FREEDOM MUSIC FESTIVAL is one of the leading festivals of free improvised music in northern Europe. It is 6 days of concerts, artist talks, a movie night, and so much more!
The festival presents only the most interesting improvisers on both international and local scenes mostly performing solo and in duo constellations. The highlights of this year are: saxophone & pedal steel guitar duo of Peter Brötzmann [DE] & Heather Leigh [US], viola duo of Mat Maneri [US] & Tanya Kalmanovitch [CA], post-sacred-Javaian music of Teguh Permana [ID] & Yngel [DK], futuristic carnival music duo of DiáSPORA [US], saxophone duo of Anna Högberg [SE] & Signe Dahlgreen [DK], an interactive film/paintings/music experience with the trombonist Paul Hubweber [DE], filmmaker Ebba Jahn [DE] & double bass player Tomo Jacobson [PL/DK], a day of collaboration with the Austrian music collective Styria including a free improv big band featuring 40+ musicians, and much more!
There will also be a free improv themed documentary movie night featuring the internationally acclaimed ‘Milford Graves Full Mantis’ (dir. Jake Meginsky, co-dir. Neil Young) from 2018, telling a story of one of the greatest improvising drummers, who has also been widely recognized around the world as a leading martial artist, heart scientist, acupuncturist, and herbalist; and a 1981 classic ‘Imagine the Sound’ (dir. Ron Mann) featuring interviews with and musical and dramatic performances by the true legends: Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp, Bill Dixon, and Paul Bley.
The festival was established with a motto:
Freedom – Improvisation – Expression – Exploration – Now!
These five words encompass the festival’s mission and focus. We celebrate unique expression and exploration in music.
We cherish improvisation and one-of-a-kind experiences it brings to the audiences. We strive for freedom. Our policy is also to aim for an equal presentation of both female and male improvisers.
The festival is organized by a double bass player and improviser Tomo Jacobson, who is actively involved in the Copenhagen free improv scene, as well as tours globally.
The festival will take place between August 28 and September 2, 2018 at KoncertKirken (concerts), Cinemateket (films), and Insula Music (artist talks).
PROGRAM
Day 1 : Tuesday, Aug 28
Artist talks at Insulamusic :
6:00 PM : Talking with Teguh Permana + Yngel
Concerts at KoncertKirken :
8:00 PM : Jacob Anderskov (church organ) [DK]
9:00 PM : Zoe Efstathiou + Egil Kalman (prepared piano & modular synth) [GR/NO]
10:00 PM : Teguh Permana + Yngel (tarawangsa & guitars) [ID/DK]
Day 2 : Wednesday, Aug 29
Concerts at KoncertKirken (in collaboration with the Austrian music collective Styria) :
8:00 PM : Maria Bertel + Heimo Puschnigg + Kresten Osgood (trombone, piano & drums) [AU/DK]
9:00 PM : Katharina Klement + Michael Pinter (piano & electronics) [AU/DK]
10:00 PM : Alpenglow 6 Super Group (40+ musicians improv big band) [AU/DK]
Day 3 : Thursday, Aug 30
Free Improv Themed Documentary Movie Night and Concert at Cinemateket :
7:00 PM : ‘Imagine the Sound’ (1981) – dir. Ron Mann (90 min)
8:30 PM : DiáSPORA (vocals & synths) [US]
9:30 PM : ‘Milford Graves Full Mantis’ (2018) – dir. Jake Meginsky, co-dir. Neil Young (91 min)
Day 4 : Friday, Aug 31
Concerts at KoncertKirken :
8:00 PM : Nikita Rafaelov (piano) [FI] : album release
9:00 PM : Anna Högberg + Signe Dahlgreen (saxophones) [SE/DK]
10:00 PM : Mat Maneri + Tanya Kalmanovitch (violas) [US/CA]
Day 5 : Saturday, Sept 1
Artist talks at Insulamusic :
12:00 PM : Talking with Mat Maneri + Tanya Kalmanovitch
6:00 PM : Talking with Peter Brötzmann + Heather Leigh
Concerts at KoncertKirken :
8:00 PM : Michala Østergaard-Nielsen (drums) [SE]
9:00 PM : PAPER PAIRS – interactive film/paintings/music experience with Paul Hubweber + Ebba Jahn + Tomo Jacobson (trombone, film, paintings & double bass) [DE/PL]
10:00 PM : Peter Brötzmann + Heather Leigh (sax & steel pedal guitar) [DE/US]
Day 6 : Sunday, Sept 2
Concerts at KoncertKirken :
8:00 PM : Kārlis Auziņš (saxophones) [LV] : album release
9:00 PM : Nicole Hogstrand + Adam Grauman (viola da gamba duo) [SE]
10:00 PM : Sonja LaBianca + Tomo Jacobson (sax, electronics & double bass) [SE/PL]
Additionally there will be two workshops at KoncertKirken, time TBA :
Circle Singing : relating & healing through voice – with Anaïs Maviel (DiáSPORA)
Creative freedom with sound design & patch making – with Chiquita Magic (DiáSPORA)
