Under the Visitations banner Sound in Motion shows similarities, differences and cross-pollinations between local and international musicians during a short residency.

MARTIN KÜCHEN – ELLE-KARI SANDER – MAGNUS BROO – MATS ÄLEKLINT – KONRAD AGNAS – MATTIAS STAHL – ALEXANDER ZETHSON – HANNE DE BACKER – LAURE BARDET – NILS VERMEULEN – JASMIJN LOOTENS – ESTHER COOREVITS – LUCAS CALUWAERTS

Angles is a band of many configurations led by Swedish saxophonist Martin Küchen. From the original sextet in 2007, known for several classic albums and its passionate live performances, the group has expanded for several occasions to a nonet or even a twelve piece ensemble. In 2022 they recorded an opera, written by Küchen, that will have its world première live on stage at Summer Bummer. ‘Une certaine paix — The Death of Kalypso’ is a jazz opera for our times — an archaic pantheon reflecting a self-indulgent hyper modern humanity. Roles and sides change constantly, in a condensed and atmospheric libretto. The music vibrates through past and present, through brass and reeds, piano and vibraphone, strings, percussion and a solitary voice. The crystal clear vocals of Elle-Kari Sander are the obvious centre of the opera.

For the creation of this magical piece of work during this two day Visitations residency, the Angles sextet – Martin Küchen (reeds), Magnus Broo (trumpet), Mats Äleklint (trombone), Konrad Agnas (drums), Matthias Stahl (vibrafoon) and Alexander Zethson (piano, keyboards) – will be reinforced with the sublime Swedish singer Elle-Kari Sander and a superb Belgian delegation of musicians: baritone saxophonist Hanne De Backer, who just got back from a monster tour with her “As We Walk”-project, is no stranger to Küchen and his Scandinavian gang. She has been playing for a number of years with the likes of Paal Nilssen-Love, Signe Emmeluth and Ingebrigt Håker Flaten. With double bass player Nils Vermeulen, cellist Jasmijn Lootens, violinists Laure Bardet and Lucas Caluwaerts and Esther Coorevits on viola, five string players with heaps of experience in contemporary classical music and free improvistation, will be joining in as well.

The world première of ‘Une certaine paix — The Death of Kalypso’ wil be presented as on Friday 26 August at the Summer Bummer Festival.