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Gwilym Simcock
Gwilym Simcock has carved out a career as one of the most gifted pianists and imaginative composers on the European scene. He moves effortlessly between jazz and classical music, with a ‘harmonic sophistication and subtle dovetailing of musical traditions’. Gwilym has been hailed as a pianist of ‘exceptional’, ‘brilliant’ and ‘dazzling’ ability, and his music has been widely acclaimed as ‘engaging, exciting, often unexpected, melodically enthralling, complex yet hugely accessible’, and above all ‘wonderfully optimistic’.
Gwilym’s influences are wide ranging, from jazz legends including Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius and Pat Metheny, to classical composers including Maurice Ravel, Henri Dutilleux, Béla Bartók and Mark-Anthony Turnage. Although principally a jazz artist, Gwilym has composed numerous works for larger Classical ensemble that combine through-composed elements with improvisation, creating a sound that is distinctive and very much his own.
In the last few years, Gwilym has become renowned for his solo performances, releasing a critically acclaimed album ‘Good Days at Schloss Elmau’ in 2011 and touring throughout Europe and to places as far afield as Australia, the USA, Canada, Korea and China to name but a few.
Gwilym has toured extensively with the cream of British and international jazz artists including Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, Bob Mintzer and Bobby McFerrin. He co-leads the Anglo-American Supergroup ‘The Impossible Gentlemen’ with British Guitar legend Mike Walker, Steve Rodby and Adam Nussbaum. He has toured with Classical virtuoso Nigel Kennedy. He is currently touring with Pat Metheny, Antonio Sanchez and Linda Oh.
Gwilym’s career is unique in spanning a huge range of musical settings. Testament to this is the fact that he was the first BBC New Generation Artist from a Jazz background, and that his album “Good Days at Schloss Elmau” was an album of the year in 2011 at the prestigious British music award the ‘Barclaycard Mercury Prize’. He has performed with orchestras, choirs, big bands, dancers as well as performing with musicians from diverse backgrounds including the classical, jazz, folk and rock traditions. Gwilym has also written music that has appeared on television and on stage, most recently composing the music for an adaptation of Edward Albee’s classic ‘A Delicate Balance’ at the Almeida theatre in London. He has frequently appeared on British television and radio and was guest presenter on ‘Saturday Classics’ on BBC Radio 3, and recently mentored and accompanied the finalists at the first BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year awards on BBC4 TV.
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For Tim Garland, the title, Moment of Departure, describes the “dive into the fresh unknown as improvisors, leaving the solid ground of what has been composed." Many of the tracks were inspired by the free-flowing artwork of Turkish painter Esra Kizir Gokcen. Her own migrant narrative provides the alternative meaning for the title. This combination of musical control and liberty has been at the heart of the Lighthouse Trio, who will mark their 20th anniversary in 2024. The ...
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read moreJazz Musician of the Day: Gwilym Simcock
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Gwilym Simcock's birthday today!
”I feel confident that Simcock already deserves to occupy the inner circle of the great contemporary pianists along with Mehldau, Jarrett, and Rubalcaba” David Kane, Cadence U.S.A. 28 year old, Gwilym Simcock is one of the most gifted pianists and imaginative composers on the British scene. Able to move effortlessly between jazz and classical music, he can, at times... Read more.
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Gwilym Simcock
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Gwilym Simcock's birthday today!
”I feel confident that Simcock already deserves to occupy the inner circle of the great contemporary pianists along with Mehldau, Jarrett, and Rubalcaba” David Kane, Cadence U.S.A. 28 year old, Gwilym Simcock is one of the most gifted pianists and imaginative composers on the British scene. Able to move effortlessly between jazz and classical music, he can, at times... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget on your website ...
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Enter the "Simcock/Garland/Sirkis - Lighthouse" Giveaway at All About Jazz!
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All About Jazz
Jazz Musician of the Day: Gwilym Simcock
Source:
All About Jazz is celebrating Gwilym Simcock's birthday today!
”I feel confident that Simcock already deserves to occupy the inner circle of the great contemporary pianists along with Mehldau, Jarrett, and Rubalcaba” David Kane, Cadence U.S.A. 28 year old, Gwilym Simcock is one of the most gifted pianists and imaginative composers on the British scene. Able to move effortlessly between jazz and classical music, he can, at times...”I feel confident that Simcock already deserves to occupy the inner circle of ...
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Heading South West South North in Vienna
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The Ring Modulator by Adrian Stevenson
Simcock Walker Swallow Nussbaum, Porgy and Bess Jazz Club, Vienna, Austria. Sunday June 6th 2010Last month I was lucky enough to catch the 'Simcock Walker Swallow Nussbaum' group in Vienna at the Porgy and Bess Jazz and Music Club (seemingly implying jazz isn't music?) . Once out of the Vienna sunshine and down deep in the basement of the club two floors underground, it seemed surprisingly unstrange to be bumping into a few familiar faces.The set ...
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Pianist/Composer Gwilym Simcock Releases New CD "Blues Vignette" on Basho Records
Source:
Two for the Show Media
Basho Records is proud to announce the new double CD release “Blues Vignette“ from pianist and composer Gwilym Simcock. The album introduces his new trio featuring extraordinary, classically trained Russian bassist Yuri Goloubev and young UK drum star James Maddren as well as documenting Simcock's emerging voice as a solo pianist.
The first CD offers a mix of stunning improvisations and new original compositions as well as insightful interpretations of Grieg's Piano Concerto and a unique reading of the popular ...
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British Pianist Gwilym Simcock Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
Pianist/composer Gwilym Simcock has achieved a lot in a short time. His debut album as leader, Perception (Basho, 2007) was roundly praised as heralding the arrival of a significant new talent.
Prior to that Simcock had captured attention for lighting up Bill Bruford's Earthworks, Tim Garland's Lighthouse Trio and Malcolm Creese's Acoustic Triangle.
Awards and commissions began to roll in accompanied by a certain amount of hype; Chick Corea labeled him a “creative genius" and comparisons between the talent of ...
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Welsh Musicians Nominated for Jazz Awards
Source:
All About Jazz
Two Welsh musicians have been nominated for the coveted BBC Jazz Awards. Karen Price catches up with Ian Shaw and Gwilym Simcock.
A COUPLE of weeks ago, Ian Shaw was singing with Charlotte Church at the christening party for her daughter Ruby. The pair met when he mentored her as she made the move from classical to pop music and have clearly remained good friends and he was invited to join in the celebrations at the Vale of Glamorgan home ...
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"I feel confident that Simcock already deserves to occupy the inner circle of the great contemporary pianists along with Mehldau, Jarrett, and Rubalcaba" David Kane, Cadence U.S.A.
“Gwilym’s an original. A creative genius” Chick Corea
“No young musician outside the pop world has moved as fast into the upper reaches of his profession as Simcock”. Stuart Nicholson, Observer
"A phenomenal talent, Simcock is a jewel in the crown of the country's jazz scene, and it was a joy and honour to have him playing such an integral role in this year's festival". Rob Garratt, Norwich Evening News
Primary Instrument
Piano
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
Associate of Royal Academy of Music, London Professor of Piano at Royal Academy of Music, London Masterclasses by arrangement
Claire Cope
pianoPhotos
Music
New Horizons
From: Vienna Chamber Diaries plus...By Gwilym Simcock
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