Carliot Orchestra Residency

Holmlander graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, but it wasn’t until he saw the Willem Breuker Kollektief at Umeå Jazz Festival that he decided to practice music professionally. The second formative stage in his career was when he discovered Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention. The young Holmlander soaked Zappa’s music up like a sponge. Soon, he started listening to Varèse, Dolphy, Kirk and Stockhausen. But before Holmlander, you’d be hard pressed to find a tubist in the world of improvisation.

“Us tubists have no Coltrane. Saxophonists have a rich musical tradition that they can build upon. That’s why if you have star potential, you’re never going to pick the tuba as your instrument of choice”, Holmlander says about his life choices. What he neglects to add however, is that it’s difficult to find a better tubist in contemporary improvised music than himself.

Per-Âke Holmlander Fot. K. Penarski

And if you think the tuba might not be the most obvious choice for a jazzman and improviser, the cimbasso (a type of brass trombone) is practically sensational. And Per-Åke Holmlander is able to generate a wonderful palette of musical colours from both these instruments. He has worked with Ken Vandermark’s Territory Band and Resonance Ensemble, The Frontroom Ensemble, London Jazz Composers Orchestra, Fredrik Ljungkvist and his Yun Kan 5 & 10, Torden Kvartetten, Mats Gustafsson’s Fire! Orchestra and Nu Ensemble, Paal Nilssen-Love’s Large Unit, Peter Brötzmann’s Chicago Tentet, and took part in the recording of over a hundred albums. But music isn’t his only passion and occupation – he has been involved in many theatrical productions, composed, directed, and even acted.

That’s why Holmlander’s new project – Carliot – It’s Never Too Late Orchestra Plays the Heard & Unheard Music from Theatre, Dance and More – will be not just a sum of musical inspirations, but also experience he gained working on theatrical and dance productions

Carliot Orchestra took its name from Holmlander’s second name. According to the artist, he is the only person in Sweden with that name. The orchestra features the remarkable saxophonist Anna Högberg, who recorded Attack, one of the most significant jazz albums of 2016. Mats Gustafsson called Högberg’s record “an attack on jazz”, a direct reference to the album’s title. The Swedish artist’s record is an original and relentless voice, boldly using new jazz methods to shake up “old jazz”. Högberg will play the alto saxophone and the baritone saxophone.

Signe Dahlgreen, who plays the alto saxophone, is known for her work in the Scandinavian trio Deer. Julie Kjær (alto saxophone and flute), is a member of Large Unit and London Improvisers Orchestra. Trumpeter Johan Norin performed with, among others, the ska/reggae group Club Killers, Amanda Jensen and Miss Li. Susana Santos Silva is one of the most interesting contemporary Portuguese trumpeters. New York trombonist Steve Swell is a very capable musician and a seasoned sideman. Also joining the ensemble will be Polish saxophonist and clarinet player Mikolaj Trzaska. Bassist Elsa Bergman and drummers Christopher Cantillo and Tim Daisy will complete the lineup.

Carliot Orchestra will be an intercontinental and intergenerational alliance. In Krakow, the musicians will premiere new material, the details of which are kept secret, as requested by the artist himself. Conductor and composer Holmlander will reveal the new material to us gradually. During the first two days of the residence, the musicians will perform at Alchemia in small ensembles. On October 9, we will see Johan Norin, Christopher Cantillo and Holmlander (“Parti & Minut”). The part entitled “Sax Madness” will be performed by Julie Kjær, Anna Högberg, Signe Dahlgreen and Mikołaj Trzaska. We will close the evening with the quartet Susana Santos Silva, Steve Swell, Elsa Bergman and Tim Daisy. The second evening in Alchemia will begin with the improvisation of a trio of Högberg, Bergman and Cantillo. Santos Silva and Kjær, Norin and Dahlgreen will perform in duos. The evening will end with Inner Ear, comprised of Per-Åke Holmlander, Steve Swell and Mikolaj Trzaska.

The full lineup of Carliot Orchestra will perform on the final day of the residency, 11 October at Hevre (Beer Meisels St. 18).

CARLIOT – IT’S NEVER TOO LATE ORCHESTRA 

“Plays the Heard & Unheard Music from Theatre, Dance and More”

Anna Högberg (SWE) – alto sax & baritone sax

Signe Dahlgeen (DNK) – alto sax

Julie Kjaer (DNK) – alto sax & flute

Mikołaj Trzaska (PL) – alto sax & bass clarinet

Susana Santos Silva (PRT) – trumpet

Johan Norin (SWE) – trumpet

Steve Swell (USA) – trombone

Per-Âke Holmlander (SWE) – tuba

Elsa Bergman (SWE) – bass

Christopher Cantillo (USA) – drums

Tim Daisy (USA) – drums

Dates: 9-11.10.2017

Venue: ALCHEMIA 9-10.10, Final show: HEVRE 11.10.2017

Time: 8 pm

Ticket price: 20/30 PLN ALCHEMIA, 30/40 PLN HEVRE

Ticket for all 3 shows: 50 PLN

9.10

Parti & Minut (Johan, Christopher & Per-Âke)
Sax Madness (Julie, Anna, Signe & Mikołaj)
Quartet (Susana, Steve, Elsa & Tim)

10.10
Trio (Anna, Elsa & Christopher)
Duo (Susana & Julie)
Duo (Johan & Signe)
Inner Ear (Mikołaj, Steve, Tim & Per-Âke