RACHAEL COHEN, a London-based alto saxophonist and composer, is one of the brightest emerging stars of her generation. Her skills as a composer and improviser have gained her a great deal of attention in the UK and beyond. 2012 saw Rachael record her critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Halftime’ on Michael Janisch’s Whirlwind Recordings, which catapulted Cohen’s reputation to one of the premier new voices of her generation in the UK’s jazz and improvised music scene. Featuring top UK guitarist Phil Robson, ‘Halftime’ was highly praised nationwide and overseas upon it’s release in 2013 with four star reviews from major publications and earning her a spot in MOJO magazines top ten Jazz albums of 2014.
 

DUGONG is an up-and-coming band formed by some of the finest musicians on the European jazz scene: guitarist Michele Caiati from Milan, saxophonist Nicolò Ricci from Amsterdam, and London based rhythm section featuring bassist Andrea Di Biase and drummer Riccardo Chiaberta. Dugong's individual sound draws inspiration from Alternative Rock bands such as Radiohead, Modern Jazz improvisers such as Craig Taborn and Classical composers such as F. Chopin. They experiment with unusual musical techniques such as through-composed jazz pieces and improvised linear counterpoint. 

Dugong released two albums: Miscommunication (2014) and The Big Other (2018), both followed by extensive touring across the UK and Europe. Renowned Italian saxophonist Pietro Tonolo (Chet Baker, Lee Konitz) joined them as a special guest for a few concerts. They played for the London Jazz Festival 2019 with acclaimed pianist Maria Chiara Argirò. Performing highlights include Ronnie Scott's, Vortex Jazz Club, a live Radio 3 show and Bergamo Jazz Festival.

Dugong's main focus as a band has been to develop a distinctive sound based on an extensive use of the acoustic dynamic range with the aim to generate an intense emotional response from their audience. They worked on written and improvised counterpoint – often experimenting on complex structures and expanding the stylistic language of their compositions through the analysis of several classical masterpieces; a work which culminated in the recording of a rearrangement of Frederick Chopin's piano etude N.6.