Phil Durrant is a British improvisational musician and composer. He received classical training as a violinist and pianist at the London College of Music before turning to improvisational music in his early twenties and working as a freelance musician, primarily within the London Musicians’ Collective. He performed in various ensembles and gained wider recognition through his collaboration with guitarist John Russell and saxophonist Mark Pickworth, later replaced by John Butcher; the group subsequently expanded, including Paul Lovens and Radu Malfatti, and performed under the name News from the Shed. In the 1990s, he focused on integrating electronics into free improvisation while also working within the techno underground scene under pseudonyms. His solo album Sowari: Violin & Live Electronics was released in 1997, and other notable recordings include Secret Measures (1998). Durrant has also collaborated with artists including Evan Parker.
