'Allies', for Soprano Saxophone, Piano and Mixed Chamber Group 

Dave Liebman - soprano sax, Richie Beirach - piano, Nick Smart - trumpet, Matthew Berrill - clarinet, Ronan Guilfoyle - bass, Matthew Jacobson - percussion, Chris String Quartet

‘Allies’ is a piece for mixed chamber group written by Ronan Guilfoyle to celebrate the 70 th birthdays of two of the world’s most prominent jazz musicians – the saxophonist Dave Liebman and pianist Richie Beirach. Liebman and Beirach between them have performed with every major jazz figure since the 1970s. Their associations reads like a who’s-who of jazz, including work with Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner.  Together they have formed one of the great partnerships in modern Jazz, one that stretches back over forty years, and are particularly renowned for the innovative and seamless way they have integrated the language of 20 th Century classical music into contemporary jazz. Ronan Guilfoyle also has a long history of combining classical elements with jazz, and ‘Allies’, using an unusual instrumentation of soprano saxophone, piano, string quartet, clarinet, trumpet, bass and percussion, has been composed to celebrate both Liebman and Beirach’s long partnership, and their trailblazing work in this ‘in the cracks’ area of music. Written for an ensemble containing both jazz and classical musicians, and featuring both composition and improvisation, ‘Allies’ is a celebration of the work of two great allies in musical innovation, and a celebration of how music can transcend category.