The Blue Shroud by Barry Guy
performed by The Blue Shroud Band
Barry Guy’s composition The Blue Shroud is an homage to the painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso. It is for the people of the Basque town who were victims of the Nazi German air force bombardment during the Spanish Civil War. Guy also wants us to remember the occasion in 2003, when the Guernica-tapestry at the UN Security Council was obscured by a blue drape as Colin Powell made the case for invading Iraq. The strength of art against the power of the military, government and the media is a central theme.
Benjamin Dwyer is the guitarist with the Blue Shroud Band (Barry Guy: double bass, Director; Savina Yannatou: voice; Agustí Fernández: piano; Maya Homburger: violin; Fanny Paccoud: viola; Percy Pursglove: trumpet; Torben Snekkestad: soprano saxophone and reed trumpet; Michael Niesemann: alto saxophone and oboe; Per Texas Johansson: tenor saxophone and clarinet; Julius Gabriel: baritone saxophone; Marc Unternährer: tuba; Lucas Niggli: percussion; and Ramón López: percussion).
The film, The Blue Shroud: Live in London is a Dreamsong Film directed by Jonathan C. Creasy. It was filmed live in the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre for the 2019 EFG London Jazz Festival. It was produced by Neil Guerin, Jonathan C. Creasy, and Maya Homburger. ‘The Blue Shroud might just be the crowning achievement in Barry Guy’s long and varied career’ (The New York City Jazz Record).