [early 2000s (age 15)]
• Pinch - Influential dubstep nights that became a 'church' for Cunningham (Dubloaded monthly nights) [late 2000s (age ~14)]

Key Collaborators

• Jake Spurgeon - Keys/bass/synths; played together since school, first band at age 9 (A State Of Flow, Visions of Light, Rituals) [2000s-present]
• Stephen Mullins - Guitar; longtime collaborator from school days (A State Of Flow, Visions of Light, Rituals) [school days-present]
• Rory O'Gorman - Drums; friend-of-friends forming band backbone (A State Of Flow, Visions of Light, Rituals) [2017-present]
• Holly Wellington (Holysseus Fly) - Vocals/keys; frequent singer (A State Of Flow, Visions of Light, Rituals) [2017-present]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz