Beware of the Bear

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Phil Meadows saxophone / TBC guitar / Joe Downard bass / Jay Davis drums

Beware of the Bear seamlessly blend jazz and improvised music with electronica and beat, drawing from influences like Bonobo, Bill Frisell, Donny McCaslin and J-Dilla. Their signature sound interweaves swirling textures, soaring melodies and infectious grooves whilst creating space for all musicians to improvise.

Band leader Phil Meadows began his saxophone journey at 12, inspired by Lisa Simpson’s duet with Bleeding Gums Murphy. He went on to study at Chets and Leeds Conservatoire, and his first band featured as one of the earliest mjf introduces gigs in 2009. Several years on, he’s one of the UK’s leading saxophonists, composers and conductors, with accolades including two Parliamentary Jazz Awards, a London Music Award, and the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award.

Phil has worked with an impressive range of artists, from NYC jazz trumpeter Ingrid Jensen to European piano trio Phronesis, guitarist Femi Temowo, and UK jazz stars like Laura Jurd and Elliot Galvin. He’s toured Europe with electronic music pioneer Matthew Herbert and completed a residency in the Netherlands with acclaimed pianist Rogier Telderman. He also holds a longstanding residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, showcasing the best in upcoming UK jazz talent under the Future Movers monocle.

Beyond small-group jazz, Phil is celebrated for his innovative work with orchestras, specialising in cross-genre collaboration as a conductor and arranger with the Grammy-winning Metropole Orkest, BBC Concert Orchestra, and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

‘Future jazz gods on the rise’ – TimeOut London

‘A great stage presence and an unforgettable instrumental style.’ – Jazzwise Magazine