Spirit Spout

Spirit Spout is a chapter from Melville's Moby Dick and refers to the Pequod crew, observing a elusive spouting whale in the distance, who is permanently just out of reach. It captures the essence of improvisation, and its interstices with formal composition. Improvised Music Company is excited to support leading Irish jazz practitioner Simon Jermyn in establishing himself in this fertile area of creative practice. Jermyn, is currently based in New York city, and working within the highest echelons of the city's jazz milieu. Solo performance on electric bass is unusual, but he has proven himself a laterally minded and original voice. In addition to his established reputation as an improviser, this project will be timely in his evolution as a performer straddling improvisation and contemporary music.

Three composers are committed - David Crowell (Bang on a Can), Caleb Burhans (Alarm Will Sound) and NI composer Frank Lyons. New York based instrument maker Simon Propert has built a six stringed fretted instrument - half bass and half electric guitar - the first of its kind, for Simon to identify its potential for expanded tonal and textural vocabulary. The pieces will each be 10 minutes, linked by improvisations that reference the thematic context of Spirit Spout.