Mark Wingfield – The Gathering (MoonJune Records, 2024)
Mark Wingfield’s latest album, The Gathering, presents an impressive group of world-class musicians in an ambitious and genre-defying project. The English guitarist collaborates with Gary Husband (keyboards, drums), Asaf Sirkis (drums), and renowned bassists Tony Levin and Percy Jones, crafting a seamless fusion of unapologetically daring composed and improvised music.
The core of the album was recorded in 2021 as a trio with Husband and Sirkis in Spain. Later, bass icons Levin and Jones were brought in to contribute their distinctive styles. Levin, known for his work with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson, contributes to six tracks, while Jones, famed for his fretless innovations with Brand X, energizes four.
The music defies categorization, bridging jazz, rock, mesmerizing electronica and beyond. Wingfield’s elegant and beguiling compositions are open-ended, allowing his collaborators to explore and add their unique voices. This perfectly crafted interplay produces complex, yet accessible music that shifts between introspective beauty and electrifying intensity.
Wingfield’s guitar work stands out for its serpentine melodies and spellbinding atmospheric textures, drawing comparisons to Terje Rypdal and Pat Metheny.
The musicians’ deep connection elevates the project. Sirkis and Wingfield have a long history of collaboration, including albums like Proof of Life (2015) and Tales From a Dreaming City (2018). Husband, celebrated for his work with Allan Holdsworth and John McLaughlin, provides both stability and a creative spark.
Musicians: Mark Wingfield on guitar, soundscapes; Gary Husband on synthesizer, piano, and drums; Asaf Sirkis on drums; Tony Levin on electric upright bass; and Percy Jones on fretless bass.
All songs composed by Mark Wingfield
Recorded by Jesús Rovira at La Casa Murada, Spain.
Cover image by The Trio.
Graphic layout by René von Grünig.
Buy The Gathering