Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra To Perform At North Devon Theatre

The project features two of Guy Barker’s brilliant new compositions inspired by the works of Mozart. Guy harboured a parallel interest in classical music for many years, but it wasn’t until he received a call from the director of the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego inviting him to play that he could indulge this interest. The Amadeus Suite was commissioned by the Festival to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth in 2006 and consisted of five sections, each representing a different character from Mozart’s operas.

The second composition dZF is a 75-minute revamped and modernised version of Mozart’s final opera, The Magic Flute. Barker invited his friend, crime writer Rob Ryan, to take the original story and transform it into a dark, ‘Jazz Noir’ tale. The setting is shifted to New York and opens in a legendary literary watering hole, next to the 55 jazz club and features, rather than a Prince Tamino, a hot young trumpeter, Bobby Tamino and Harlem's leading brothel madam, Queen Righteous.

The result was broadcast on Radio 3 in November 2006 as part of the London Jazz Festival and featured the smoky-voice of Michael Brandon (Dempsey and Makepeace, Jerry Springer The Opera). ‘It was simply stunning, some of the best playing and writing I have heard. If it is ever performed again, be certain to go and see it.’ Robert Elms

Guy Barker is a virtuoso; he has been heard by many people who would not normally listen to his sophisticated brand of jazz as he has guested on records by Sting, George Michael and Van Morrison as well as featuring in the bands of jazz greats like Gil Evans, Clark Terry and Quincy Jones. Guy has also presented more than a dozen radios series for Radios 2, 3 and the World Service and has been nominated for the Mercury prize twice.

The UK tour of The Amadeus Project coincides with the release of a double CD. -- www.northdevontheatres.org.uk