The debut New Zealand tour by award winning UK quartet Simon Thacker's Ritmata, performing exhilarating music by the visionary Scottish guitar virtuoso, distilling the essence of his pioneering intercultural musical experiences and lifelong absorption in some of the most powerful sounds from across continents and epochs.
Simon’s compositions for Ritmata source musical inspiration from every corner of the globe. As a group, they flit expertly between Middle-Eastern intensity, medieval meditation, Native American affirmation, the limitless expression of Indian ragas, pulsating rhythms from East Africa, the unbridled emotions of flamenco and the celebrations of Sephardic Judaism. Stunning original patterns are woven seamlessly into a new aural fabric, and the outcome sees Simon create his own tradition from his immersion in others.
Featuring soul stirring improvisation and a directly emotive compositional style, Simon leads a stellar lineup of some of Europe's most gifted musicians, consisting of Paul Harrison (piano), Mario Caribe (bass) and Stu Brown (drums/percussion). Experience brilliantly inventive musicianship in effortless meeting of styles, cultures and cultures.
Reviews
The leader of the pack clearly is Simon Thacker. His playing affects an ethereal beauty that is unsurpassed by most musicians today... Not only is Mr. Thacker a sublime technician but his artistry seems to soar above that of most mere mortals. His ability to extract such meaning and expression from merely six nylon strings speaks of true genius.” The World Music Report
“You could call it soul music, though not in any conventional sense. As eclectically-inclined classical guitarist Simon Thacker explained, the aim of his Ritmata quartet is to take music from various parts of the globe, strip it down to essentials and render it new, sometimes echoing ancestral beliefs and emotions. This they do with surprising, often spectacular, results.” The Scotsman
British classical guitarist Simon Thacker is one of those well-travelled world citizens who has performed across Europe with various world music artists, leads his own ensembles which bridge the East/West divide, is passionate about Segovia, knows his jazz and is a thrilling improviser Elsewhere
“Simon Thacker is, in my opinion, one of the most important musicians of his generation. Three Weeks
In the world premiere of Asuramaya, the guitar’s role in particular was full of rhythmic and tonal complexities, evoking the music’s roots in the ancient Mayans of South America, the Middle East and the Carnatic traditions of South India.
The List
Note: doors open at 7pm, performance starts at 8pm, tickets on the door $30.00
