London Jazz Festival: Simon Wallace "London Lights Suite"

Pianist and composer Simon Wallace has balanced a hectic schedule as an award winning composer for film, TV and theatre with his first love of playing improvised music for over 40 years. He is best known on the jazz scene for the songs he wrote with lyricist Fran Landesman (the Observer called them “one of the finest songwriting partnerships alive”) and as a musical director for singers including Clare Teal, Ian Shaw, Sarah Moule, Barb Jungr and Gill Manly. In addition, Simon is currently head of composing and arranging at LCCM in London.

For this concert, Simon will debut a new work commissioned specifically for London Jazz Festival, ‘London Lights’ that will draw upon the vibrant cosmopolitan street music ofLondon from the 18th century to the present day. The evocative melodies of broadside ballads, street cries, sea shanties and hymns are intertwined with deep, rolling groovesfrom around the globe to create a powerful springboard for the soloists. It will be performed by Simon’s trio “UK Roots’, formed in 1995 by Simon and described as “a hard driving band that explores the rich heritage of British traditional music through the language of contemporary jazz”. In addition to Wallace on piano, the band’s latest lineup features US born drummer Rod Youngs (Gil Scott Heron, Abdullah Ibrahim) and saxophonist Dave Lewis (John Martyn, Bryan Ferry, Joan Armatrading, John Mayall, Eric Clapton as well as his own band “1Up"), whose soulful blues infused playing reflects his roots in St Louis Missouri. An eagerly anticipated night of music that promises to be an absolute treat.