TIME Jess Gillam

• Meredith Monk (b. 1942):
• 1 Early Morning Melody (Transcr. Parkin for Soprano Saxophone) 00:59
• Luke Howard:
• 2 Dappled Light 04:12
• Thom Yorke (b. 1968):
• 3 Suspirium (Arr. Rimmer) 03:51
• Philip Glass (b. 1937):
• 4 Truman Sleeps (Arr. Parkin) 02:41
• Anna Meredith (b. 1978):
• 5 Bubble Gun (Arr. Ross) 03:35
• Michael Nyman (b. 1944):
• 6 Where the Bee Dances 16:37
• Will Gregory (b. 1959):
• 7 Orbit 04:21
• Björk (b. 1965):
• 8 Venus as a Boy (Arr. Metcalfe) 04:05
• Max Richter (b. 1966):
• 9 On the Nature of Daylight (Arr. Mackay) 06:21
• Philip Glass:
• 10 Melody for Saxophone No. 10 02:04
• James Blake (b. 1988):
• 11 Retrograde (Arr. Rimmer / Maydew) 03:42
• Joby Talbot (b. 1971):
• 12 Transit of Venus 04:18
• Brian Eno (b. 1948), Jon Hopkins (b. 1979) & Leo Abrahams (b. 1977):
• 13 Emerald and Stone (Arr. Lawson) 02:19
• Total Runtime 59:05

Info for TIME

The recording mirrors the arc of energy in a passing day with two new commissions by Luke Howard and Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory and Nyman’s virtuosic Where the Bee Dances at its heart.

The album mirrors the arc of energy in a passing day and the constant orbit of our existence.

With a huge range of styles, moods and influences, the music offers the listener a space to immerse themselves in an oasis of sound and reflection. Gillam carefully curated the recording to be experienced as a whole, accompanying the listener through the unrelenting cycles of life itself – it will make you want to dance, pause, soar with the melodies or simply just smile.

“Last year I moved to London and quickly became acutely aware of the speed and intensity of life. Everything is in constant orbit: I am orbiting around the world as a musician, there’s the orbit of a day, of thoughts around the mind and I noticed how many people are looking for a place to stop and reflect.

I began thinking about this and wanted to create an album which gives the listener space in which to immerse themselves and perhaps give them a moment away from the world as it is right now. I listen to and love such a huge array of music so the album’s influences range from classical to techno and minimalism to alternative pop!

To me, music can be completely transformative and the experience of watching a live performance or sitting down to listen to an album is one of the only places in modern life where we can completely focus on what is happening before us with no distractions. There are no screens, no instant messaging, just a sense of direct communication. It’s something that requires patience but can be utterly life-affirming.” (Jess Gillam)

At the heart of the album is Where the Bee Dances: minimalist pioneer Michael Nyman’s 20-minute masterpiece for saxophone and orchestra. The incredibly electrifying and technical concerto is one of Gillam’s signature pieces and the work she performed in the final of BBC Young Musician in 2016, launching her career at the age of 17. Played on the album with the Aurora Orchestra and conducted by Nicholas Collon, recorded at Abbey Road, it is a piece that has inspired her from a young age. Nyman is also well known for his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion’s The Piano (1993).

With a passion for pushing the boundaries of the saxophone and always looking to the next chapter of classical music, Gillam has also specially commissioned two new works for the album: Dappled Light by Luke Howard and Orbit by Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory. The rest of the record features vivid contrasts between the intense rhythmic groove of Anna Meredith, the lilting, hypnotic patterns of Brian Eno as well as the hard-edged romanticism of Nyman and the gentle, melancholic whispers of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. There are also arrangements of works from multi-faceted and genre- breaking alternative artists including Björk and James Blake alongside familiar classical names such as Philip Glass, Max Richter and Joby Talbot. There will also be a 10-minute mini-documentary charting the making of the album available nearer the release date.

Australian Music Prize twice-longlisted composer Howard’s Dappled Light is a reflection on early dawn, with a soothing bed of soft piano and marimba sounds. The floating saxophone echoes bird song at the break of the day and growing warmth from strings resembles the sun as it rises.

Gregory, a renowned composer, producer, and saxophonist, composed Orbit as a reflection on the hustle and bustle of day. The saxophone spins around in driving, cyclic melodic patterns, over a relentless arpeggic figure shared by marimba and strings and the groove of a bass synth underlay.

Collaboration is a key component of the album and Gillam’s work. It is the first time the Jess Gillam Ensemble, made up of musician friends, have played and recorded together: the tracks were also refined in the studio with the input of the Ensemble as well as the composers/arrangers themselves. The album was mixed and mastered remotely whilst in lockdown.

“Making this album was one of the best experiences of my life. I was fortunate enough to record with an incredible group of musicians and close friends. The pieces grew and changed and were moulded over a few days and the feeling of collectivity, collaboration and concentration paired with a lot of laughter and smiling made for one of the most inspiring musical environments I’ve experienced. I am very grateful to all the musicians who have contributed to this album and to our wonderful producer Jonathan Allen.

Whilst we were able to get into the studio to record before lockdown, the process since then has been quite different! Due to the restrictions, we were not able to do a photoshoot so I hope you enjoy the homemade nature of the single covers!” (Jess Gillam)

Jess Gillam, saxophone
Jess Gillam Ensemble
Aurora Orchestra
Nick Collon, conductor

Jess Gillam
is a celebrated saxophonist and presenter. With her electrifying performances, vibrant stage presence and magnetic personality, the ‘uniquely mercurial’ (The Times) Jess has been invited to play on the world’s major stages since becoming the youngest ever soloist to perform at the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Equally at home behind the microphone, Jess’ award-winning weekly show, This Classical Life, on BBC Radio 3 is now in its eighth season.

Jess is passionate about broadening the repertoire for the saxophone, especially in the classical sphere. Recent commissions include Glasslands by Anna Clyne premiered with the Detroit Symphony. Other new works include Dani Howard’s Saxophone Concerto, first heard with Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, and Karl Jenkins’s Stravaganza performed to a sold-out BBC Proms audience. Jess held the position of Associate Artist of the Royal Albert Hall until 2025 and is an Artistic Partner of Manchester Camerata.

Jess’ concerto appearances have included performances with the BBC orchestras, DSO Berlin, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Gothenburg, Iceland, Lahti, London, NDR Elbphilharmonie and Sydney Symphony Orchestra as well as the London, Royal Liverpool and Munich Philharmonic, among others. Further afield, concerto highlights in the US have included the Houston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Festival Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.

On the recital stage, Jess is seen performing across Europe, the US and beyond. As a former ECHO Rising Star, Jess has appeared throughout Europe’s most prestigious concert halls, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Wiener Konzerthaus, Konzerthuset Stockholm and Barcelona’s Palau de le Musica.

An exclusive recording artist with Decca Classics, Jess is the first and only saxophonist to be signed to the major label. Both her albums have reached No. 1 in the UK Classical Music Charts and her debut album, Rise, was listed in The Times’ Top 100 albums of 2019. Alongside her weekly Radio 3 show, Jess has presented on BBC Radio 2, co-hosted a mini-series on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and presented at the BBC Proms and BBC Young Musician of the Year.

Jess loves collaboration and has performed with her band throughout the UK and Europe to multiple sold-out audiences at venues and festivals including the Wigmore Hall, Latitude Festival, Mozartfest Augsburg and Bath Festival.

In 2016, Jess Gillam made history after becoming the first saxophonist to reach the Finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year. She has been the recipient of a Classic BRIT Award, a The Times Breakthrough Award nominee and was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2021 for Services to Music. Returning to her roots in Ulverston in Cumbria, Jess continues to promote her own concert series in her hometown, inviting internationally renowned artists, a series she founded at age 12. She is a patron for Young Sounds UK, Music in Secondary Schools Trust, the London Music Fund and is a member of the Council of the Royal Philharmonic Society.

“Not just one of Britain’s most virtuosic instrumentalists, but also an unstuffy, inspiring personality.” The Times

“A true inspiration…she frankly rocks” Huffington Post

“…Gillam produced some astonishing virtuosity. At times her sound was pure bebop, punching out staccato barks like a boxer; in tandem with Noseda she galvanised the LSO as I’ve seldom heard them before.” INEWS

“She became the youngest presenter in Radio 3’s history with her terrifically engaging Saturday show This Classical Life. With or without her sax, she’s a terrific advocate for why music and music-making matters.” The Times

‘Gillam is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic that she wins you over and by the end of its [This Classical Life] half-hour slot I’m left wanting more.’ The Spectator

“There are many more established presenters who lack Gillam’s warmth and impressive ability” The Guardian

“She had the Royal Albert Hall in the palm of her hand” The Telegraph

This album contains no booklet.