Bassist Huw V Williams and saxophonist Alice Leggett look forward to their concerts at the London Welsh Centre during the EFG London Jazz Festival:
Huw: As a musician who identifies Welsh above all else, I thought it’d be great to put on a few gigs during the London Jazz Festival to celebrate Welsh artists and band leaders. I thought where better to host it than the London Welsh Centre, which is only a short walk down Grays Inn Road from Kings Cross Station.
The gigs are two double bills:
- on 16 November with Di-Cysgodion and Gwenno Morgan playing
- on 21 of November with Leggett/Warren/Williams/Davis and Paula Gardiner/Em Craig.
With so many incredible Welsh musicians in the jazz/improvised music world it’s been hard to pair it down to only two double bills! It’s a great time for the scene, I’ve even found myself in a situation where all the band are welsh speakers and playing Ornette Coleman tunes (realising I have no idea what the translation for time no changes would be!), also to mention our friend Joe Webb for his Mercury Nomination and representing Welsh Jazz to a big audience.
I’m very grateful to the crew at London Welsh Centre for letting us host these gigs and having an open mind and expressing our Welsh culture in a contemporary way.
I should make it clear, you don’t have to be Welsh to come to these gigs, everyone is welcome! I should also mention the prices at the bar are very reasonable, the only place in London I’ve seen Brains on tap (*)
Alice: After moving to London at the age of 19, then to Amsterdam in 2020, and occasionally making extended visits to New York in between, it’s sometimes needed to reflect on where it all began. My formative years in Cardiff shaped who I am, and it was here that I discovered my love of music, particularly jazz. I was fortunate to have Dempsey’s (now the Flute and Tankard) as my local jazz club, which, since the age of 15, I could visit on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to hear some truly inspirational music. Along with local bands, there would be numerous musicians from London, as well as intentional artists from various places coming to perform. To have this at my doorstep as well as it being such a welcoming and warm environment has created memories that I cherish deeply. These performances served as my education because I didn’t have access to as many jazz teachers as I would have in London for example. I often feel that Welsh jazz musicians are in the minority outside of Wales, and that in the UK, when you’re not from London or the surrounding areas, there can be a sense of detachment within the jazz scene, so I believe it’s critical to continue investing in the arts and music in more regional areas to encourage younger musicians of all backgrounds to pursue the arts. It’s a nice concept to have collaborative showcases like this, and I’m excited to perform alongside some other great Welsh musicians.
(*) It was also available last time I was there (!) at the London Welsh RFC clubhouse, Kew Road TW9 1AZ. (Ed.)
LISTINGS
Sunday 16 November – Doors open 6pm, Music from 7
Di-Cysgodion
Huw V Williams – Bass
Mike De Souza – Guitar
Billy Marrows – Guitar
Jay Davis – Drums
Gwenno Morgan – Piano (solo set)
Friday 21 November
Leggett/Warren/Williams/Davis
Alice Leggett – Saxophone
Huw Warren- Piano
Huw V Williams – Bass
Jay Davis – Drums
Paula Gardiner/Em Craig Duo
Paula Gardiner – Guitar
Em Craig – Saxophone
London Welsh Centre, 157-163 Grays Inn Rd, London WC1X 8UE
