Simcock Gwilym

 

Gwilym Simcock, BBC Radio 3 Jazz Award winner and first ever BBC Radio 3 New Generations Jazz Artist, has been described as a ‘jazzier’ John Taylor, his style reminiscent of Keith Jarrett, his piano playing ‘exceptional’, ‘brilliant’, ‘dazzling’. His ‘harmonic sophistication and subtle dovetailing of musical traditions’ make him stand out as one of the most gifted performers and imaginative composers working on the British scene. Able to move effortlessly through jazz and classical he can at times inhabit both worlds. The music is engaging, exciting, often unexpected, melodically enthralling, complex and wonderfully optimistic.
His magnificent 2008 premiere “Progressions” with the BBC Concert Orchestra enthralled a sell-out Proms audience and many thousands more on BBC2 TV. His many commissions include work for Sacconi Strings and Acoustic Triangle, "Contours" for the Aronowitz Ensemble, "I Prefer the Gorgeous Freedom" a Norfolk and Norwich Festival commission for community choir and jazz quartet, and "Simple Tales" for Britten Sinfonia soloists, “Move!” for The City of London Sinfonia and “Cumbrian Thaw” for the London Symphony Orchestra. He composes regularly for the NDR Big Band in Germany as well as writing for his own solo, duo, trio and quartet projects.
His solo album "Good Days at Schloss Elmau" on the prestigious German label ACT was lauded as "dazzlingly fresh", "world class", "stupendous" "phenomenal" "a cause for huge celebration" and was nominated for the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize.
He is tours regularly in Europe and beyond playing solo piano and with "Lighthouse" (with Tim Garland and Asaf Sirkis) and the Anglo American supergroup "The Impossible Gentlemen" (with Mike Walker, Steve Swallow/Steve Rodby and Adam Nussbaum).  His duo album with Yuri Goloubev is due for release on ACT in 2014.
“No young musician outside the pop world has moved as fast into the upper reaches of his profession as Simcock”. Stuart Nicholson, Observer