groups - Mats Gustafsson

THE THING — MONO

Oct.13, 2011

New cd / lp soooooon out on smalltown supersound
http://www.smalltownsupersound.com/superjazzz/news/
recorded in MONO , played in MONO sounds like MONO… it is MONO!!!!!!!

teaser here:

THE THING W BARRY GUY!!!!

May.28, 2011

Soon on a vinyl close to you… meanhwile, check the clip!!!!

EFG

Apr.16, 2011

EFG

Peter Evans – trumpet and pocket trumpet (USA)

Agustí Fernández – piano (Spain)

Mats Gustafsson – baritone sax, alto fluteophone and slide sax (Sweden)

Acoustic Noise? Distorted Jazz? Misunderstood Improv?

A new international trio of creative musicians exploring unknown and known territories together. Free improvised music with explosive output!

With as different past experiences as collaborations with Anthony Braxton, Peter Brötzmann, Sonic Youth and Barry Guy, and a strong book of solo performances, these musicians create new music with complex layers of poetic beauty.

booking:

danielle@oosterop.com

- cell +31 6 2662 0845 – Amsterdam

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New recording out on vinyl set and CD on Laurence Family / Multi Kulti

“KOPROS LITHOS”

review in spanish:

¡Vaya mierda! Si alguien les deseó aquello de mucha mierda antes de la actuación, Evans, Fernández y Gustafsson respondieron con abundante en el Dragon Club de Poznan (Polonia) donde tuvo lugar el 9 de diciembre de 2009 el concierto contenido ahora en un fósil discográfico. Las excreciones sonoras del trío han quedado condensadas para la eternidad y puede que en un futuro (en el que el hombre quizá vuelva a caminar sobre sus cuatro patas) alguien recoja este coprolito audible y se asombre por el aspecto amorfo de la música de sus antepasados. O puede que no, quizá para entonces sea asunto común la disparidad de formas y no esté en permanente discusión. Como si de aquella escena de Blue in the face (Wayne Wang y Paul Auster) en la que discuten sobre las diferentes formas del excremento (de la mierda, vamos) se tratara, vivimos en un permanente debate sobre el aspecto formal cuando tan válida es la perfecta redondez como la indescifrable figura llena de aristas. Desconozco si el coprolito de la colección de la familia Gustafsson (que ilustra la edición física de la grabación) fue inspiración previa o posterior a la actuación pero mierda y música comparten textura. Es dura (pues está fosilizada… la caca, claro) y a su vez tiene forma indefinida (la música es un constante fluir de libertad estructural y expresiva) a la vez que tiende a una cierta redondez compacta y reconfortante (todo el mundo sabe a qué me refiero, ¿no?). En definitiva, ¡una mierda! Exclamación que espero entiendan Evans, Fernández y Gustafsson como un piropo cuando de un disco titulado Kopros Lithos hablamos.

Por si hubiera alguna duda, de lo que hablo es de un entusiasmo; el mío, despierto gracias a esta joya de coleccionista (la reducida edición de este tipo de grabaciones la convierte de inmediato en tal). Una alegría que constata que los resistentes de la música, los inconformistas (quizá revolucionarios) se buscan y se encuentran allá donde les dejen. No hay muchos lugares donde se permita hoy que tres músicos suban al escenario sin papel alguno y descarguen toda su furia creativa sin edulcorantes, sin premeditada condescendencia. Por eso este tipo de música es la minoritaria entre las minoritarias, porque pocos logran (intentan) asimilar una expresión musical rara vez limitada de antemano por normas (escritas), por formas y argumentos reiterados que, por insistencia, construyen en nuestro inconsciente lugares comunes que brotan sin el más mínimo esfuerzo. Esta música llena de ruidos, onomatopeyas, masas sonoras, disonancias, ritmos rotos, efectos… nos recuerda quizá demasiado a la vida diaria (¡tan caótica!) y preferimos refugiarnos de ella como quien prefiere una película de ocio hollywoodiense a un drama realista del más crudo cine europeo. Aunque puede que nada de lo dicho tenga sentido porque la música de este Kopros Lithos es ciertamente divertida, tiene una evidente esencia lúdica; porque sólo desde la desinhibición más absoluta y el sentido del humor se puede hacer música tan seria. Seria y compleja: partir del vacío es complejo para el compositor sobre un papel pero más serio es el reto cuando tienes ya un público delante y todo por componer. Se me podrá objetar que de tanto lanzarse al vacío hay un mundo de clichés al alcance de la mano, un salvoconducto para hacer frente a problemas de inspiración tan reiterado como las formas que componen esos lugares comunes antes mencionados. De acuerdo pero, precisamente por eso, tiene para mí más valor esta grabación de ruido acústico (así está descrita en el CD, no como música) en la que las ideas fluyen con tal ingenio y precisión; en la que los silencios forman parte natural de una expresión musical que a veces parece olvidarlos; en la que se logran asombrosos empastes sonoros gracias al dominio de todas las formas inimaginables de tocar un instrumento. Y fluye, fluyen las ideas en un continuo sin que la intensidad (creativa) decaiga. Una densa y compacta masa sonora mantenida en el tiempo se va desgajando hasta caer en la reiteración obsesiva y circular de Peter Evans y Agustí Fernández sobre la que el saxo barítono de Mats Gustafsson mantiene un sereno discurso de notas largas (My ears were ringing!); la genial puesta en marcha de My fingers were glue es el paradigma del valor del silencio como materia sonora que va siendo arañada como si sobre ella se fuera esculpiendo un cuadro de pinceladas inicialmente tentativas y después firmes, desatadas y alocadas. De la insólita trompeta theremín (¿eres tú, Peter?) al estallido delirante de las cuerdas del piano bajo el bombardeo de Agustí pasando por el hombre saxofón (lo de Gustafsson no es un humano tocando un saxo, es un organismo integral) cada uno de los tres aporta lucidez, ingenio y virtuosismo a una resultante febril y exuberante.

Me decía un pianista días antes de escribir estas líneas que para escuchar este tipo de música hay que estar predispuesto y que, además, desde la improvisación libre es muy complicado mantener el nivel para que en todo momento la música sea increíble. Estoy de acuerdo con él siempre y cuando concluyamos que es algo común a todas las músicas; que uno necesita estar predispuesto para escuchar (no hablo de oír) cualquier cosa y que el nivel de excelencia continuo rara vez se produce. Pero me temo que su opinión no iba por ahí sino que es reflejo del estigma que todavía padece (incluso entre los profesionales) una forma de hacer música ajena a la reproducción mediante la lectura de notas o la definición de un marco delimitador de la forma y la estructura; como si sólo se nos hiciera comprensible la naturaleza enjaulada. Y aunque pueda ser agradable un paseo por el zoo de todos es sabido que un animal brilla con todo su esplendor en su propio hábitat.

carlos perez cruz

TARFALA TRIO

Apr.06, 2011

TARFALA TRIO

TRIO Guy/Gustafsson/Strid = TARFALA TRIO

Mats Gustafsson – slide, tenor and baritone saxes, fluteophone

Barry Guy – bass

Raymond Strid – drums

EXPLOSIVE, HIGH ENERGY LOADED FEROCIOUS MUSIC focusing on LOW DYNAMIC MELODIC MATERIAL…

The Tarfala TRIO has its roots from 1992, meeting at the SOLO- 92 fest in stockholm, Sweden. From 2011 we are re- starting this beast!

With the release of SYZYGY on No Business Records the Tarfala Trio will hit clubs and festivals again. a spectacular 2 LP set + limited 7″ will be released at the beginning of summer 2011.

a late spring tour of 2011 will be done to celebrate the awakening… chcek tour dates for details.

next period in 2011 will be :28th nov – 2nd dec .

But the Tarfala trio is open for occasional festival gigs the whole year.

After that first encounter in 1992, the trio has worked sporadically and played festivals in Europe and releasing 2 Cds on Maya Recordings. The members of the group have also worked together in different duos, large ensembles ( BGNO, NU – ensemble etc) and small formations with a.o. Marilyn Crispell, Sten Sandell, Agusti Fernandez a.o.

please contact Danielle Oosetrop for furter info and bookings:

contact : danielle@oosterop.com

- cell +31 6 2662 0845 – Amsterdam

Latest reviews:

Mats Gustafsson/Barry Guy/Raymond Strid, Vienna Blue Tomato, 18 November 2009

November 23, 2009 by viennesewaltz

The first of two thrilling free jazz gigs at the Blue Tomato in the space of three days. What with these two, and the Sonore/Thing soundclash last month, this unassuming venue in the wilds of the 15th district is at the very top of its game right now. Ken Vandermark says that this place and Alchemia in Krakow are the two best jazz clubs in Europe, and he should know.

Whenever I’ve seen Mats Gustafsson play before, it’s been with Peter Brötzmann – either with Sonore, or as part of the Chicago Tentet. He’s always been a powerful presence, but at the same time he’s occasionally been overshadowed by the ferocity of Brötzmann’s blowing. Last time I saw the Tentet at Porgy & Bess, it seemed to me that the Swedish saxophonist’s prodigious physicality was underused. The solution, naturally, is to give the man his own trio – and that’s precisely what we got at the Blue Tomato this week.

I say that, but of course this was a long way from being The Mats Gustafsson Trio. (Sidenote: with the exception of the Schlippenbach Trio, you just don’t get that highlighting of one person as the leader in the names of free improv groups, which is just as it should be.) Joining Gustafsson were Barry Guy on double bass and Raymond Strid on drums, neither of whom I had seen play live before. Guy, however, was known to me through his work with Evan Parker and Paul Lytton – in fact, Parker/Guy/Lytton’s Live at the Vortex album on Emanem was the first free improv record I ever heard, and for that reason it’s an album I cherish with great affection.

Anyway, the point is that each member of this trio contributed equally to the great firestorm of sound that was kicked up. Strid was a consistently agile and forceful percussionist, as well as being great fun to watch with his varied approach to his cymbals, gongs and whatnot. Guy, meanwhile, was simply breathtaking. I’ve never really “got” the double bass before, it’s always seemed a little bit too trad-jazzy for my liking (Ingebrigt Håker Flaten’s assault on the instrument notwithstanding). But I sure as heck “got” it tonight, as Guy proceeded to play the bass in ways I never knew were possible. Switching fluidly between arco and pizzicato, he stuck sticks between the strings, rapidly and expertly travelled his way up and down the length of the neck, and generally flayed hell out of the thing. And he did so with, often, the broadest of smiles on his face. It was sheer joy to behold.

As for Gustafsson, his playing on the saxophone was overwhelming. Whether he’s soloing tenderly and lyrically, producing a range of unusual sounds by tonguing the reed, or delivering a majestically deep and resonant melody, the man is never less than compelling. And the strength of his commitment to live performance couldn’t be clearer. With his face getting redder and redder, the sweat dripping off him and his veins threatening to burst at any time, Gustafsson is a viscerally enthralling performer.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Mats Gustafsson, Barry Guy and Raymond Strid, Zaal België (Hasselt), 14/09/09

Last Saturday (14 November 2009), we went to a live performance of Barry Guy, Raymond Strid and Mats Gustafsson in Zaal België (Hasselt – Belgium). That was one of the most amazing, challenging and inspiring freejazz concerts of this year.

When we entered the venue, the concert just started – so we kind of missed the beginning which is a pitty since we missed the initial start of the set. But after some minutes (and enjoying our first Duvel) we immediately are “in the groove”. The set is dark, raw, explosive, intimate and adventurous at the same time. The musicians are constantly challenging each other and each one is giving the other enough time to develop an idea, a route to go, a path to follow. The rest jumps onto that idea and so the set is not one single second a moment of hesitation, a moment you have the idea they are losing it. Not at all. But that would be a surprise when you know who’s playing.

First thing that amazed me was the drumming skills of Raymond Strid. That man is a drumming genius! He can make up complete stories with his percussion set, he switches from firm “jazz drumming” to complete free noodling and uses a wide range of other things besides his drumming sticks (chains, bells, metal sheets, …).

Than we have Barry Guy on double bass. First time I saw him live and … oh my God … I’m sorry, but I don’t know enough English words to describe what that man is doing with his instrument. You need to see it with your own eyes or you won’t believe it! From “classical” playing to going completely (and I do mean completely) insane, using his hands (off course), but also long iron needles (that he squeezed in between two snares to generate a sort of resonating sound) and drum sticks. I had no idea there is such a variety of sound hidden in this big instrument.

And finally, someone I’ve been addicted to since his 1999 release “The Education Of Lars Jerry” (released on CD and LP on Xeric), Mats Gustafsson on sax. What can I say that hasn’t been said before? The man is a musical omnivore (anything from smooth jazz to punk rock to noise), an extremely talented musician and a beast on his sax in the best Peter Brötzmann tradition. The only problem I have is he releases too much in one year … and almost all of his releases are superb!

This was easily one of the best freejazz live gigs of this year (it was even better than the Vandermark5 one, early this year in the same venue).

As usual, I couldn’t resist to go to the merch table and picked up some goodies. One album I’ve listened to (already three times) is an album from Bary Guy and Mats Gustafsson “Sinners, rather than saints” – released this year on NoBusiness Records (great label, check what they already released!)

There’s a great review about it on Freejazz Stef. I suggest you read it, that should convince you to get yourself a copy of this amazing album.

Absolutely recommended!

You Forget to Answer (liner notes)

Age four to twelve, my greatest pleasure was to catch frogs. These years of earnest experience tell me that there is a special skill involved in frog catching, one might even say an art. You see, it’s not just a matter of speed or power – if you do nothing but lunge quick and hard, the frog will simply spring from its perch and out of your grasp. The art of frogging is more a matter of finding just the right moment to strike, of selecting precisely the time to move your hand at precisely the speed and in precisely the same arc traced out by the leap of the frog. It’s precise work to snare the web-foot.

The way to find that moment and that vector entails something more than guesswork or luck. You have to empathize with the amphibian. For a split second you’ve got to imagine yourself the frog. This is essential, for the frog already knows the art of frog-catching. He’s honed his craft on flies, mosquitoes, and water-bugs, sure, but at heart he’s a frogger just like you. So, if possible you must identify with the frog, visualize the insect it’s about to devour, choose the same moment to jump that he would, that he inevitably, irrevocably will choose. You have to pick the frog’s brain, because there’s one right time to act, and only the frog knows when that is. The frog is the master.

Ultra-slow motion study: the frog and your hand begin to move at the same instant, his rear legs reach full extension as he leaves the ground, your fingers curl around them, cradling them in motion and gliding together like an ice-skating team or Astaire and Rogers; bulbous eyes closed flat against his head, front arms tucked in, he’s a cannonball mid-air when all of a sudden >FLASH< your hand jerks closed and the show’s over. The frog is yours.

Guy, Gustafsson and Strid make their music difficult to capture with tools as blunt and lethargic as words. One is tempted to lunge at it, but it just wriggles away. The trio’s sound is an accumulation of precisely timed movements: elements of steady determination, strategy, even calculation, but also, once the move is started, a force of lightning quickness and tensile strength. Nothing hesitant, nothing unsure. This is frogging music, no doubt in my mind. A form of improvising that requires the same kind of deep emphatic relations. To communicate at a level not just reactive – the brutality of scaring frogs into nets, or of simple question-answer improvising – but truly emphatic. To visualise the fly through the frog’s eyes.

You Forget To Answer: perhaps there’s no response because once that deep empathy occurs it pre-empts conventional communication routes. If we both ask the same question at the same time, who’s supposed to reply? In its temporal seizures, Barry’s bass at times seems to anticipate what the Swedes will do, like those rare outings in which you see the frog about to jump and get there first; you know before he does, and he literally hops into your hand. The emphatic circulation runs through many other networks: Mats’s uncanny ability to grasp and redirect energies, Raymond’s radiant projection of a center of gravity.

Make the grab at the wrong time, the croaker plunks away, rings on the pond. But become the batrachian and you’ve already snared him.

John Corbett, Chicago, June 1996

another heavy azz release!!!

Mar.19, 2011

a new SWEDISH AZZ release: our full lenght album is here!!!

AZZ APPEAL AZZ APPEAL AZZ APPEAL!!!!!

this is what we do:
1. Side A: Full opus 3 – Fånerier, nr 8 – Full opus 4 / PH Wallin [08:30]
2. Side A: Karl- Bertil Jonsson 14 år / G Svensson [02:30]
3. Side A: Lidingö Airport / B Nilsson + Visa från Utanmyra / trad-Jan Johansson [10:30]
4. Side B: Hugin och Munin / G Riedel + Fedja / L Gullin [16:05]
5. Side B: Elysium / L Werner [06:08]

and of course only on vinyl…. this time on 12″ format… the previous relesaes has been on 11″ (!) and 7″… plaese check the great label Not Two Records web for more information:

http://www.nottwo.com/index.php

RELEASE DATE march 21st 2011 !!!!

SOME ETHIOPIAN ACTIVITY!!!!!

Mar.07, 2011

The EX with Paal Nilssen – Love & Mats Gustafsson together with Getatchew Mekuria, Melaku and other friends……

Ongoing tour with swedish azz…..

Feb.15, 2011

FIRE! NY HEMSIDA !!!!

Feb.08, 2011

nu rullar den…. the new homepage of FIRE!

http://www.earthwindand.com/

the mighty micke K have done it again!

check it out… and hold your horses until the new album… LP & CD… is out on Rune grammofon later this spring… FIRE! & Jim O `Rourke , recorded in Japan… all music from outer and inner space…