BBD Radio 3 Freeness: Kit Downes
British pianist Kit Downes digs out his favourite, lesser-known examples of great improvisation. Plus creative modern arrangements from Austrian bassist and composer Gina Schwarz.
British pianist, composer and organist Kit Downes’ work is widely known on the UK jazz scene – from his groove-based group Troyka to the spectral soundscapes on his most recent release for the ECM label. Kit shares his three favourite, lesser-known examples of great improvisation with tracks by American guitarist Mary Halvorson, vocalist Ingebjørg Loe Bjørnstad and South African pianist Bheki Mseleku.
Also in the show, creative modern arrangements from the Austrian bassist and composer Gina Schwarz, and the Italian cellist Francesco Guerri blurs the line between contemporary classical music and free improvisation.
Tracklist:
1 Jure Pukl – Broken Circles
2 Aruán Ortiz – Marímbula’s Mood
3 Kit Downes – Circinus
4 Mary Halvorson – Sadness
5 Ingebjørg Loe Bjørnstad – Test:Vov
6 Bheki Mseleku – Introduction to Celebration (Excerpt)
7 Sarah Gail Brand, Steve Beresford, John Edwards & Mark Sanders – Let’s Go
8 Gina Schwarz – Via Terra
9 Francesco Guerri – Mimmi resisti
10 Black Top – Carried Way Beyond