Release Date: 01 December 2023
Label: Autumn Tone Records
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 2
Barcode: 3521383465295
Genres: Jazz Contemporary
Description
Tony Hymas 'Back On The Fortress' is the long-awaited companion album to his 1988 opus 'Flying Fortress', brought together here as a special 2CD edition Once described as "as hard to catch as a bird on a branch", composer and pianist Tony Hymas, "this modern Brahms", as clarinettist Alan Hacker likes to call him, shatters any danger of a remotely academic anchorage.
Although he was already composing orchestral works as a teenager, studying at the Royal Academy of Music, this fierce Englishman, born on September 23, 1943, got into the swing of things thanks to Henry Lowther, who invited him to join a jazz band with the South African Harry Miller. He became a pianist with Ballet Rambert, for whom he cut his teeth as a composer. As a studio musician, he became known for his indiscipline. He took part in the Matrix ensemble under the direction of Alan Hacker. It was there that he met soprano Jane Manning and became her regular accompanist.
Discovered by the contemporary scene with Matrix, Tony Hymas did more than flirt with rock music: after accompanying Frank Sinatra and Cleo Laine, he joined Jack Bruce's band. Together with Simon Philips and Jim Diamond, he then founded the group P.H.D., composing the international hit "I Won't Let You Down", which reached number 1 in many countries. At the same time (1984), he was invited to the Chantenay-Villedieu festival, where he became a regular guest. This was also the time of his first recordings with producer Jean Rochard, for the Nato label, an uninterrupted collaboration that continues to this day.
Flying Fortress:
Tony Hymas - keyboards, voice, programming, Hugh Burns - guitar, Tony Coe - clarinet, tenor saxophone, Chris Laurence - double bass, Stan Sulzmann -soprano and tenor saxophone, Frank Ricotti - vibraphone, percussion, Lis Perry - violin, Laura Davis -voice.
Back on the fortress:
Tony Hymas - keyboards, voice, programming, plus large ensemble including Catherine Delaunay - clarinet, Helene Labarriere - double bass, Caroline Goulding - violin, Terry Bozzio - drums, Nathan Hanson - tenor saxophone, Hugh Burns - guitar, Stan Sulzmann - tenor saxophone, Jacky Molard - alto violin, among others.
Tracklisting
Tony Hymas
Samuel Blaser
Pierrick Pedron & Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Murray Head
Naissam Jalal
Henri Texier
Haidouti Orkestar
Ana-Carla Maza
Tony Hymas
