Sons of Chipotle is the result of two free-spirited musicians joining forces for an unbridled sonic adventure. Cellist maestro Anssi Karttunen and musical virtuoso John Paul Jones are giants in their respective fields. Armed with electronics, piano and cello, they are thrilled to be making their Netherlands debut performance at the Kaija Saariaho Festival. Both Jones and Karttunen shared a friendship with Kaija Saariaho and were held in high regard by her. Karttunen has been involved in all of Saariaho’s cello works ever since they both moved to Paris in the 1980s.
Numerous composers have created new works for Anssi Karttunen, including Saariaho; he premiered several of her pieces. John Paul Jones, a founding member and the legendary multi-instrumentalist of Led Zeppelin, has collaborated with a wide range of artists as a bandleader, arranger and composer since the early 1960s. It is incredibly rare to find two of the finest musicians in the world improvising together. Both musicians are known to be curious minds, always ready to learn and to discover. When they improvise, borders disappear, they are free to migrate beyond prejudices, across continents. In a world full of conflicts and displaced people, Sons of Chipotle want music to be a place of openness.
This concert is part of the Saariaho Festival, taking place in Muziekgebouw and Bimhuis from 13 to 16 March 2025.
Anssi Karttunen cello/electronics, John Paul Jones piano/electronics