British-Bahraini trumpeter and composer, Yazz Ahmed, continued her exploration into electronic soundscapes in partnership with producer, composer and drummer, Hector Plimmer, and percussionist and vibraphonist, Ralph Wyld at EFG London Jazz Festival. Following their collaboration on 2018s La Saboteuse Remixed, the collective presented an evening of improvisation and live sampling of each other’s music, mixed by Yazz Ahmed’s long-time FOH Engineer, Tim Hand – who explored the creative possibilities of King Place’s immersive d&b Soundscape system, situated in Hall Two.
“One of the great things about Yazz is her collaborative approach and the fluid nature of the line-ups she performs with,” Hand recalled, discussing the genesis of this project. “We had one outing with this trio with a typical, stereo setup but Kings Place have given us time to rehearse and experiment, which is hugely important for d&b Soundscape,” he commented, noting how the luxury of time affords him the space for creativity to blossom.
“I’ve done shows with Soundscape in the past, where I am replicating realistic positions on stage or adding ambience, but given the lead time on this project, I can make far more creative and responsive choices, improvising along with the band.”
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Monika S. Jakubowska
