The Viennese GBK (formerly known as KGB) trio – bass clarinetist Susanna Gartmayer, trumpeter Thomas Berghammer and drummer Didi Kern – feature three experienced and versatile free improvisers who are not shy of relying on addictive grooves. Gartmayer, Berghammer and Kern also run the weekly Monday Improvisers Session at the Viennese Ce Leste club.

Gartmayer is also a composer and graphic designer (she did the squirrel on the cover), played in the alternative band Broken.Heart.Collector (with Kern), a permanent member of The Vegetable Orchestra that performs exclusively on vegetables, and plays in a duo with Christof Kurzmann. Berghammer collaborated with Georg Graewe, Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafson and Mars Williams. Kern also plays with Vandermark in the DEK trio (with pianist Elisabeth Harnik) and in the ENTR’ACTE ensemble and also plays in the alternative bands Bulbul and Fuckhead.

GBK was founded in 2007 and changed its name after The Russian war against Ukraine. Fulufulu Paupepa Paupapa is the debut album of the trio and it stresses the free spirit of GBK as well as the empathic, conversational dynamics of the trio. Gartmayer, Berghammer and Kern are happy to swap leading or rhythmic roles or play subversive, dadaist roles with each other, enjoy experimenting with abstract sounds (check «Sleepy circus»), but know all the time how to make fun with sharp melodies and even emotional ballad (check «Tomorrow») and dance-like grooves. Often, Berghammer pushes the trio to the melodic edges while Gartmayer opts for more cyclical and rhythmic patterns and Kern perfects his percolating grooves, but, the open dynamics of GBK keep a healthy tension where these roles may change instantly, and Gartmayer would articulate a hypnotic theme while Berghammer experiments with extended breathing techniques. GBK plays engaging music for the body – and especially the dancing legs- and the adventurous soul.
Eyal Hareuveni

Susanna Gartmayer (bass clarinet), Thomas Berghammer (trumpet, devices), Didi Kern (drums)