Pete Josef + Sailing Moon

Ear Trumpet Music Presents: Pete Josef + Sailing Moon

Pete Josef

In his new solo show, Pete Josef brings together for the first time the three key threads that have shaped his creative life: an ever-present foundation in soul music, more driving dance material, and rootsier, guitar-led songwriting.

With a focus on intimacy and connection, Josef transitions from solo and stripped-back to a tech-heavy sound world that brings in familiar signatures from his studio albums. Mixing new and unheard material with favourites from the albums Colour, I Rise with the Birds, and the2026 Lifeline/Defence double.

The album Colour and its beloved title track gained support back in 2015 from Gilles Peterson and 6Music, leading to celebrated shows at Montreux Jazz Festival Tokyo, Southern Soul Montenegro and the Worldwide awards at Koko, London. Since that time, Josef has featured in numerous collaborations in the dance and electronic worlds with the likes of Roni Size, Jazzanova, Manu Delago, and alongside Darren Emerson in the lo-fi dance duo The White Lamp. 2026 brings Josef’ssecond solo EP in as many years, titled ‘Lifeline’, following up on the success of the ‘Defence’ EP in 2024.

Sailing Moon

"Fluorescently ambient grooves with a nod back to the Canterbury scene"

Summer 2026 saw Sailing Moon's maiden voyage, appearing at Seeker Festival in Dorset and Smugglers Festival in Kent. This exciting new quartet now prepares to play their first Bristol show, supporting Pete Josef.

Sonically placed in the field between GoGo Penguin, The Cinematic Orchestra and Tortoise, Sailing Moon conjure fluorescently ambient grooves with a nod back to the Canterbury scenes of the near and far past. Sailing Moon began as the moniker for Dorset-based hang drum player/guitarist Joe Gaines. Collaborations then started to form with drummer/composer Fred Hills during 2020, in deepest Devon. The pair later coalesced in Sussex at the foot of the Downs with multi-instrumentalist James Osler (Pillow, Samana, Ceann Capaill) and bass player Joe Woodham (Worldwide Weather, Jouis).

During a three-day writing session together, the bulk of their first EP poured out of them. Like water, this music flows, adapts, and is full of vitality and nourishment for the psyche and soul.

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