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London Jazz Composers Orchestra: That Time
by John Sharpe
Issued to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, That Time uncovers a fascinating window on the early years of the pioneering company which are only sparsely documented elsewhere. The first two tracks from Berlin and Donaueschingen date from 1972, some six months after the LJCO's debut album Ode (Intakt, 1996), while the last two were captured in 1980, the same year as Stringer (Intakt, 2006). Engineer Ferran Conangla has done a marvelous job ...
read moreLondon Jazz Composers Orchestra 50 Year Anniversary
by John Sharpe
London Jazz Composers Orchestra Alchemia and Manggha Museum Krakow, Poland March 6-8, 2020 Intro Fifty years and counting. One of the most important larger bands in European jazz, The London Jazz Composers Orchestra celebrated its golden anniversary over three days in Krakow which culminated in a triumphant performance of “Harmos." Long a staple of the LJCO repertoire, with its beautiful melody, it's one of leader Barry Guy's most approachable works. This rendition was powerful ...
read moreBarry Guy's Blue Shroud Band at Aghavannagh Barracks
by John Sharpe
Barry Guy Blue Shroud Band Aghavannagh Barracks Wicklow, Ireland August 14-15, 2019 Have you ever wondered what goes into a performance? For some it might just be a quick run through of familiar standards, while for free improvisers any prep at all might be anathema. But for a large ensemble rehearsal is pretty much essential. Even more so when it comprises 14 musicians from nine countries who don't get together on a regular basis, as ...
read moreNot Two...But Twenty! Festival
by John Sharpe
Not Two...But Twenty! Festival Wlen, Poland September 21-23, 2018 Intro There are some things worth celebrating in style, one of them being marked persistence in the face of adversity. That pretty much describes the continued existence of any jazz record label in these straitened times. To mark its 20th anniversary, Not Two Records convened an unprecedented line up of thirteen musicians from nine countries for a three day festival in the small village ...
read moreBarry Guy & Izumi Kimura At The Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
by Ian Patterson
Barry Guy & Izumi Kimura The Hugh Lane Gallery Dublin, Ireland March 12, 2017 The Hugh Lane Gallery has been hosting free Sunday afternoon concerts in Dublin for over forty years--a remarkable feat by any yardstick. It's the quality of the music, however, that makes this weekly event something truly special. This Sunday saw Barry Guy and Izumi Kimura together for the first time, as part of the inaugural Spectrum festival, a weekend celebration of ...
read moreBarry Guy / Marilyn Crispell / Paul Lytton: Deep Memory
by John Sharpe
Bassist Barry Guy took a key role in pianist Howard Riley's groundbreaking trio in the late 60s, early 70s. And while that early experience has in no way defined him, it means it perhaps comes as less of a surprise that he has increasingly turned to the format in the latter part of his career. One offs apart, the two enduring piano trio vehicles for the bassist are the Aurora Trio with Agusti Fernandez and Ramon Lopez, and the accomplished ...
read moreBarry Guy: The Blue Shroud
by John Sharpe
In some ways, The Blue Shroud might be Barry Guy's signature work. It's the first to unite his varied interests in Baroque music, composition, jazz and improv at an orchestral scale. To do so Guy assembles a 14-strong crack unit capable of interpreting each aspect to the highest level, including several early music specialists who are also able to extemporize. And Guy's topic is worthy of such endeavor. He takes as his inspiration three interlinked themes, the ...
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