The Necks 30th Anniversary: Part 2
30 years of The Necks will be celebrated in style: one eight hour-long, continuous relay of performances by likeminded musicians, wholly in the spirit of the Australian cult band.
For 30 years the Australian trio The Necks has been a cult phenomenon, renowned for their endlessly fascinating, hypnotic improvisations on piano, double bass and percussion. For this 30th anniversary at the Bimhuis, several kindred bands have been invited for an overlapping relay of performances. Free improvisation is the common factor.
The anniversary features nearly eight hours of continuous music in overlapping sets of solos, duos, trios and guerrilla actions. The members of The Necks will occasionally join in:
PROGRAM (subject to change):
The Necks: Chris Abrahams piano, Lloyd Swanton bass, Tony Buck drums;
Contest of Pleasures: Axel Dörner trumpet, Xavier Charles clarinet, John Butcher saxophone;
VMS: Michael Moore clarinet/saxophone, Michael Vatcher percussion, Lloyd Swanton bass;
International Nothing: Kai Fagaschinski & Michael Thieke clarinet;
Butcher/Spill: John Butcher saxophone, Magda Mayas piano, Tony Buck drums;
Dogmatics: Chris Abrahams piano, Kai Fagaschinski clarinet;
Dans Les Arbres: Xavier Charles clarinet/harmonica, Ivar Grydeland guitar/banjo/sruti box, Christian Wallumrød piano/harmonium, Ingar Zach bass/drums/percussion;
Axel solo: Axel Dörner trumpet;
Clarinets: Michael Moore, Kai Fagaschinski, Michael Thieke, Xavier Charles clarinet
In the late 1980s the three jazz musicians of The Necks sought an alternative to the busy chord progressions and solos of their contemporaries. The rhythm section on the album In a Silent Way by Miles Davis was an important source of inspiration. Every other set of The Necks is another slowly unfolding improvisation based on the interaction between piano, bass and percussion.
‘The Australian trio stirred up a sonic ocean that ebbed and flowed and swelled into great tidal waves of sound, a pulsating wash of drums, percussion, double bass and grand piano’ (The Guardian).
The Necks 30th anniversary is assisted by the Australian Government
through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
