GP
Hall is an English guitarist, composer and improviser fusing and
mixing both traditional and avant-garde styles. Raised in the East
End of London, Hall was schooled in classical, flamenco and jazz
playing and developed his skills as a guitarist in the British blues
boom of the late 1960s.
Hall
went on to play at celebrated London venues including The
Roundhouse,
the Middle Earth club and the 100 Club (where he was a resident
player). He supported the likes of Deep
Purple,
The
Hollies,
and Chris
Farlowe
and played on stage with original American blues heroes John
Lee Hooker
and Sonny
Boy Williamson.
Hall's
musical approaches began to broaden in the early 1970s. He spent some
time living with Romani musicians (studying with renowned flamenco
guitarist Manitas de Plata) and subsequently became involved in more
avant-garde work.
In
1972, Hall was commissioned by the South Hill Park Arts Centre in
Bracknell to write The Estates - a "large and complex"
musical piece intended to depict the breakdown of established
communities to make way for the New Town of Bracknell. The piece was
scored for a large ensemble centred around guitar, bass, clarinet,
glockenspiel, hammer dulcimer, assorted percussions and two specially
prepared piano frames. The Estates was recorded and released on album
by Prototype Records in 1972.
From
the mid 70s through to the early 80s Hall's career was dogged by
personal trauma, He suffered from
depression and became homeless and destitute on several occasions.
Since
recovering he has made over ten albums including the 1995 album
Imaginary Seasons.
Embarkation
I was always intrigued and fascinated by journeys, be they physical or metaphysical.
A
crowded airport, train station, or docks, make for imaginary travel.
Where are people going? Where are they from?
The
journey of life has trillions of embarkation points but only one
arrival and where that is only time will tell. Where will the future
embarkation platforms be - maybe on other worlds?
When
composing this music it was as detailed. Do I add or take away notes?
Is the space between the notes long or short? Is the tone hard or
soft? Is it the silence that has more impact? Was I inspired by the
ocean, the mountains, love, or a sunset behind an abandoned
industrial site? Well, everything.
-
GP Hall 2012
