A celebration of the new recording Hourglass (Basho Records) created by genre-busting Austrian composer Johannes Berauer featuring virtuosi Thomas Gould (violin), Gwilym Simcock (piano), Mike Walker (guitar), Martin Berauer (bass) and Bernhard Schimpelsberger (drums, percussion and Konnakol).

In the first half of the concert, Gwilym Simcock (piano) and Joe Locke (vibraphone) will meet for a jaw-dropping duet set. The duo will play from a repertoire of own compositions and known favourites, taking the audience on a breathtaking ride of virtuosity and beauty. Sebastian Scotney from London Jazz News states, ‘They both have the imperative to play with unbelievable rapid-fire percussiveness, to go for the adrenalin thrill, where the listener can no longer hear which bit of the texture is coming from which player’.

Johannes Berauer is one of the most productive and diverse young composers in Austria. He navigates effortlessly through musical styles such as classical avant-garde, jazz and world music. He was recently orchestral arranger and musical director for oud master Anouar Brahem on his last ECM release Souvenance. With Indian sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta he co-composed the music for the silent movie project King of Ghosts originally for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, then the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. An album of this music performed by the City of London Sinfonia has just been released by Shakespeare’s Globe.

The Hourglass Quintet consists of leading jazz musicians: Gwilym Simcock, member of Pat Metheny’s current quartet, and Mike Walker who played with virtually everyone from Kenny Wheeler to Dave Holland are two of the finest musicians of the jazz scene. Violinist Thomas Gould has been described as ‘one of the most talented and charismatic British violinists of the younger generation’ excelling in both classical and contemporary repertoire as well as jazz. He is director of the Britten Sinfonia. Likewise, Martin Berauer and Bernhard Schimpelsberger are two of the leading young musicians of Austria. Martin, living in Paris, is especially known for his expertise in the field of world music, and Bernhard, based in London, has built a reputation as a master of Indian rhythms, which lead him to collaborations with artists like Akram Khan or Anoushka Shankar.

The Joe Locke & Gwilym Simcock Duet brings together two generations from two different continents; two exciting instrumentalists at the top of their fields; like-minded spirits who are connected by the joy of music making and playing together. No matter how elaborate and complex music can get, Joe Locke and Gwilym Simcock always put melody and groove at the heart of their songs. The duo will play from a repertoire of own compositions and known favourites, taking the audience on a breathtaking ride of virtuosity and beauty.