John Pope is a bass player and composer based in the North East of England. His main focus as a creative musician explores the boundaries and combinations of jazz, free improvisation, rock and experimental music. His primary projects include a chord-less quintet of Northern musicians (John Pope Quintet, Northern Line 2019 ambassador artists), an ongoing composition project blending structured pieces and free improvisation with a flexible ‘chamber group’ ensemble (developed during Sage Gatesheads ‘Summer Studios’ 2019).
John is also co-leader of the avant-jazz trio CARTOON with UK improv veterans Chris Biscoe and Roger Turner, and a founding member of award winning garage-jazz band Archipelago, lead by Faye MacCalman (Take Five Edition XIV). Alongside these projects he performs as a sideman in many varied groups across the jazz and improvised music spectrum, including The Lindsay Hannon Plus (2015 Northern Line Artists) and Ponyland (2018 Northern Line).
In addition to working in jazz he is an active member of the UK improvised music scene. He has performed solo as an improviser around the country, as well as in collaboration with internationally recognised artists, including appearances at festivals across the country (London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, TUSK and Gateshead International Jazz Festival at the Sage) as well as internationally in prestigious venues such as Bimhuis (Holland) and Area Sismica (Italy).
In addition to his career as a performer, John is a committed practitioner of education and community outreach as a composer/arranger and facilitator.
