The Ishmael Ensemble, the project of producer and saxophonist Pete Cunningham, has evolved from a modest bedroom recording project into an integral part of the thriving British jazz scene. On the group's debut album A State of Flow, Cunningham explored a whole range of soundscapes, from lush cinematic soundscapes to raucous peaks of psychedelia, to much acclaim from listeners and journalists alike.
The group's next album Visions of Light further blurred the boundaries between jazz and electronic music, taking the listener on an expansive sonic journey. The album was named BBC 6 Music's Album of the Year by Huey Morgan, and the band performed at the New York Winter Jazz Festival under the guidance of Gilles Peterson. All this has established Cunningham as a sought-after producer working with a wide range of artists and labels, from techno icon Carl Craig to legendary jazz label Blue Note Records.