New tour blends Welsh folk music and contemporary jazz

Welsh jazz trumpeter Tomos Williams is taking to the road this month with a new project that reimagines music from the Welsh folk tradition in a contemporary jazz setting.

The tour, titled Blodeugerdd / The Great Welsh Songbook, brings together a all-star line-up of leading Welsh musicians, including pianist Huw Warren, bassist Paula Gardiner, and drummer Mark O’Connor, alongside saxophonist Rachel Musson and rising vocalist Eadyth Crawford.

Opening at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, this evening (2 October) the four-date tour will continue at Caffi Isa, Mynydd Isa (3 October), Canolfan Ucheldre, Holyhead (4 October), before closing at Cardiff’s Dora Stoutzker Hall at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on 10 October.

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Anthology

The project takes its name from the Welsh word Blodeugerdd, meaning “anthology”, and riffs on the concept of the “Great American Songbook”, the collection of jazz standards that have inspired generations of musicians.

Williams’ vision is to create a “Great Welsh Songbook” by placing traditional Welsh melodies at the heart of a modern jazz vocabulary.

Funded by Tŷ Cerdd, the initiative has also seen Williams commissioned by Canolfan Ucheldre to write a new piece inspired by the landscapes of Ynys Môn.

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'Welsh voice'

Williams said he wanted the work to put “a Welsh voice at the forefront” of European jazz.

“European jazz from countries such as Poland and Finland is recognised worldwide,” he said. “With Blodeugerdd I’m bringing a Welsh perspective to that aesthetic. My intention is to mix Welsh folk tunes with high-end jazz, played by some of Wales’ most creative musicians.”

The performances will showcase original arrangements that draw inspiration from across Europe – from the Nordic cool of Finland to the melodic traditions of Italy and France – while staying rooted in Welsh identity.

Williams, a leading figure in the Welsh jazz scene, has previously attracted acclaim for his groundbreaking Cwmwl Tystion (Witness Cloud) project and also performs internationally with his Indo-Welsh fusion band Khamira.

Following the Blodeugerdd tour, he will appear with Khamira at the Llais Festival in Cardiff on 12 October.

His new project is supported by Aberystwyth Arts Centre, where the band will rehearse ahead of their first performance. Williams said he was “grateful for the continued support” from the centre and funding partners.

“It’s great to be touring Wales once again with such a fantastic band,” he said. “I can’t wait to share this music with audiences across the country.”