Marsden Jazz Festival

It’s time for the second in our New Stream artist interviews ahead of the 2021 festival! We got chatting to percussionist, composer and founder of jazz group Vula Viel (and Yorkshire-born!), Bex Burch, to find out a bit more about her jazz journeying so far, what drew her to craft her own instrument and what you can expect from her solo performance at this year’s festival…

Fundamentally, she believes in the transformative power of sound and aims to create music which resonates with the audience. Bex built her own instrument (augmented gyil), and makes music in the jazz+ community drawing from a wide range of influences including classical, minimalist and Dagaare Ghanaian.

Marsden Jazz Festival’s New Stream gigs feature cutting edge and experimental jazz music as well as new commissions.

Q: How did you first get into to creating music of your own and what drew you to the art form jazz?

I always secretly wrote music. Just didn’t share it with anyone until I started my first band, Vula Viel. I’m not sure I ever “got into” creating, I just started working on taking my creativity seriously, crafting the ideas best I could at each stage and building the confidence to share that music with other people. After making a first album of the incredible Dagaare music Thomas Sekgura taught me, I had space, the tools the Dagaare tradition and studying music / percussion here gave me plus advice from mentors including my bandmates Ruth Goller and Jim Hart. I continue working on this, and expect I will do my whole life. I’m not sure my ideas have gotten better, but they certainly change over time, and I’m starting to scratch the surface of how better to communicate them.

Q: We know you built your own instrument (an augmented gyil)- can you explain a little bit about this process and why you chose to craft your own?

I had an apprenticeship in making gyilli with the aforementioned Thomas Sekgura. I think there’s something very important to me about simplicity. Working on pretty basic carpentry and doing my best with each component is very grounding and immediate work. Completing this work and suddenly having a musical instrument is the closest thing I’ve experienced to alchemy. I feel very lucky to be able to make the gyil. And now I love to play percussion instruments by other makers too. I really appreciate and value the maker’s voices in my set up. For Marsden Jazz, these include Msafiri Zwose and Daniel Bornman.

Q: What can we expect from your Marsden Jazz Festival performance?

I am exploring belonging, home and breath.

Essentially I have been working on letting go of any constructs of myself and “my” music that I sometimes find I’ve built up, and simply ask myself, “what music do I like right now”. I’ve been preparing by practicing that discipline: breaking down the constructs when I feel myself building them, training my hands to be able to play what I need them to, and being present.

Q: Have you got any projects in the pipeline or performances (other than ours!) that you’re excited about and can share?

Yes, I have an album coming out at the end of the month with one of my heros, someone I saw play as a teenager and a pair of shoulders on which we all now stand…. Making this record with him has been a big current influence on my creative practice. (So watch my social media for an announcement around 29th October).
And less cryptic, Vula Viel are undergoing a transformation and I’m SUPER excited to share the start of a new chapter / next level with Ruth and Jim on UK and Danish dates:
14th October Rosehill, Brighton
15th October Lighthouse, Poole
16th October Cafe OTO, London
17th October Globe, Newcastle
20th October Birmingham Symphony Hall
22nd October ALICE, Copenhagen
23rd October Jaiyede Jazz Festival, DK
25th October Humble, DK
26th October Jazz i Trekanten, DK
Plus I have another unique happening on 16th October 12-2pm of the first musical meeting with the inspiring Kim Macari. That duo gig is at the beautiful Grand Junction, Paddington for an amazing series called Daylight Music: http://daylightmusic.co.uk/event/336/

Q: And finally, which other musicians are inspiring you right now?

Peter Zummo – always, every interaction we have.
Ruth Goller – not only her playing in VV, but Ruth just released a solo project, Skylla and it’s SO her and so powerful. Every single time I hear it I break a bit more open and she inspires me to be as much me as I can.
Dave Okumu – Check out Knopperz! you will not be sorry… Also there is more coming from Dave these next couple years.
Kim Macari and all the wisdom and work that goes into every note / word.
John Burton (Leafcutter John) for taking responsibility for and physically making every single part of his world to the highest possible level.
Corey Mwamba, Barak Schmool, Rita Ray, Jim Hart for opportune and timely reminders about what’s important.
So grateful to share a bit of time on this planet with these few people and more.