Jen Wilson composed and co-arranged Twelve Poems, reimagining works by Dylan Thomas for a small jazz ensemble with vocals. It draws on rhythms in the poetry, Welsh dance tunes, adaptations of Bach and Mozart, and natural sounds. Though not well known – and somewhat eclipsed by Stan Tracey’s Jazz Suite Inspired By Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, after the celebrated radio play – it is a remarkable and original piece.
In 2015, after hearing an excerpt on the radio, I bought a copy, and Jen sent a note with the CD: “I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did making it.” I still enjoy it.
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