Thursday, June 22, 2017

Simon Sammut: Crossing - A Visual and Music Experience



Immediate Release

EARLY REVIEWS:

The group presents a rock infused sound that is frenetic, yet imbued with purpose. The searing lines of guitarist Marc Galea, fused in a tightly linked groove with Simon’s bass is elevated to a level of enlightened intellectual stature. Each musician clearly connected and creating for the higher good.
-Sylvannia Garutch, The Jazz Word

Sammut’s robust melodic playing and writing captures this emotion with emphasis on the importance of bravery, especially when crossing boundaries, despite all odds. Sammut’s bass solo is melodic and his unique use of chords and double stops is consummate in his playing style.
-Stamish Malcuss, Jazzsensibilities


Simon started his initial studies at a young age and reached advanced levels of music education. After studying piano for a number of years, he started playing electric bass at the age of thirteen. He became captivated by the sound of legendary bass players as James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, Francis Rocco Prestia of Tower of Power, Verdine White of Earth Wind & Fire and Larry Graham. After some lessons with his father Joseph, who himself was an established bass player during his young days, Simon continued to study bass playing and soon established himself as a popular bass player.

At the age of 15, Simon joined his first rock band "Hangover". He quickly moved from playing rock to blues, soul, funk and jazz. Later on he began to play the upright bass. As a performer, he has played with leading musicians and covering a wide span of musical activities.

As he is a fluent reader and a versatile musician with an eclectic taste, he is quite busy and has for quite some time now played with various, musicians, bands and orchestras.

Besides his work as a performer, Simon is equally at home in the roles of composer, arranger, producer and music teacher.

In 2011, Simon produced and released his new solo album entitled "BaSSic Attitude". In this album Simon collaborated with multi-instrumentalist Alexander Kuzmin. The album had received very positive feedback. It has been described as "finely polished jewer of bass goodness". The album's eight instrumental tracks traverse Jazz, Soul, Funk and Pop, including the slow grooving ballad, "Recollection", the latin flavoured "Dos Hijas", the funky "Another Song" and the feel good "Second Avenue”.


1. The Tin Soldier's Last Dance (feat. Tony Sammut, Melchior Busuttil & Angela Grima)
2. Daruma Doll
3. Be the Change (feat. Melchior Busuttil & Jonathan Ellul)
4. Promethean Man (feat. Melchior Busuttil)
5. Crossing (feat. Melchior Busuttil, Tony Sammut, Lena Sammut & Marc Galea)
6. Shades of Ember (feat. Mark Attard, Marc Galea, Melchior Busuttil & Kris Spiteri)
7. Bell Ringer (feat. Melchior Busuttil)
8. Fifty Something (feat. Kevin Abela, Ivan Borg, Godfrey Mifsud, Jesmond Azzopardi, Jonathan Ellul, Tony Sammut & Melchior Busuttil)
9. Frozen Glass
10. Frontier (feat. Melchior Busuttil & Tony Sammut)
11. When Stone Comes to Life (feat. Melchior Busuttil)
12. Princes of Serendip (feat. Jonathan Ellul & Melchior Busuttil)

Tony Sammut: piano
Mark Attard: piano
Melchior Busuttil: drums, percussion, programming
Marc Galea: classical, electric guitars
Jonathan Ellul: electric guitars
Kris Spiteri: melodica
Kevin Abela: trumpet
Ivan Borg: tenor saxophone
Godfrey Mifsud: baritone saxophone
Jesmond Azzopardi: bass, trombone
Marlene Sammut: voice