Eric Boeren 4Tet

pianist and composer franz von chossy revives ancient wisdom in his project mirror 9. thios nine-part suite explores the nine enneagram personalities: the perfectionist, the giver, the achiever, the individualist, the investigator, the skeptic, the enthusiast, the challenger and the peacemaker. the suite invites self-discovery and deepens the understanding of the various ways we think, feel and act. this project features top players in dutch jazz, who are known for their open approach. franz von chossy grew up in munich, where he learned to play piano at a very young age and came to know classical music through his mother. his ukrainian grandmother encouraged him to play folk music on the accordion. at conservatorium van amsterdam he studied jazz piano with several teachers including rob madna, and in new york he continued his studies with kenny barron, among others, and studied film composition as well. ‘lyrical and sparkling playing’ (de volkskrant on franz von chossy). ‘with him, magic on the keyboard is pure alchemy and a mix of the most different sounds. he can subtly create a delicate balance between orient and occident, between jazz, classical music and pop, light and darkness’ (jazzthetik).

pianist craig taborn, cellist tomeka reid and drummer ches smith are all known as important band leaders in american improvised music. in the fall of 2018 they convened to perform taborn's new compositions that crossed the boundaries of contemporary chamber music, and grooves and music from africa and the caribbean. the music required an instrumentation that could maneuver through these rapid shifts seamlessly. utilizing tomeka reid’s fluency as a cellist and improviser, ches smith’s versatility moving from traditional drum set to more extended percussion set-ups, and taborn’s approaches to acoustic piano and electronic instruments, the music moves intricately crafted chamber miniatures through energetic explorations while finding its roots in true groove and melody. the group’s inspirations include sun ra, mamman sani, don cherry, conlon nancarrow, art ensemble of chicago and drexciya.

it all started last year: the ehbo quartet was formed during the han bennink vierdaagse at de roode bioscoop and soon hit the road, including a concert at our own venue. the show was completely sold out, featuring top-tier improvisation. a second edition was inevitable: the same musicians, but guaranteed new music. the line-up once again features han bennink (drums), ernst glerum (bass), benjamin herman (saxophone), and oscar jan hoogland (piano). han bennink, known for collaborations with legends like dexter gordon and sonny rollins, and co-founder of the legendary instant composers pool (icp), forms the quartet’s backbone together with bassist ernst glerum. saxophonist benjamin herman (new cool collective and countless solo projects) and pianist oscar jan hoogland, a leading figure in amsterdam’s improv scene, complete the ensemble.