Audio/Video
In 2018 Bergen ImproStorband released an album with commissioned impro pieces by composer Knut Vaage and improviser Per Zanussi. Available on Spotify and other digital platforms.
(If you are interested in acquiering the physical LP and the notebook with the scores please contact us)
About the pieces:
Side A: AD LIB
Ad Lib is based on a material developed through improvisation. The score shows the ideas and the structure, and the musicians have to fill each idea with their own sound. An aim is to create a polyphonic metamorphosis from one part to the next one. The notation is without exact timing, so the performers move from part to part by cues made intuitively by listening to the sound-landscapes that evolve during each run-through.
The recording of Ad lib was done in one take live in studio, and there were no cuts during post-production, only mixing and mastering. We did it that way to keep the feeling of a natural flow throughout the whole piece, like we all experienced it in the studio.
Ad lib was commissioned and premiered (at Landmark in January 2015) by Bergen Improstorband. For the recording session in January 2018, the score was slightly changed and adapted to the LP-format, and with a few changes in instrumentation. I am extremely happy to dedicate this piece to Bergen Improstorband for their great spirit of freedom and enthusiasm for the music itself.
Knut Vaage, July 2018
Side B: LI 4
Side B: LI 4 for Bergen Improstorband is a collection of modules for improvising musicians.
Each module is based on one or more ideas derived from formations and patterns occurring everywhere in nature: Ripples and dunes, cloud patterns, angular patterns, meanders and so on.
The patterns in Nature, aka ”Li”, can be thought of as snapshots of certain moments in dynamic processes, where energy and form interact, similar to how music works. The forms of the natural patterns are mainly simple, but their content can be complex.
The piece on this recording was made through collective improvisation, with some instructions, pitches or frameworks inspired by the natural patterns.
Each section of the piece was recorded live over the course of one intense session, and edited together afterwards: Rather than creating a complete score from A to B (since this was a recording session and not a concert) I wanted to see if I could use the studio situation to create the form of the piece as we went along. I think the piece turned out great, especially because of the excellent musical contributions, discipline and enthusiasm of Bergen Improstorband and the wonderful Iver Sandøy.
Li 4 is the fourth installment in a series of pieces based on these patterns in Nature, and my process behind them is documented at www.naturalpatterns.no. My compositional ”toolbox” (from which this piece has been constructed) can also be found here.
Per Zanussi, August 2018
Musicians:
Sindre Sortland: Theremin (on Ad lib), Arne Sandvoll: Theremin (on Li 4), Lars Topho Nordtveit: Drums/percussion, Eilert Tøsse: Alto sax/ field recordings, Espen Lund: Trumpet, Tore Warland: Drums/percussion, Kristoffer Riis: Guitar, Bjørn Ognøy: Guitar/ field recordings, Eirik Havnes: Guitar/electronics, Ivan Andre Paulsen: Brass bowls /electronicsOlav Tveitane: Cittern (on Ad lib) Double bass (on Li 4), Eline Rafteseth: Double bass, Ole André Farstad: Guitar/effects/ field recordings, John Hegre: Guitar/effects/ field recordings, Knut Vaage: Temple bowl & cues (on Ad Lib), Per Zanussi: Hohner Organa& Synth (on Li 4)
Recorded by Iver Sandøy in Duper Studio @ Bergen Kjøtt 17th & 18thof January 2018. AD LIB mixed by Iver Sandøy & Knut Vaage @ Solslottet studio. LI 4 mixed by Iver Sandøy & Per Zanussi @ Solslottet studio. Mastered by Iver Sandøy @ Solslottet studio. Cover design & layout: Robert Høyem. Released with support from Bergen Kommune
You can find Bergen Improstorband on Bandcamp
And check out our tracks on Soundcloud
Bergen ImproStorband w/Anla Courtis feedback pieces 2015 & 2019
Bergen ImproStorband invited musician/composer Anla Courtis (ARG) to work with the band , and together we performed a feedback piece at Bergen Kjøtt back in 2015. In 2019 we had Anla back in Bergen and did another version with different musicians and instrumentation, elaborating the feedback diffusion around the spaces of Landmark/Upstairs/Foaje at Bergen Kunsthall.
Video from concert at Bergen Kjøtt in 2015
http://bergenimprostorband.com/watch-bis-anla-courtis-at-bergen-kjott/
An article about Anla Courtis in Ballade back in 2007:
http://www.ballade.no/sak/anla-courtis-argentiner-pa-offensiven/