20100215

AUDIBLE THINK: Jorrit Dijkstra & John Hollenbeck, 2/17/10

The Audible Think Improvised Music Series at Gallery X, 169 William Street, New Bedford, MA presents:

Wednesday, 17 February 2010
JORRIT DIJKSTRA and JOHN HOLLENBECK
2 sets, 7:30pm, $5/suggested



Jorrit Dijkstra - alto sax, lyricon, analog electronics

John Hollenbeck - drums, percussion, toys


"...improv electronica? grotesque minimalism? cyborg jazz? soundscapes for human drum machine and autoharp?", "...textures that never existed before and will never be heard again..."
(Nate Dorward in www.parisatlantic.com)


John Hollenbeck and Jorrit Dijkstra have been playing duets on and off since 1998. In their improvisations they investigate the minuscule details within the sonic palette of their instruments by “zooming in” to a whole new world of sonic textures. With the help of some analog electronics, they place their sounds under an imaginary microscope, to orchestrate the overtones, micro-beats, wind flows, clicking of the pads, impact of the stick on the drumhead, and sub tone effects, without losing their strong sense of melody and groove. They also share an interest in improvising with multiple-tempo layerings, melodic cells, cut and paste methods, extended techniques and integrating uncommon (analog) instruments such as the Autoharp and the Lyricon. Their music shows influences from Ornette Coleman, Steve Lacy, György Ligeti, and Conlon Nancarrow, as well as minimalists like Morton Feldman, and ambient music pioneer Brian Eno. Their debut CD “Sequence” on Trytone Records has received critical acclaim in the international press.


Saxophonist and composer Jorrit Dijkstra has been an active member of Amsterdam’s vivid jazz and improvisation scene since 1985, before moving to Boston early 2002. The critical press compares his clear, flexible sound and lyrical improvisation to Ornette Coleman, Paul Desmond and John Zorn, showing the broad spectrum of his saxophone style. Besides the alto saxophone he plays the Lyricon (the first electronic wind instrument from the 70’s) and uses electronics to process his saxophone sounds live on stage. He has released ten CDs of his own music on the Songlines, BVHaast, Trytone, Skycap and Clean Feed labels, and he has worked with Anthony Braxton, Gerry Hemingway, Herb Robertson, Barre Phillips, John Butcher, Willem Breuker, and Guus Janssen. In 1995 he received the prestigious Podium Prize from the Dutch Jazz Foundation, and in 1998 a Fulbright grant to study and teach at the New England Conservatory in Boston. As a composer, Jorrit has written commissions for the Amstel Saxophone Quartet, Tetzepi Big Band, Kaida, Duo X, and The Harvard Jazz band. Jorrit is current projects include The Flatlands Collective (with musicians from Chicago) and his eight-piece ensemble Pillow Circles, commissioned by the North Sea Jazz Festival 2009. In Boston he is active with Curt Newton, Pandelis Karayorgis, James Coleman and Steve Drury.


John Hollenbeck’s journey has been one of the most remarkable in contemporary music. Building on a wealth of experience in jazz and world styles as well as a deep interest in contemporary composition and spiritual practice, he has forged a lyrical new musical language, as accessible and expressive as it is advanced. He has worked with many of the world’s leading musicians in jazz (Bob Brookmeyer, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Kenny Wheeler), world music (Pablo Ziegler), and new music (Meredith Monk). John Hollenbeck was named as both the Rising Star Composer and the Rising Star Arranger of the Year in the 2008 & 2009 Down Beat Magazine’s Critics Poll. Down Beat magazine has in previous years recognized him as a “Rising Star” in the Composer, Jazz Artist, Arranger, Big Band, and Jazz Group (Claudia Quintet) categories. John’s first large ensemble recording, A Blessing, received a 2006 Grammy Nomination, and in 2007, John was awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2009, John self-released a CD of chamber music, “Rainbow Jimmies”, comprised of recent commissioned pieces which feature: The Claudia Quintet, Mark Stewart, Todd Reynolds, Ethos Percussion Group, Youngstown State Percussion Ensemble and Saxophone Quartet. In addition, the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble released its second recording, “eternal interlude” in August 2009. For more info: www.johnhollenbeck.com.