Simeon May

“Heroes EP”

(Self Released – available via Bandcamp)

Simeon May – saxophones, Tara Cunningham – guitar, Caius Williams – double bass

I first met multi-reeds player Simeon May at a performance at the Marr’s Bar in Worcester by a quintet led by the Polish born guitarist and composer Jakub Klimiuk. This was an excellent gig that showcased the impressive talents of all five musicians and which is reviewed here.
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/jakub-klimiuk-quintet-music-spoken-here-the-marrs-bar-worcester-31-10-2024

Playing both tenor sax and bass clarinet May also makes a vital contribution to the success of the Klimiuk Quintet’s debut album “(un)balanced”, released in 2024. It’s an assured and remarkably mature debut that features some excellent writing and playing, not least from May.

Away from the Klimiuk quintet I’ve also enjoyed May’s playing on two recordings by the saxophonist and composer Asha Parkinson. On both “Onwards” (2022) and “Possession” (2024) May plays baritone sax and bass clarinet as part of Parkinson’s ensemble Kalpadruma. Both recordings are reviewed elsewhere on The Jazzmann.
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/asha-parkinsons-kalpadruma-onwards
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/asha-parkinson-possession

Other live sightings of May include seeing him play tenor sax with drummer and composer David Ola’s Lucumi Project at the 2024 Cheltenham Jazz Festival. This was an unusual ensemble that also featured trumpet, electric bass and three steel pan players. It was a highly enjoyable performance that was reviewed as part of my Festival coverage here;
https://www.thejazzmann.com/features/article/saturday-at-cheltenham-jazz-festival-04-05-2024

Later in 2024 I saw May perform on tenor saxophone and flute as part of Anmol, a sextet led by the Nepalese drummer, percussionist and composer Anmol Mohara. This was part of the Guildhall Jazz Festival, an annual two day event at the Milton Court Concert Hall celebrating the work of the students and alumni of the Jazz Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. It falls under the wider umbrella of the annual EFG London Jazz Festival. My review of the Anmol group’s performance can be found as part of my Festival coverage here;
https://www.thejazzmann.com/features/article/guildhall-jazz-festival-milton-court-concert-hall-london-20-24-november-2024

Although I’ve enjoyed his playing both in the live environment and on disc I’ve been able to find out precious little about May online. Thanks to his involvement at the Guildhall Jazz Festival I assume him to be a graduate of that institution, although I couldn’t be categorical about that.

In addition to his impressive contributions as a sideman May has also issued two albums as a leader. Both are live recordings and feature a trio of May on tenor sax alongside bassist Harry Pearce (also known as Kinzan) and drummer Theo Guttenplan. Largely featuring May’s original compositions, plus the occasional standard, both “Live at MAP Studio Cafe” and “Live At Avalon Cafe” (2023) are available in the digital format via May’s Bandcamp page.

His latest release, also available digitally via Bandcamp, is “Heroes”, an EP that introduces a new trio featuring guitarist Tara Cunningham, previously heard with trumpeter Laura Jurd, and rising star bassist Caius Williams.

Just seventeen minutes long the EP features three May compositions and commences with the title track. “Heroes”, not to be confused with the David Bowie song, features the warm tones of May’s tenor sax floating above the rich lattice of Cunningham’s inventive guitar chording and the resonances of Williams’ grounding bass. Later guitar and bass come to the fore in an absorbing dialogue as May temporarily steps back, before returning towards the end of the piece.

A version of the ballad “Dance” also appears on the “Live at Avalon Cafe” album. It takes on a different form in this drummer-less ‘chamber jazz’ setting with the delicate interplay of guitar and bass again underpinning May’s breathy tenor sax explorations. The excellent Cunningham makes a particularly strong contribution to the success of this track and looks to be another star in the making, as evidenced by her involvement with Laura Jurd’s latest project.

The closing “Love and Marriage” (not to be confused with the Frank Sinatra song written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn) is obviously one of May’s favourite original compositions. Versions of it also appear on both live albums. Featuring one of May’s most memorable melodies the piece is also the vehicle for his most expansive soloing to date, his playing gently exploratory, but also tightly controlled. Williams’ melodic double bass solo is underpinned by the delicate tracery of Cunningham’s guitar chording.  May then returns to deliver a closing theme statement, with attendant variations, including an unaccompanied tenor sax cadenza towards the close.

The “Heroes” EP makes for interesting and absorbing listening and features some excellent playing from a particularly well balanced trio – interestingly Cunningham and Williams also work together as a duo. It presents a different side of May than that heard with the Klimiuk, Parkinson and Mohara groups and offers further evidence of his versatility as a saxophonist. It’s also a good introduction to his abilities as a composer, something that can be explored further by listening to his two live albums. I’d certainly be interested in seeing a live performance from May as the leader of his own group, be it the Cunningham / Williams trio or the earlier Pearce / Guttenplan line-up.

All of May’s three recordings as a leader can be sourced via his Bandcamp page;
https://simeonmay.bandcamp.com/music

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