Previously unreleased Louis Stewart album set for March
Louis Stewart (promotional photo)
Livia Records continues its internationally acclaimed programme of releases by Irish guitar virtuoso Louis Stewart with a previously unreleased recording of Stewart’s Joyce Notes.
Recorded at Cork Jazz Festival in 1982, Joyce Notes is a rare outing for Stewart as a composer. More renowned as a razor-sharp and endlessly expressive interpreter of jazz standards, the guitarist fashioned a six-part suite focusing on scenes from James Joyce’s ground-breaking novel Ulysses. It was only performed three times but its debut in Cork featured an outstanding Irish-American octet with readings from Dublin-born actor Eamon Morrissey.
“It’s a superb band,” says Livia Records’ Dermot Rogers. “It shows the respect in which Louis was held that he was able to draw on a rhythm team of the quality of bassist Steve LaSpina and drummer Bobby Rosengarden as well as Irish jazz greats including Richie Buckley (saxophone), Brian Dunning (flute) and Jim Doherty (piano).”
Between them, LaSpina and Rosengarden could boast recordings with stars including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Jimi Hendrix, Barbra Streisand and Duke Ellington and live performances with saxophonist Stan Getz, guitarists Jim Hall and Pat Martino, singer Joe Williams and pianist Tommy Flanagan.
Also featured in the band are the hugely experienced Irish players, saxophonist Len McCarthy and percussionist Peter Ainscough.
Now mastered for the first time, Joyce Notes comes with a detailed 16 page booklet, containing sleeves notes from highly respected journalist Philip Watson, and a selection of photographs from the original performance.
Available on CD and download, the album will be released on 27th March.
