Johannes Berauer’s Hourglass L-R: Gwilym Simcock, Mike Walker, Thomas Gould, Martin Berauer and Bernhard Schimpelsberger Photo credit: David Forman

Sebastian writes: 


The two acts forming this double-bill at Kings Place were also an integral part of the Ambleside Days Festival, on which Mike Collins has done an excellent and full REPORT for us. Mike summed up the whole weekend’s experience with words which also can describe this single evening double-bill: “The beauty of the music, the variety and world-class performances sum up what was the essence of this remarkable festival: open-minded music-making of the highest quality.”

David Forman’s photos of Hourglass (first and last here) show the scale and the celebratory nature of this group. Johannes Berauer, a classical composer who described himself as “a jazz musician at heart,” writes for the big canvas and gives room for the soloists to explore while setting a structure and a direction, and allows each of the players the scope to take the listener on a journey while soloing, before welcoming them back to the broader context of each piece

Monika Jakubowska’s pictures of the Joe Locke/Gwilym Simcock duo capture the way the two musicians are attuned to each other and clearly enjoy working in this duo. Simcock explained that he already knew Locke’s playing very well, notably from albums with Tim Garland, long before they ever played together. Their set finished with Chick Corea’s Windows: not virtuosity for its own sake but as a means to express joy. A duo album from these two would be something special.

Gwilym Simcock Photo credit: Monika  S Jakubowska

Joe Locke Photo credit Monika S Jakubowska

Gwilym Simcock and Joe Locke Photo credit Monika S Jakubowska

Gwilym Simcock and Joe Locke Photo credit Monika S Jakubowska

Johannes Berauer’s Hourglass L-R: Gwilym Simcock, Thomas Gould,  Johannes Berauer, Mike Walker, Martin Berauer and Bernhard Schimpelsberger Photo credit: David Forman

LINKS: Preview of the Kings Place concert
Report on 2018 Ambleside Days