Jozef Van Wissem + support from Richard Dawson + ~~~

Composer-lute player Jozef Van Wissem is renowned for his unusual approach of the Renaissance and Baroque lute, probably the most unlikely instruments in the world of contemporary music. He cuts and pastes classical pieces, reverses melodies, adds electronics and processed field recordings The unusual wedlock of composition and improvisation creates an unheard amalgam of contemporary, folk and early music Van Wissem has accomplished the strange feat of bridging the idiom of seventeenth century lute literature and twenty-first century contemporary music. Although he uses subtle electronic sound manipulation, he has largely stayed faithful to the particular timbre, resonance and playing technique of the lute.

Van Wissem first came to be noticed a few years ago because of his radical conceptual approach to Renaissance lute music: He deconstructed existing compositions, for instance by playing them backwards. He also composed his own pieces for lute, using palindromes and mirrored structures. His music therefore does not have a traditional linear progression, nor leads to a climax, it rather stays on the same level of intensity. It doesn’t demand concentrated listening, as it will bring the listener to a state of concentrated listening.

Jozef runs the Incunabulum label, and performs extensively around the world. He also works with M.B. / Maurizio Bianchi, James Blackshaw and Tetuzi Akiyama. With Blackshaw he formed the duo Brethren of the Free Spirit, which has two releases on Important records. Wire Magazine called his solo lute cd “ Stations of the Cross “ a small masterpiece. He has two solo records out on Important records and has lectured a.o. at Wesleyan University and Mills College on ‘the liberation of the lute”. Van Wissem has received numerous commisions and grants, most recently from National Gallery, London.

Check out his stuff here:

http://www.myspace.com/vanwissem

Reviews

“In “The Mirror of Eternal Light,” the Dutch lutist Jozef van Wissem catches his own reflection in tender, minimalist picking and gold-spray overdubs.”

-David Fricke, senior editor, Rolling Stone Magazine, March 2008

"Van Wissem seems to breeze across musical boundaries with an effortless fluency"

- Pitchfork Media

"Van Wissem is known for his work written for, and performed on, the lute, but his repertoire goes beyond the merely scholarly, encompassing the deconstruction and inversion of classical tablature and the incorporation of field recordings and electronic elements into his compositions"

- The Wire's latest issue

Support

Support comes in the form of Richard Dawson and ~~~ respectively. You might remember Newcastle’s lovely and loveable Richard from his appearance on The Culture Show about a year back. If you live in Newcastle you probably already know his stuff and why it’s worth you coming along on the night. If you don’t then please check out his lovely music here and let it make your mind up for you:

http://www.myspace.com/richardmdawson

And finally, local musician ~~~, providing the perfect start to the evening with the kind of beautifully understated and subtly changing sounds that suck you in their repetitive background before you even realise what’s happened. Evolving minimalist beats providing the scene for atmospheric heavy-heartedness that wouldn’t be out of place in a Nick Cave film soundtrack. He himself says:

“These sounds are the product of my continued fascination with the natural tones and base qualitys of various instruments. Many of which i cant even play. Ranging from casiotone keyboards to banjo's, guitars to clarinets, trumpets to human speech…”

Check out his magic here:

http://www.myspace.com/triplesones

So, Wednesday, May 12th @ Morden Tower (back of Stowell St, behind China Town), 8pm, £5 or the door

You can buy advance tickets from here:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/660820532

Join Tempo Tempo to find out about our gigs in Newcastle:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=113505955327457&ref=ts