Annwn by Will Barnes Quartet

UK jazz guitarist and composer Will Barnes and his talented Quartet present Annwn, the dreamy and sedate second single to be taken from forthcoming album Outside the Light.

"Annwn" draws on the Welsh concept of "Otherworld," a mysterious and transformative realm, thought to have been entered through a mystical gateway at Pistyll Waterfalls within the Berwyn Mountains of Powys. A land of eternal youth, where nothing is quite as it seems, and souls of the deceased enjoy opulent feasts at the table of Gwyn ap Nudd.

Will Barnes (guitar) is joined by James Batten (drums), Jack Gonsalez (piano), and Clovis Phillips (bass) - a tight collective of experienced jazz instrumentalists from rural Wales. Presenting songs from their acclaimed debut album, ‘Source of the Severn', an exploration of the rugged landscape of Mid Wales and the Marches. Expect music that reflects the rural isolation of their home with roots that penetrate bebop, post-bop, and contemporary jazz. Original compositions are punctuated by inventive reworkings of pop, rock, and jazz standards for an eclectic evening of improvised music.

The quartet released their debut album on AAB Records to critical acclaim in October 2023 and have completed the first leg of a UK tour to sell-out audiences in arts centres and theatres throughout Wales and the Borders. The group has also performed at many of the country's top jazz festivals and clubs, and has been invited to perform on BBC Radio 4's Loose Ends. The quartet now embarks on leg two of their album tour, taking the project further afield, bringing the border landscapes to urban audiences. A slice of the Marches delivered to your door… Hiraeth!

Will Barnes Quartet - Annwn
Release Date 10th October 2025
Label Cambrian Records

Tracklist
1. Will Barnes Quartet - Annwn