Further Reading
26th January 2024
A refreshing mix from upcoming new champions like John Nilsson to growing favourites, including saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and pianist Espen Berg — all of whom straddle the conventional and the unorthodox with a daring sense of reform...
A unique gathering of musicians infused with field recorded interviews in multiple languages..
A compositional investigation of musical languages and conversation.
Is the myth of BABEL about God creating communicative discord to control man, or was the intent to nurture fertile diversity? A disruption of a self-perpetuating echo chamber, to stimulate a more varied and complex perspective of the world. Maybe she wanted to show us that we will find strength to solve the problems of the planet in each others differences and multiple talents, not in uniformity and polarisation?
With his multilingual Danish/Argentinian background, travels, work and studies all over the world Solborg has experienced how the words, our idioms and mother tongues are deeply connected with our view of ourselves and the way we resonate with the surrounding world. In BABEL he seeks to investigate, illustrate and raise awareness of the continuous cross-cultural inter humane debate. A conversation that becomes increasingly important if we are to solve the challenges of our society and species.
BABEL is based on Solborg’s TUNGEMÅL (meaning idiom or tongue) platform concerned with the guitar as a voice in contemporary chamber musical contexts. With this comprehensive project Solborg wishes to elaborate the intimate listening experience, and develop methods and tools for the creative work at hand. An extensive artistic study and qualifying awareness of the modern guitar in interplay with acoustic instruments, and the musical spaces they inhabit.
In this next adventure solborgs music is handled by a wonderful and starry gathering of some of scandinavias finest musicians. 18 additional interviewed voices, speaking in multiple languages, are integrated into the rich textures of the music, creating a warm and unique garden of fables.
Contemporary musical conversations like you’ve never heard it before.
Susana Santos Silva · trumpet & tape
Francesco Bigoni · clarinet & tape
Anders Banke · bass clarinet, clarinet, alto flute & tape
Mark Solborg · guitar & electronics
Simon Toldam · piano, keys & tape
Peter Bruun · drums, percussion & tape