FREE IMPROVISATION transatlantique – an evening of improvised music with Byron Asher, Annabelle Plum, Káťa Vacková, Martin Debřička, Jakub Švejnar and Marek Kimei Matvija.
Jazz saxophonist Byron Asher, from New Orleans, in concert with his musician friends from Prague. Experienced improvisers from two continents will come together in three different sets. Come and experience the transatlantic musical energy of these exceptional musicians.
Set 1: Annabelle Plum, Káťa Vacková
Set 2: Byron Asher, Martin Debřička, Jakub Švejnar
Set 3: Byron Asher, Martin Debřička, Jakub Švejnar, Annabelle Plum, Kaťa Vacková + Marek Kimei Matvija
Byron Asher is a saxophonist and clarinettist and composer based in New Orleans, working at the intersection of broadly experimental composition and jazz and improvised music. His practice is dedicated to exploring new sounds across genres. He is committed to building community through assembling and participating in ensembles that bring together musicians from a diversity of training, geographies and aesthetic backgrounds.
Singer and vocal performer Annabelle Plum uses her three-plus octave range in contemporary music, improvisation and jazz. She focuses on experimental vocal techniques and tone colour work. She is interested in graphic scores and site specific performances. She collaborates with other musicians, visual artists, performers and performs pieces by Czech and international composers (Michael Mantler, Hiroya Miura, Brigitta Muntendorf, Ian Mikyska, Petr Hora, Anna Vtípilová, Sońa Vetchá and more). She is the founder and lead singer of several projects (Annabelle Plum & Žaneta Vítová, Die Schatten, Topos Kolektiv, Quarter to Three).
Katya Vacková is a double bassist and singer working on the border between pop, classical music and jazz. She is part of the musical projects Metastava, Uthando, Blue Oyster Court and At Eas, which are characterised by a colourful and imaginative repertoire drawing on jazz, classical and avant-garde music.
Martin Debřička is a multi-genre saxophonist and bass clarinettist moving between classical, jazz, rock, pop, ethno and reggae. In the past you could hear his imaginative and precise saxophone playing in formations like Urban Bushman or Tribetown, he is currently part of Ensemble Terrible, Marimba Mama and others.
Jakub Švejnar is a Czech jazz drummer playing in the trio KIN, the bands Uthando and Dust In The Groove, and occasionally collaborates with NOCZ.
Marek Kimei Matvija is a master player of the shakuhachi, a bamboo flute of Japanese origin. He studies Japanese traditional music with Japan’s leading master player Mitsuhashi Kifu, who awarded him the master’s degree. Marek thus became the first Czech ever to achieve this recognition. In addition to Japanese music, Marek has a great passion for improvised and contemporary music; he is a member of Topos Kolektiv and Quarter to Three and occasionally performs as a guest in Michal Rataj’s and Jaroslav Typt’s project Škrábanice.