LJF 2022: Ronan Guilfoyle‘s Ulysses Centenary Project - A Bit of Peregrination

About this event

‘A Bit Of A Peregrination’ – is an extended composition and spoken word piece, inspired by, and featuring passages from James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’.

It is a unique work that uses composition, improvisation and spoken word as a means of exploring the inner world of Joyce’s classic novel. Using music by Ronan Guilfoyle, and text from the book, performed by Janet Moran, and featuring a group of contemporary Irish and French jazz musicians, ‘A Bit Of A Peregrination’ delves into this classic work in a very different way.

Since improvisation forms such an important part of this performance, it becomes an ‘in the moment’ experience for the actor, the musicians and the audience, all of whom have the opportunity to savour the musicality of Joyce, both in his use of music in texts, and in the musicality of his writing, and in so doing discover aspects of his work which may not have been apparent before. The music itself has another unique feature – the use of West African rhythmic techniques in parallel with Joyce’s complex spoken language. This both mirrors, and provides a grooving counterpoint to the complex language of Ulysses.

Lineup:

Janet Moran – Spoken Word

Dominique Pifarely – Violin

Stephane Payen – Alto

Joe O’Callaghan – Guitar

Ronan Guilfoyle – Bass and composition

Ariel Tessier – Drums