A Quiet Autumn

by Sarah Allen

This jig was written in the rather grotty upstairs accommodation of a pub in Bordeaux where members of Flook had landed for a residency, many years ago. It had seemed in advance that it would be a quiet Autumn, but we managed to fill it up with all sorts of unlikely adventures.

Sarah is best known as a founder member of award-winning flute-based Anglo-Irish quartet, Flook, who will be celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025. Though originally classically trained, Sarah’s first outings as a professional musician saw her playing alongside legendary free jazz drummer, John Stevens, whose approach to music challenged everything she had previously learned. Onwards from there, she joined ramshackle political big band, The Happy End, and the much loved The Barely Works. Sarah has also played with The Waterboys, Oysterband, Show of Hands, Phil Cunningham and many others.