Basia returns to Green Note with an exciting and original matinee set of violin-led, loop-based songs, traditional Polish fiddle tunes, moody piano ballads and jazzy instrumentals. She will be joined by enchanting songbird Jo Griggs, veteran NY drummer supremo Eric Parker, and her inscrutable and very tall bassist Ben Reed. Not to be missed.
Born & raised in Poland, Basia Bartz has established herself as a prolific player on the London music scene since relocating to the UK over fifteen years ago. As a violinist she’s recorded and performed and with many London based singer songwriters and bands (Dana Immanuel and the Stolen Band, Nadine Khouri, Ben Walker, Rob Corcoran and the Necessary Evils, Jason McNiff, Dan Raza, Michele Stodart, Ger Lane, Bandini, Jamie Lenman, Moulettes, Boxer Rebellion, Rooftop Assembly, Bennett Valuks).
Basia started writing and performing her own compositions and arrangements of folk songs in 2019. Her first EP, produced by Brighton guitarist and producer Ben Walker, came out in 2024 on a small Deptford based record label Deep River Records. She’s currently in the process of recording her first full length album with Ben Reed on bass, Chris Jones on drums and an array of musician guests. The record is expected to be released in 2026 on East London label Elsden Music.
Whether performing arrangements of traditional songs or her own original material, Basia combines sounds from the many musical worlds she’s visited and weaves them into an intricate and evocative musical tapestry.
Eric Parker is an internationally renowned drummer who had his first professional gig aged 13 and hasn’t stopped working since. He has toured and recorded with the likes of Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood, Cornell Dupree, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Reed, Carly Simon, John Sebastian (The Lovin’ Spoonful),and Ian Hunter; to name a few.
Much in demand as a beloved session/live performer and teacher in and around his hometown of Woodstock, NY, you can expect to see a lot more of Eric on the UK scene in future as, since marrying Jo Griggs last year, they are in the process of relocating to the lively, music-loving town of Hastings in East Sussex.
Jo Griggs is a London-based singer who’s respected for her versatility, creativity, sensitive interpretation of others’ songs and command of harmonies. A new member of soulful Americana/indie-rock band House Above the Sun in the UK and featured vocalist with jazz and RnB afficcionados The Lo-Fi’s in upstate NY, Jo is steadily becoming a sought-after collaborator by artists of all styles both here and in the US. She has also written a few songs of her own which she enjoys performing regularly and is working on getting the finished recordings out into the world before too long..!
Ben Reed plays bass, and lives in London. Over the last fifteen years, he has worked with Frank Ocean, playing on ‘Blond’ and ‘Endless’, and working in Ocean’s live band, as well as also recording and/or performing with David Byrne, Peter Gabriel, Sampha, Mustafa, FKA Twigs, Nilufer Yanya, Hayden Thorpe, Orlando Weeks, Qwalia, Michele Stodart (Magic Numbers), Julian Taylor, Shura, Richard Russell’s Everything is Recorded, Laura Groves, Ibeyi, Green Gartside, Jai Paul / Paul Institute, Joviale, Lola Young, Aeris Roves, Hannah Peel, Westerman, Vegyn, Eska, Shabaka Hutchings, Sally Potter, Yoshika Colwell, Pete Brown, Eddie Kramer, Anoushka Lucas, Patrick Campbell Lyons (Nirvana UK), among many others. He also makes his own music, and has released five albums, the latest of which is called ‘Bandaged’.
Doors open 1.30pm. Music starts 2.30pm. The venue is mixed seated and standing. Tables are limited and available on a first come first served basis so, if you’d like a seat, we recommend arriving early!
