Artist: Lighthouse

Date of Release: 09/04/2012

Catalogue no: 2047

Label: ACT

Price: £9.50

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Track Listing

Appearances by

Asaf Sirkis, Gwilym Simcock, Tim Garland

LIGHTHOUSE

Tim Garland reeds / Gwilym Simcock piano/ Asaf Sirkis drums and percussion
Celebrating their signing to the prestigious German label ACT, the hugely successful Lighthouse are back with their original personnel after two years working on other projects.. The newly invigorated trio punch deep into exciting groove-based tunes, inspired Celtic rhythms and an eclectic mix of Chick Corea, Bill Bruford, Yellowjackets, John Coltrane, and DJ Carl Cox. Grammy winner Tim Garland and Barclaycard Mercury nominated pianist Gwilym Simcock are two of the most outstanding composers of our time in both jazz and classical genres and are regarded as among the very best in the world on their respective instruments. With Asaf Sirkis playing a custom built percussion set of frame drums, bass Udu, Hang drum and more Lighthouse exude a very special energy and excitement in performance.

Reviews

02/05/2012 Allaboutjazz

It was ACT's second showcase that would prove to be not just a highlight of their afternoon, or the day, but of the entire Jazzahead! Together, Simcock, Garland and Sirkis embody the best qualities of virtuosity, lyricism and empathic interaction, making Lighthouse already one of the year's best releases and their performance at Jazzahead! 2012 a brief teaser for what they must be like in a proper concert hall with a complete program.
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27/04/2012 Irish Times 4 stars****

In the ever more crowded field of European saxophone playing, English reed player and composer Tim Garland is one of the most original voices, channelling Coltrane and Garbarek into his own sound, with tinges of English and Scottish folk music and contemporary classical influences also audible. His Lighthouse project began as a series of bass clarinet solos inspired by the acoustics of St Mary’s Lighthouse near Newcastle, but it has evolved into this excellent trio, featuring the highly regarded young Welsh pianist Gwilym Simcock and innovative Israeli percussionist Asaf Sirkis. There are shades of Chick Corea – Garland’s former employer – Lighthouse ACTin the band’s taut, precise melodies, as well as echoes of Keith Jarrett’s quartets – an impression reinforced by Simcock’s virtuoso playing - but the brightness and optimism in the writing and playing is a welcome counterpoint to the darkness that stalks so much of contemporary jazz harmony.

23/04/2012 Kultur News 5 stars*****

Jazz CD of the Month

15/04/2012 Dave Gelly, The Observer 4 Stars****

Three remarkable musicians with an uncanny unity of thought and feeling. Virtuosity may be taken for granted nowadays, but this music demands it. The pin-point accuracy, the long, constantly evolving melodies, the variety of moods and textures are simply breathtaking. Gwilym Simcock, now 31, was being hailed as a phenomenon while still a piano student at the Royal Academy, where Tim Garland was one of his teachers. No wonder that the piano and saxophone lines often seem to come from the same mind. Asaf Sirkis has evolved a whole new array of percussion to complete this outstanding trio.

14/04/2012 Mike Hobart, Financial Times

Intricate, atmospheric and tightly argued with sound-sensitive drummer Asaf Sirkis a perfect binding agent.

13/04/2012 The Guardian

the soloing is eloquent and at times thrilling, with Garland's gentle slurs glowing through the slow pieces, Simcock's imperious drive igniting the fast ones, and drummer Asaf Sirkis sounding like a percussion choir all by himself.

23/03/2012 Alyn Shipton, Jazzwise 4 stars****

Three musicians at the top of their game having fun and sharing it with us