Barry Guy

Barry Guy Barry Guy (born 22 April, 1947) is an innovative double bass player and composer whose creative diversity in the fields of jazz improvisation, solo recitals, chamber and orchestral performance is the outcome both of an unusually varied training and a zest for experimentation, underpinned by a dedication to the double bass and the ideal of musical communication.

Between the early Seventies and mid Nineties Barry Guy held principal bass position in various orchestras including The Orchestra of St. John’s Smith Square, City of London Sinfonia, Monteverdi Orchestra, The Academy of Ancient Music, Kent Opera and The London Classical Players. During these years he was also active in the European Improvised Scene.

He is founder and Artistic Director of the London Jazz Composers Orchestra for which he has written several extended works.

His concert works have been widely performed and his skillful and inventive writing has resulted in an exceptional series of compositions: "Flagwalk" (1983), "The Eye of Silence" (1988), "Look Up!" (1990), "After the Rain" (1992), "Bird Gong Game" (1992), "Fallingwater" (1996), "Redshift" (1998), "Remembered Earth" (1999), "Nasca Lines" (2001), "Inachis" (2002), "Folio" (2002) and "Anaklasis" (2003). Guy's compositions usually reflect a personal liaison with musicians and ensembles he writes for. As such, the commissions arrive from chamber orchestras, chamber groups and soloists interested in contemporary musical performance with a special commitment to communicate with the audience. Barry Guy continues to give solo recitals throughout Europe as well as continuing associations with colleagues involved in improvised, baroque and contemporary music. His current regular ensembles are the Homburger/Guy duo, the Parker/Guy duo, piano trios with Marilyn Crispell and Paul Lytton, Jaques Demierre and Lucas Niggli and with Agusti Fernandez and Ramon Lopez. He continues the longstanding trio with Evan Parker and Paul Lytton as well as projects with Mats Gustafsson.