A MUSICIAN with a serious history of composition and prominent commissions behind him, saxophonist Andy Sheppard finds himself in Limerick this Saturday October 10, playing at Dolan’s Upstairs, 8pm (moved from the Warehouse). Expect the context to be his UK and Ireland tour to promote a new album, ‘Surrounded by Sea’ and this Limerick Jazz Society gig is one of four to five stops only, north and south.
“Andy Sheppard is big and has been a big noise for a long time,” confirms John Daly, chair of Jazz Soc. “I have known the name since I started listening to jazz and although he is synonymous with jazz, he cuts it in classical and folk as well, has a command of all genres. He is a fantastic composer, a fantastic arranger”.
ECM was only one of Sheppard’s recording labels for major releases and his multitude of collaborations: the Bergen Big Band, with saxophonist John Harle, Maison de la Culture Amiens, Bigger Sky and more.
‘Surrounded by Sea’ (ECM) has emerged from the widely praised ‘Trio Libero’ project with previous collaborators Michel Benita, bass and Polar Bear rhythm master Seb Rochford, one of the top drummers in the UK, once again joining Andy.
“The addition of guitarist and electronic artist Eivind Aarset adds a backdrop of ambient drones and electronic textures, giving them more space to explore”.
The promise is of ”a performance built on subtlety, groove, control and a deep understanding of one another”. Saturday 10 night at this Dock Road haunt, band on by 8.30pm.
