NIK BAERTSCH’S RONIN
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The Swiss “zen-funk” quartet Ronin, led by pianist Nik Bärtsch, was founded in 2001. They incorporate elements of disparate musical worlds, be they jazz, funk, acoustic rock, modern classical music and sounds from Japanese ritual music. Various musical styles are never merely juxtaposed in a post-modernist fashion, but instead amalgamated into a new genre, characteristic for 21st century aesthetics. Their expression is in its core acoustic, but in its sensibility very close to contemporary electronic music. The band’s favourite concept is to set simple repetitive motifs that further vary and deconstruct during long pieces (modules) in a ritual grooves ambiance, essentially creating a maximum effect through minimal means. After three self-released albums, they started a successful collaboration with the famous ECM label, under which they recorded four more albums.
I was at the Jazz Festival in Belgrade on Saturday night. Terrific performance!!! Thanks you very much, Andy