Many festival goers will be delighted by the return of double bassist, composer and singer Joëlle Léandre. The artist, who hails from Provence, appeared in Kraków for the first time last year. She has collaborated with Pierre Boulez’s Ensemble InterContemporain and with the great revolutionary of modern ballet, Merce Cunningham.
Léandre’s musical education began with playing flute and grand piano. However, at the instigation of her music teacher, she decided to devote herself to double bass.
After attending a conservatory in Paris, Léandre received a scholarship which enabled her to continue education in New York at a time when the city’s art scene was extremely fertile and innovative. It was there that she first became acquainted with the pioneering work of the so-called New York School and its luminaries, Morton Feldman, Earle Brown (the creator of open form), Giacinto Scelsi and John Cage.
During Masters of Improvisation (18-21 October, Alchemia) Léandre will perform with Slovenian musician Zlatko Kaučič, Evan Parker from the UK, and Catalan by choice Agustí Fernández.
Masters of Improvisation will be inaugurated by workshops for Kraków artists, conducted by Zlatko Kaučič. The one-day workshops will be held at the music school on Józefińska street and recruitment is now open. Admission if free. You can find out more at Alchemia.
The first evening of Masters of Improvisation will see a joint performance by Evan Parker and Agustí Fernández. Parker, born in 1944 in Bristol, studied saxophone under James Knott. He also studied botany at Birmingham University, but left to pursue a career in music. During those days he played with Howard Riley and was busy developing his own style of free improvisation. Parker has many notable performances and records under his belt: he’s worked with Chris McGregor, Tony Oxley, Barry Guy, Globe Unity Orchestra, Steve Lacy and Peter Brötzmann.
Agustí Fernández is described by The Village Voice “one of the most important explorers of avant-garde music in Spain, combining his thorough knowledge of 20th-century modern classical piano with jazz free improvisation to a forge a unique and powerful style”. The pianist, born in Palma de Mallorca, has collaborated with Peter Kowald and Derek Bailey, and in 2002 joined Barry Guy’s New Orchestra. He and Parker play together in the Evan Parker Electroacoustic Ensemble.
The second part of the evening will see Parker and Fernández joined by Zlatko Kaučič, a drummer the audience of Krakow Jazz Autumn is well familiar with. The Slovenian musician moved to Italy in the early Seventies, where he recorded and performed with the band Hero. In the years that followed he’s worked with Irène Schweitzer, Radu Malfatti, Duško Gojković and Allen Blairman. In 2011 Kaučič was awarded the Prešeren Fund Award – the highest decoration in the field of artistic creation in Slovenia.
Although the musical paths of Léandre and Kaučič have crossed many times before, this will be the first time they perform on one stage. That’s why the evening promises to be very compelling. It will be kicked off by Joëlle Léandre and Evan Parker, followed by joint improvisation efforts from Agustí Fernández and Zlatko Kaučič.
The next two evenings be opened by Joëlle Léandre. The French musician’s improvisation will be followed by a performance from the Oliver Lake Quartet (19 October). Barcelona’s Sai Trio will perform after her joint performance with Agustí Fernández: the band is flamenco and butoh dancer Sònia Sánchez, drummer Ivo Sans, and Fernández himself.
JOËLLE LÉANDRE (France) – double bass
ZLATKO KAUČIČ (Slovenia) – percussion
EVAN PARKER (Great Britain) – sax
AGUSTI FERNÁNDEZ (Spain) – piano
18.10. duo Parker / Fernández /// trio Parker / Fernández / Kaučič
19.10. duo Léandre / Parker /// duo Fernández / Kaučič
20.10. solo Léandre (before OLIVER LAKE QUARTET)
21.10. duo Léandre / Fernández (before SAI)
Tickets 30 PLN in advance, 40 PLN on the day of the show
Pass Masters of Improvisation (18-21 October, Alchemia) – 90 PLN
