SPINIFEX

Spinifex, named after a resilient Australian species of grass, may at first sound like a blend of avant-jazz, punk rock and free improv. Yet, beneath the surface lies a rich tapestry of cyclical Eastern rhythms. Throughout the years several mutations have sprouted, such as Spinifex Orchestra en Spinifex Maximus. And now there is a new six-piece variety, presenting works from the recent album Undrilling the Hole.

Drummer and astrophysician Philipp Moser is known from the Dutch progressive metal scene. The Portuguese, Rotterdam-based bass player Gonçalo Almeida switches effortlessly between a beautifully rounded sound and heavy electric distortion. Guitarist Jasper Stadhouders is a leading figure in the Amsterdam underground, for example as a member of Cactus Truck.

The frontline features Bart Maris, trumpet master from eccentric Flemish formations such as Flat Earth Society, who also collaborated with Belgian pop stars dEUS and Stromae. With his incantatory playing on tenor sax, John Dikeman is an innovator of free jazz and improv. The driving force behind Spinifex is saxophone and clarinet player Tobias Klein, whose compositions are influenced by Carnatic music from South India, as well as typically Western genres.

Tobias Klein alto sax, Bart Maris trumpet, John Dikeman tenor sax, Jasper Stadhouders guitar, Gonçalo Almeida bass, Philipp Moser drums