Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gwilym Simcock: Blues Vignette

Gwilym Simcock: Blues Vignette

By John Kelman
November 19, 2009
View read count

Around long enough that the phrase "coming late to jazz" is no longer relevant, pianist Gwilym Simcock's star has been rapidly rising on the British scene for the past seven years, as he continues to mine the nexus of a classical upbringing with his more recent "conversion" to jazz. All too often, young artists release albums as leaders before they're ready, but in the case of the still twenty-something Simcock—a member of saxophonist

Tim Garland

clarinet, bass
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Garland's innovative Lighthouse Trio responsible for the superb Libra (Global Mix, 2009)—Perception (Basho, 2007) was a fully realized debut that highlighted his skills as performer, composer, and bandleader.

Blues Vignette aims for even more ambitious territory; a double-disc set featuring the continually-evolving pianist solo, in trio with bassist Yuri Goloubev and drummer James Maddren, and in duet with cellist Cara Berridge, a member of the six-piece Sacconi Strings heard with Simcock, Garland, and bassist

Malcolm Creese

bass
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Malcolm Creese on Acoustic Triangle's 3 Dimensions (Audio-B, 2008). The result is an eclectic set that more vividly demonstrates the true breadth of Simcock's range, with largely original music ranging from the overt classicism of his two-part "Suite for Cello and Piano" and a decidedly swinging albeit knottily arranged look at George Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It," to a propulsive and free-wheeling solo version of the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil classic, "On Broadway," and three improvised miniatures that position Simcock as a young

Keith Jarrett

piano
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Jarrett in- the-making.

It may be bold to compare Simcock with Jarrett, but it's apt. He plays nothing like the iconic pianist, but draws from equally broad sources when he improvises, creating music that's neither jazz nor classical by conventional definition, but liberally blends aesthetic choices from both. Simcock may, over the course of the 50-minute solo performance that opens the first CD, still be searching for his voice, but it's clearly emerging on tracks like "Exploration on Mvt II of Grieg Piano Concerto," where the pianist's avoidance of "look at me" gymnastics and allegiance to the power of nuance makes for a compelling example of slow, subtle, and gradual majesty.

Simcock's growth as a composer has been running in parallel with his rapid trajectory as a player, with "Suite for Cello and Piano"—a through-composed, 21-minute work of colorful impressionism and direct lyricism—again emphasizing substance over style, despite impressive performances by both Simcock and Berridge.

Every segment of Blues Vignette shines individually, but the trio music on the second disc demonstrates, perhaps, the most palpable growth over Perception if only because, instrumentally-speaking, it's the most directly comparable. On the simmering intensity of Simcock's "Tundra," Simcock, Goloubev, and Maddren demonstrate the same empathic, unfettered interaction that can be heard in contemporary trios by pianists

John Taylor

piano
1942 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">John Taylor,

Bobo Stenson

piano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobo Stenson,

Brad Mehldau

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Mehldau, and, of course, Jarrett. Simcock's sponge-like ability to assimilate new ideas into a cogent voice makes him an easy partner with every one of these significant pianists. A major statement that spotlights his multifaceted interests with pristine clarity, on Blues Vignette, Gwilym Simcock has arrived.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

CD1: Little People; Exploration on Mvt II of Grieg Piano Concerto; On Broadway; Improvisation I - Statues; Improvisation II - Letter to the Editor; Improvisation III - Be Still Now; Caldera; Jaco and Joe; Suite for Cello and Piano Part 1 - Kinship; Suite for Cello and Piano Part 2 - Homeward. CD2: Introduction; Tundra; Blues Vignette; Black Coffee; Longing to Be; Nice Work If You Can Get It; Cry Me a River; 1981.

Personnel

Gwilym Simcock

piano

Gwilym Simcock: piano; Cara Berridge: cello (CD1#9-10); Yuri Goloubev: double-bass (CD2); James Maddren: drums (CD2).

Album information

Title: Blues Vignette | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Basho Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

The Sonido Moderno Project
< Previous

Throw Down Your Heart
Next >

Gwilym Simcock Concerts

Oct 7 Tue

Gwilym Simcock - Autumn Jazz Piano Series

1901 Arts Club
London, UK

Nov 12 Wed

Tim Garland Lighthouse Trio Feat. Gwilym Simcock &...

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.