An evening devoted to jazz will be on offer at South Street tomorrow night.
Talented saxophonist Johnty Wilks will perform with K Darling for a journey of ambient, improvised melodic jazz to beautiful backdrop projections.
Johnty promises to bring to the Reading arts venue a soft mellow sax tone, combined with electronics while Brazilian K Darling joins him on bass/programming, bringing influences of relaxing Nordic jazz, the warmth of Brazil, jazz noir soundscapes and Ibiza chill out to the concerts.
In the second half of the concert, these visuals will be combined with fantastic animated footage from a new computer game, Azbu, which aims to invoke deep inner peace when played.
Mr Wilks said: “In the second set we will project the computer game Azbu behind us and as we play live. Azbu is a wonderful new computer game with stunning visuals and is based on the inner peace and sense of freedom that are frequently experienced by scuba divers.
“What we like about the game is that it is induces a feeling of inner peace and serenity for the player. It really makes you feel you are in the ocean and produces feelings of freedom, creativity, inner exploration and openness.
“In that way the game is transformative, rather than combative as with many computer games. These values and intentions totally overlap with what we are doing with our music – to invoke and create feelings of deep inner peace and contentment and, if one allows, to also use it for inner exploration.
“Our music when played live also has a improvised and “here and now” quality to it and this also fits in with the philosophy that the makers of the of Azbu had in mind, infact the game will be played “live” by a real experienced gamer, a 15-year-old boy, Tom Wilkinson from Waltham Abbey, in Essex.
“The idea is that the audience can follow Tom on his unique journey on the night while our music invites and guides him to explore the many different parts of the vast oceans and experiences that are to be found in Azbu.
“We also are very thankful to the makers of the game, Giant Squid who are based in Los Angeles, California and have given us permission to project the game while we are playing.”
Support comes from Russ Sargeant, a bass player based in Dudley in the Midlands, who produces the most exquisite ambient, relaxing, bass sounds together with electronics, vocals, synths and looping technologies.
The show takes place on Saturday, February 4 at South Street Arts Centre. Tickets cost £15+ a £2 booking fee.
For more details, call 0118 960 6060 or visit Reading Arts website.
