Episode

Will Barnes: jazz impressions of the Welsh landscape

On the album Source of the Severn, an accomplished guitarist from Wales conveys the beauty of the British countryside with his jazz quartet and visual artist Erin Hughes.

Today, the Spotlight shines On Will Barnes, leader of the Will Barnes Quartet, who joins me to talk about his life in music and, specifically, his ongoing collaboration with landscape artist Erin Hughes.

Their first album together, Source of the Severn, is a 21st-century take on classic bebop-era sounds. Erin’s nine original works of art respond to Will and the Quartet’s music, using her own hand-marbled papers as a palette to create collages that evoke the Mid-Wales landscape in which the participants all dwell.

The Will Barnes Quartet, featuring Erin Hughes, will tour throughout the year. At each performance, Erin will provide a special live visual show, leading to unique interactions between her, the band, and the audience.

(all musical excerpts heard in the interview are taken from the album Source of the Severn by the Will Barnes Quartet)

Dig Deeper

• Visit Will Barnes and the Will Barnes Quartet at willbarnesmusic.co.uk
• Visit Erin Hughes and check out her artwork at erinlaurahughes.com
• Purchase Source of the Severn by the Will Barnes Quartet on Bandcamp or Qobuz, or listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Follow Will Barnes on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
• Follow artist Erin Hughes on Instagram
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