Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin Rhythm Clan
Modern Creative
Nik Bärtsch (musical director, piano, Fender Rhodes); Fabian Capaldi (flute, saxophone); Sha (bass clarinet, alto saxophone); Martial In-Albon (trumpet, flugelhorn); Michael Flury (trombone); Manuel Troller (guitar); Thomy Jordi (bass); Kaspar Rast (drums).
Fri 10 July 2015 21:45 - 23:00 Madeira
[trans_artistinfo_about]
Nik Bärtsch is the ‘scientist of groove,’ according to a Zurich newspaper, and this description is spot on for the Swiss pianist, composer and producer. Bärtsch (1971) studied at the Musikhochschule in Zurich, and later went on to study philosophy and linguistics at the university in that city. Afterwards he lived in Japan for some years. In 2001 he became the frontman of zen-funk quintet Ronin. Together with drummer Kaspar Rast (1972) he focused on the combination of music and physical moves during workshops, using techniques like aikido and Gyrotonic. With the group Ronin he made six albums, the last four of which were released on the ECM label. The Ronin Rhythm Clan is an expansion of the original group into an eight-member band. A ‘bonsai big band’ one might say; they make mysterious music that sounds disciplined on the one hand but allows room for distinct individual roles on the other. Music in which body and mind are merged.
