BASHO MUSIC NIGHT: GWILYM SIMCOCK/ THE PRINTMAKERS
The gig tonight features artists who are closely associated with the leading UK jazz organisation Basho Music, led by the impressive Christine Allen. Each of the artists in both groups featured this evening have made a significant impact and contribution to the UK jazz scene and it is with enormous delight that we welcome them to the Club this evening. The multi-Award Winning pianist Gwilym Simcock first performed here at the 606 Club when he was still a student (I remember him playing here on his 21st birthday as part of Laurence Cottle's Big Band) and even then it was clear that he was a very special talent. In the 16 years since then he has gone on to establish himself as an artist with an impressive International standing. His fluent, inventive and powerful piano playing has been heard with the likes of Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, Bob Mintzer, Nigel Kennedy and Bobby McFerrin. It’s a testament to his remarkable abilities that he has won the Perrier, BBC Jazz and British Jazz Rising Star Awards, been the first jazz musician to be a Radio 3 “New Generation Artist”, won both "Best Band" and “Jazz Musician of the Year” at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards and his album “Good Days at Schloss Elmau” was the 2011 album of the year at the prestigious ‘Barclaycard Mercury Prize’ awards. Currently touring with iconic US guitarist Pat Metheny, Gwilym is established as an international artist of considerable standing. Chick Corea described him as “a creative genius”, and he is rightly considered to be one of the most exciting musicians to emerge from the UK in recent years. Despite his busy schedule and International standing Gwilym still finds time to perform here at the Club (including continuing "Birthday gigs" whenever we can) and so it is with great pleasure that we welcome him back for our festivities this evening with his trio featuring Laurence Cottle on bass. The Printmakers are effectively a UK jazz "Supergroup" put together in 2009 by two of the UK's finest musicians, pianist Nikki Iles and vocalist Norma Winstone to, as they put it "...cross the boundaries that traditionally separate jazz, folk and the contemporary music world". Their album “Westerly”, released on Basho Records in 2015, has gone a long way to cement the already enviable reputation of this remarkable band, whose repertoire ranges from originals by band members, to the relatively uncharted territory of Ralph Towner, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell and Fred Hersch. Pianist Nikki Iles, a very old friend of the Club, includes work with the likes of Peter Erskine, Kenny Wheeler and Art Farmer on a stellar cv, as well as with her own trios and quartets. A greatly respected, award winning, educationalist Nikki is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music. Norma Winstone is generally recognized as one of the greatest jazz vocalists ever to come out of Europe. With 50 years performing at the highest level, she has a raft of Awards to her name, including a Lifetime Achievement Jazz Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 2010, a Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Vocalist in 2015 and the Jazz FM Award for Vocalist of the Year, 2017. And, deservedly, she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2007. Completing the line up this evening will be John Parricelli-guitar, Mark Lockheart-sax, Steve Watts-bass and Dave Hamblett-drums.
"Simcock….a jaw-droppingly exciting pianist" The Guardian; “Iles...a formidable UK jazz presence…intelligent, sharp and very musical” Guardian; “Norma Winstone….there is no jazz singer in the country to touch her” The Times