Jim Ghedi a Douglas MacGregor
13eg/14eg Medi 2016 Sept 13th/14th
Y Capel yn falch iawn o groesawu Jim Ghedi a Douglas MacGregor, dau chwaraewr gitâr arloesol, sy’n dod yma fel rhan o’u taith o amgylch y DU. Mae gan y ddau gerddor ddull arbrofol meddylgar a thrylwyr ar y gitâr, wrth berfformio yn ogystal â chyfansoddi.
The Capel was excited to welcome Jim Ghedi and Douglas MacGregor, two innovative guitar players, as part of their UK tour. Both artists demonstrate a thoughtful and rigorous experimental approach to their guitar practice both in terms of playing and composing.
Having heard by word of mouth about the Capel and its exciting acoustics, Jim Ghedi approached me to ask about the potential to use the space as part of his and Douglas MacGregor’s UK tour. After listening to their work and being excited with previous projects each have undertaken, the Capel and I opened a dialogue with Jim and Douglas; could the Capel offer something more than being a venue for a one off gig? Would they be open to spending time at the capel and its surrounding area to experiment and develop their practice? A particular meeting of sensibilities emerged during further discussions and subsequently Jim’s and Douglas’s extended time here proved fruitful and valuable for them, the Capel and the audience. A real sense of being and emerging ‘with’ the capel gave birth to risk taking, creation of new pieces and re imaginings of previous work and ideas to take forward to new contexts and audiences. The experience has left an ongoing resonance within the capel.
Douglas MacGregor
‘This improvisation was convinced of in the chapel after a long walk in the surrounding valleys and hills and then performed that evening. It is named after the river that runs by the chapel, Einion.’
This piece forms part of Douglas’s ongoing Urban Exploration Field Recording project.
Mae cerdd Douglas MacGregor yn cyfuno’r hen a’r newydd, symlrwydd â chymhlethdod ac alaw â gwead. Mae hyn yn creu darnau prydferth a deinamig sy’n hudo’r gwrandäwr i mewn i fyd cerddorol cartrefol sy’n llawn mynegiant. Daw gwreiddiau ei arddull unigryw o amryw o ddylanwadau yn cynnwys blues, canu gwerin, cerddoriaeth arbrofol a jas, cerddoriaeth glasurol a cherddoriaeth o bedwar ban byd. Mae ymagwedd MacGregor gyda’i gitâr yn debycach i gerddorfa – offeryn sy’n gallu mynegi symffoni – ac felly mae bob amser yn herio ffiniau ei offeryn wrth gadw at y synwyrusrwydd cerddorol a chelfydd cynhenid sy’n llywio ei waith.
Douglas MacGregor’s practice blends new with old, simplicity with complexity and melody with texture to create beautiful and dynamic pieces that draw the listener into his intimate and expressive sound world. His unique style is informed by a range of influences from blues, folk and experimental music to jazz, classical and music from around the world. MacGregor’s approach to the guitar is more like an orchestra – as an instrument capable of expressing a symphony – and so he is always pushing at the boundaries of what the instrument can do while retaining the innate musical and artistic sensibility that guides his work.
Jim Ghedi
Chwaraewr gitâr 6 a 12 tant yw Jim Ghedi o Sheffield, Lloegr. Mae ei waith presennol wedi’i ysbrydoli gan leoliadau penodol o amgylch Prydain, yn archwilio cysylltiad gyda thir gwledig a’i dreftadaeth. Mae’n llunio syniadau diddorol sy’n pontio amryw o ffurfiau o amgylch y cysyniad o Dir Hynafol. Mae’n arbrofol gyda chyfansoddiad gitâr offerynnol fysedig, gyda repertoire eang o ddylanwadau sy’n amrywio o gerdd gyntefig Americanaidd, cerdd Sbaenaidd a cherddoriaeth glasurol Ewrop a chanu gwerin traddodiadol Brydeinig.
Jim Ghedi is a 6 & 12 string Guitarist based in Sheffield, England. His current work has taken inspiration in specific locations around Britain, exploring a connection with rural land and it’s heritage. Drawing up some interesting genre-crossing ideas musically around a rooted concept of Ancient Land. He explores finger-style instrumental Guitar composition, with a wide repertoire of influences ranging from American Primitive, Spanish and classical music of Europe and Traditional British Folk.
Jim Ghedi’s re imagining of Banks of Mulroy Bay, an Irish gypsy folk song he learned of through a family friend. The Capel organ is semi-functioning; one of the foot bellows and a fair few keys are out of use. This ‘limitation’ in the instrument’s functioning however, actually ‘opened up’ the possibility for an exciting new development within the piece for Jim.
The meeting of an Irish folk song, a French organ and a Welsh Chapel!
Capel y Graig 