There Be Monsters... grew from Thorp’s interest in writing descriptive jazz, using composition and improvisation to explore stories and ideas around fear, loneliness, resilience, nature and the unknown.
Originally inspired by an unusual piece of landscape discovered when walking his dog, Tom Thorp developed a body of work based on a wide range of myths and legends from around the world, taking the listener on a journey through the characters, stories and themes of human mythologies, from Celtic legends of dragons and kelpies to the creatures of 1001 Arabian Nights, Greek mythology and the Mongolian Steppe.
Here, There Be Monsters is an album brimming with programmatic flourishes, musical imagery and virtuosic improvisations. The intriguing tales within ILUMETRIS’ music will come to life during their series of live shows.
Performed by Thorp’s quintet ILUMETRIS – Neil Yates (trumpet, flugelhorn), Andy Stamatakis-Brown (piano), Grant Russell (bass) and John Arnesen (drums) – the music draws on myths and folklore including phoenixes, giants, pixies and the Minotaur.
The musicians perform surrounded by Bridger’s original paintings, illustrations, digital prints and animations, bringing the stories and characters behind Thorp’s compositions to life through music and visuals.