Moritz Von Oswald Trio at Unsound 2010 (more by Greg Cristman)

UNSOUND had it's first NYC event over the course of ten days in February with artists like Moritz Von Oswald Trio, Aidan Baker, Carl Craig, and a ton of others. Now the Polish organizers will make their return to NYC from in April 2011 (the 6th through 10th) for a gang of musical acts as well as "workshops, discussions and experimental events". So far the lineup hasn't been announced, save for one performance:

Making its USA premiere at Unsound Festival will be a new Unsound-commissioned project by Ben Frost & Daníel Bjarnasson, with "film manipulations" by Brian Eno and Nick Robertson. The ambitious project will celebrate the 50th anniversary (2011) of the publication of Krakow writer Stanislaw Lem's novel Solaris and will feature Frost / Bjarnasson collaborating with Sinfonietta Cracovia, one of Poland's leading orchestras.
Written for 29 string players, 2 percussionists, prepared piano, guitars and electronics, Music For Solaris has its beginnings in both Lem's original novel and the 1972 film adaptation by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky. It is a re-imagined soundtrack for a film so still as to become almost absent, a story in sound, and an exploration of an interior cosmos. It is music written by human beings, removed and mutated by machine intelligence, then translated once more by human beings.

Integral to the project are a series of "film manipulations" by Brian Eno and Nick Robertson, drawing on moments from the original Tarkovwsky film to create a visual parallel to the music composition process. The performance will also mark the release of the album Music For Solaris.

More details about the NYC event are forthcoming, but the work will make its world premiere "at Unsound Festival on the 24th of October 2010 in Krakow Poland. It will then be recorded in Krakow, for release as an album on the Icelandic label Bedroom Community."

Ben Frost meanwhile is scheduled to open the sold-out Swans show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on 10/8. Brian Eno is currently streaming his new album Small Craft on a Milk Sea, due in November via Warp.

by Alex Lewis

Sam Amidon @ Big Ears Fest (more by Andrew Frisicano)

Sam Amidon sung the very first note at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville on Friday. Overshadowed on the festival's bill by the likes of famed rock bands (The National, Vampire Weekend) and legendary composers (Terry Riley), many of the badge-wearing festival attendees didn't know what to expect when the tall, flannel-wearing Vermont-native's strange voice filled the Knoxville Museum of Art. But they were soon won over.

In retrospect he was perfect for the role. As a musician who has illuminated elements of Americana, past and present, through his re-imaginings of traditional Appalachian songs Amidon has become a vital member of the contemporary folk community. In the spirit of Big Ears, his music relies on collaboration. Along with Thomas Bartlett (also known as Doveman) and composer Nico Muhly he is a member of the 802 tour, whose performances are beautiful syntheses of three varied musical minds. Amidon had three scheduled performances at the festival. I caught up with him backstage at the Bijou Theater.

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How did you end up at Big Ears?

Sam: It was through the 802 Tour. We [Nico Muhly, Thomas Bartlett, Nadia Sirota, and I] had done a tour about two summers ago and it was a total blast. So we are always looking to do, not necessarily another tour, but some more shows because we love playing together. While we're all pretty busy, it's usually hard to find a time. But this weekend worked out. Another factor was Bryce [Dessner], someone who we all encounter in different capacities and there are so many people here who we know and play with. For instance, Thomas plays keyboards with The National. There were just so many wonderful musicians so we were totally happy to come play.

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Continue reading "an interview with Sam Amidon (at Big Ears)"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Daníel Bjarnason - Bow to String I. "Sorrow Conquers Happiness" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Efterklang - Modern Drift (MP3)

Daníel Bjarnason...

Tonight's Efterklang's show at (Le) Poisson Rouge (3/3) has been merged with the club's earlier show, which adds Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason and the banjo playing Sam Amidon to the bill. Tickets are on sale.

Part of the reason for the new lineup is the fact that Balmorhea, who was to open Efterklang's entire tour had to cancel due to a family emergency. As a result the band's tour schedule had been updated with new openers, posted below. Efterklang will also be touring without violin+ player Peter Broderick, who has to tend to "a knee surgery that isn´t healing properly." Best of luck to both of them.

All three of the bands playing have records that just came out, or are coming out shortly. Efterklang's Magic Chairs came out February 23rd. "Modern Drift" from it is posted above.

Bjarnason's debut album, Processions, came out on the Bedroom Community label on March 2nd. "Sorrow Conquers Happiness," the full-throttle first part of his Bow to String concerto, which opens the record, is posted above. Its multi-track cellos evoke a range of sounds from clanging chains and machine gun taps to spiraling riffs and even a bit of tender melody.

At age 30, Daníel Bjarnason is already a veteran of Iceland's music scene, and his compositions have received international acclaim in recent years. As co-founder and chief conductor of the Isafold Chamber Orchestra, he's recorded two discs of modern classical music on the 12 Tónar label....He has lent his talents to artists on the other side of the alleged classical/rock divide--Ólöf Arnalds, Pétur Ben, Hjaltalín, and, most famously, Sigur Rós, collaborating with that band at its Abbey Road sessions with the London Sinfonietta--before creating Processions with producer and Bedroom Community co-founder Valgeir Sigurðsson.

He'll be joined at the show by cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdottir, pianist Vicky Chow, and others.

Sam Amidon's new record, I See the Sign, comes out on Bedroom Community on April 20th. Among the guests on the album is Beth Orton, who Amidon opened for in January. He plays a record release show at 92YTribeca on April 10th with Thomas Bartlett (Doveman). Tickets are on sale.

Its amazing lead single, "How Come That Blood," is available here. Sam was recently featured on the World Cafe, which you can stream online.

Sam Amidon will be part of the Whale Watching Tour, which'll pair him with Bedroom Community labelmates Ben Frost (who plays at Big Ears with Tim Hecker), Nico Muhly (who plays with Doveman at the Kitchen March 18th and 19th), Valgeir Sigurðsson, and a band of musicians across Europe this April and May. Tour dates for that and more are below...

Continue reading "Daníel Bjarnason & Sam Amidon have new albums & shows, both opening for Efterklang (because Balmorhea cancelled)"