Friday 19 May 2023
Pete Oxley and Nicolas Meier are well known to Wakefield audiences from many previous festivals and gigs and are most welcome back on their 2023 UK tour. They play many guitars and other stringed instruments from all over the world in their culturally eclectic show. Their original compositions encompass Arabic, Eastern European, Latin American and Jazz influences that will dazzle and delight.
The Oxley – Meier Guitar Project was established ten years ago, following their tenure in the unique quartet, ‘Eclectica!’ In that decade, they have recorded 7 albums together, ranging from duet to quintet formats and have performed literally hundreds of concerts together throughout the UK and Europe.
Regardless of the size of the ensemble, Oxley & Meier have always maintained their two aims:
– to write guitar-based music that is exciting, engaging and fascinating to anybody interested in music.
– to use an expansive range of instruments in order to deliver a stylistically wide ranging programme.
To achieve this, they usually use ten different guitars at their gigs. These include more unusual instruments such as:
– 11-string Glissantar (fretless instrument, based on the arabic lute – the oud)
– Electric 12-string
– Sitar guitar
– Fretless nylon-string
Their music falls into the ‘jazz’ category, as there is improvisation (as a major element) in each piece. However, the soundscapes are very much influenced from their various travels, this summarised by their strap-line: “soundscapes from Turkey to Brazil”. As a result, Oxley and Meier have performed in many of the top venues in jazz, world music and classical venues: Ronnie Scott’s, Musicport Festival and The Wigmore Hall, respectively.
Expect an evening of joyous varied fare, performed by these two seriously established musicians which The Observer described thus:
“When it comes to empathy, the duet of guitar virtuosi comes close to perfection”
…Or if you are a fan of the ECM supergroup, Oregon, this quote from Ralph Towner will resonate:
“This album is a wonderful example of the high level of music that can be made by combining two great guitarists/composers/improvisers such as Pete and Nicolas. They have put together a feast of virtuosity, delivered wit depth, wit and joy.”
The Oxley-Meier Guitar Project will be performing brand-new music for this concert.
Pete Oxley – guitars
Nicolas Meier – guitars
Ralph Mizraki – bass
Paul Cavaciuti – drums
Website: peteoxley.com
Website: meiergroup.com
Support from:
Nathan Lawson Trio:
Nathan Lawson – guitar
Chris Williams – bass
Dominic Neeson – drums
(from Leeds Conservatoire)
£17/£16(conc)/£8.50(u-25)
Hits: 2
