WellSprings Suite
Quintet Moderne
"The group is one of the rare and daring ensembles of the European music scene, who take the risk of unconditional improvisation and who at the same time bring to bear spontaneous composition. The musicians, each an excellent instrumentalist, are not concerned with dazzling audiences by means of adisplay of skill or superficial tricks. The quintet makes group related music incorporating the five strong and "characterful" musicians, each of whom relies on a history of rich experience.
They intentionally avoid clichés and face up to the challenge of using their highly developed techniques in an always unpredicted process of communication.
Fine subtleties of rhythmic flow, of noise and tone colours create a complex tableau full of unremitting inner tension.
What might bring to mind elements heard in contemporary composed music is nothing more than an associative scenario for this interactive process.
Although the players are of varied backgrounds and different geographical origins and experiences, their music has one common basis—the aesthetic and even an ethical principle of improvisation. ..."
(Text by Bert Noglik, translated by Phil Wachsmann)
Paul Rutherford (Feb. 29, 1940, Greenwich, London) is a stalwart of the early UK free scene who has played in just about every available possibility, in more structured musics as well as obvious free situations: Globe Unity Orchestra, London Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Mike Westbrook Orchestra, and a myriad of small groups, e.g.: Iskra 1903, duos with Paul Lovens, Quintet Moderne, Anthony Braxton, and Evan Parker.
Harri Sjöström (Feb. 29, 1952, Turku, Finland) founder of the Quintet Moderne, played piano and guitar in his childhood. He studied music with Harry Mann (sax/flt/p), later saxophone with Leo Wright andSteve Lacy as well as photography and film at the Lone Mountain College and San Francisco Art Institute from 1974-1978. He also attended the special class for improvisation at the L.M.C. led by trombonist Johannes Mager. This joyful, creative and intensive experience with improvisation (musical andtheatrical) captivated him so much that since then he has nearly always worked with improvised music and in numerous mixed media projects as well as participated in workshop held by John Cage, George Russell, Steve Lacy, and Bill Dixon among others.
After leaving the U.S., he moved to Vienna (Austria) which became his doorway to the European improvised music scene. He formed his first improvising groups and organized numerous projects in Finland. One of his early projects included a tour with Derek Bailey's "Company." He moved to Berlin in 1985.
In 1990 he met and began working with Cecil Taylor in Berlin and has been involved in a large number of projects, including recordings on Cadence Jazz Records and FMP.
Philipp Wachsmann (1944, Uganda), born in Uganda—whose music he grew up with—studied violin with Isolde Menges, and music in Durham, USA, and with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, France, specializing in the violin, composition, and contemporary music. Recent compositions include work for large ensemble: one for conductors, one with film (both recorded on the Emanem label), and a score for Chamber Orchestra.
He has been working with improvisation since 1970—work that includes film, dance, painting, architecture, composition, and mixed media.
He has a particular interest in freeing and expanding what music can do and say, on color, acoustic and emotional space, and on feeling, and in creating and realizing an imaginary world of interaction and human experience, reality and illusion.
The violin is his prime concert but he has developed over the years various interactions with electronics.
Recent work is represented in recordings which include solos (Writing in Water, Chathuna) and a wide variety of group, the Duo "Towards the Margins" with Paul Lytton andvarious recordings with Evan Parker's Electro Acoustic Ensemble (ECM), Trio with Evan Parker and Teppo Hauta-aho (Leo), Lines in Australia (Emanem), Refractions in Air (violin with electronics by Michael Bunce), and Startle the Echoes (duo with Matthew Hutchinson). Soon to be released will be the Duo USA Tour with Martin Blume (Bead). Also on The Balance of Trade 1977 CIMP 114. Other groups include the Lines Quintet, King Ubu Orchestru, London Improvisers Orchestra, and the former London Jazz Composers Orchestra.
Often performing solo, he has also worked with dance, architecture, his andothers' films, and mixed media.
Paul Lovens (June 1949, Aachen, F.R of Germany) played drums as a child. Self-taught, by the age of fourteen he was in various Jazz groups. From 1969 one he has worked almost as an improvisor with many of the leading musicians of many generations on the international creative improvising music scene. Paul is a founding member of a musicians' cooperative and since 1976 has produced on his own label, Po Torch Records. He has recorded on over 100 records and lives in Aachen. Today, Paul's main interest and work is musical improvisation in fixed small groups.
Teppo Hauta-aho (May 27, 1941, Janakkala, Finland) studied double bass at the Sibelius Academy and did further studies in Prague in 1967, 1970 through 1973. He taught at the Helsinki Conservatory in 1974, Suolahti summer courses 1985-1988, and at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival 1971-1981. He has worked with the Helsinki Philharmonic and the Finnish National Opera Orchestras and is a member of the Helsinki Chamber Orchestra and Helsinki Chamber Soloists, Miksi ei, Quintet Frequen. He has worked in Jazz and experimental musics with Vilkki Sextet & Quartet, Pekka Poyry Quartet, Kalmisto Klang, Tuohikvartetti, George Russell, Mircea Stan, Serious Music Quartet, Sound Kitchen, Töölö Bass Trio, Trio Neuva Finlandia, Quintet Moderne, Cecil Taylor, and Anthony Braxton. Since 1977 he has continued to perform in schools with Carita Holmström and was involved in children's theatre performances with Dick Idström and Carita Holmström.