Rob Luft – New Year’s Day Concert
Happy New Year with guitarist Rob Luft
The first live audience recording at London’s iconic Maida Vale Studios was for the BBC World Service’s New Year’s Concert and it featured long-time friend of The Riff, jazz guitarist Rob Luft.
Presented by Katie Derham, the concert includes performances from three of the BBC New Generation Artists (NGA) scheme, who each also chat briefly about their music. Alongside Rob appears clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe from Belgium and star British bass baritone Ashley Riches.
There are several opportunities to hear the concert on the BBC World Service through 31 December 2022 and 1 January 2023, and it will be available on BBC Sounds thereafter.
Founded in 1999 with the aim of nurturing and promoting some of the world’s finest young musicians at the start of their international careers, the list of NGA alumni is now well over a hundred and includes some of the biggest names in classical music – and a handful in jazz. Participants are offered the chance to make studio recordings, perform with the BBC’s orchestras, and at many of the UK’s most prestigious venues and festivals including London’s Wigmore Hall and the BBC Proms.
As usual, Rob performed brilliantly alongside his classical peers and his Quintet – Rob on electric guitar, Joe Wright on tenor saxophone, Rupert Cox swapping between grand piano and Hammond organ, bass guitarist Tom McCredie and drummer Corrie Dick – did themselves proud.
The live concert setlist included three songs composed by Rob himself: Slow Potion (part 1 of suite for Derek Bailey), Dahab Days and Daylight Saving Time. We will all have to wait for the end of the year to find out which actually appear in the broadcast.
It is always a delight to hear Rob’s music and watch his astounding dexterity on the electric guitar, as well as his footwork on various pedals.
For more information about Rob, go to www.robluft.co.uk
Hilary Seabrook
3rd December 2022
