QUATTRO Series: Frisk Verden

06/02/2010 - 06/02/2010

Sligo Jazz Project - Tobergal Lane Café

This week sees the start of a wonderful 4 concert series, QUATTRO which promises to brighten up Sligo's dark february evenings.

This week sees the start of a wonderful 4 concert series, QUATTRO which promises to brighten up Sligo's dark february evenings. The QUATTRO series, co-promoted by SJP and Itchy Feet Productions, kicks off this Saturday night upstairs at Tobergal Lane Café with guitarist Mike Nielsen's exciting new group, Frisk Verden, which apparently is Danish for "Fresh World" and will reflect Mike's eclectic musical influences, from India to Africa and Latin America, from Jazz to Classical. The line up comprises Mike on guitars, the wonderful US born singer Ellen Demos and two of Ireland's greatest jazz musicians, percussionist Shane O'Donovan and Saxophonist Brendan Doyle

Frisk Verden is a new exciting acoustic quartet assembled by guitarist Mike Nielsen. The group brings together some of the finest musicians on the music scene today. He has collaborated with Boston born vocalist Ellen Demos for the past fifteen years which resulted in a critical acclaimed duo CD, Osmosis. Mike has had a longstanding musical relationship with both clarinettist Brendan Doyle who was a member of his ‘Don’t Fret’ group which performed microtonal jazz music, and drummer Shane O’Donovan who was a member of Mike’s acoustic trio. The music is original and composed by the leader and may be described as World Music. The music comprises an eclectic mix of musical influences from jazz, classical, flamenco, Indian, rock, Bulgarian and African. ‘Frisk Verden’ is Danish for fresh world, which alludes to the music style and innovation.

MIKE NIELSEN – Composer/Guitar

Jazz Guitarist/Composer Michael Nielsen was born in Sligo, and started playing music at the age of four. Michael won a scholarship and Jim Hall incentive award in 1982 to attend Berklee College of Music, Boston, where he studied from '83-'85. He holds a classical performance diploma, LTCL (Licentiate of Trinity College of Music, London) and a Masters degree, MPhil, in music and physics from the DIT School of Physics, Dublin.

Equally innovative on acoustic and electric guitars, Michael has gained a reputation as one of the leading guitarists in European jazz. He has performed with international artists including; Kenny Wheeler, Larry Coryell, Kenny Werner, Jason Moran, Simon Nabatov, and Dave Liebman with whom he toured Europe in 2001 and New Zealand/Australia in 2004. He has also performed with contemporary classical ensembles VOX21 and Crash Ensemble and performs regularly with the RTE Concert Orchestra. Michael features on over fifteen recordings including two with Dave Liebman. Teaching since 1979, he lectures worldwide on jazz guitar, improvisation and microtonal composition and is course coordinator of the Masters in Jazz Performance Program at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, where he also directs the DIT big band. Mike teaches guitar in the Bray Music Centre and was external jazz guitar tutor for the University of Ulster, NUI Maynooth, and the University of Ulster. He was recently added as a solo jazz performer to Music Network’s Musicwide panel.

“If you wanted adventure, surprise and discovery, that was supplied by guitarist Mike Nielsen……..Nielsen showed you could marry great technique with risk taking” - Ray Comiskey, Irish Times - Solo support for John McLaughlin at Vicar St. May 2008

ELLEN  DEMOS - Vocals

Ellen Demos is an established and versatile singer /composer.  She was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts.   Her early education included formal training in classical voice and piano. Following a few years of study in jazz piano, voice, and theatre, in the Boston area, she became active as a performer in both theatre and as a singer on the jazz scene.  In the 80s she continued her studies at The Dick Grove School of Music in California.  Completing both the vocal and the composition and arranging as well as the US.programs.  Since then Ellen has appeared in concert in several European countries She has done work for radio and television: as a Featured Soloist with The Danish Light Orchestra, Irish Radio Concert Orchestra, Nordering Jazz

Festival, Dublin and Cork Jazz Festivals, and The Late Late show  She has worked with prominent musicians from the US and Europe including; Pepper Adams, Sonny Fortune, Bobby Shew, Mike Nielsen, Ronan Guilfoyle, Theo de Jong, Bilou Doneux, Anne Wolf. Ellen presently is based in Belgium where she also teaches  private voice coaching.

BRENDAN DOYLE – Clarinet/Saxes

After sitting his classical music degree in his native Waterford, Brendan moved to Dublin, and has become one of the stalwarts of the Capital's freelance music world.  A classically trained clarinettist, he has also become a versatile and virtuosic saxophonist, with a chameleon-like ability to blend into almost any musical situation. Brendan is a regularly featured soloist with the RTE Concert Orchestra and featured prominently in the National Symphony Orchestra's TV recording of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (original jazz-band version - soloist, William Eddins). He is a founder member of the Irish Youth Jazz Orchestra, the Irish Jazz Orchestra and The Improvised Music Ensemble (T.I.M.E.) Brendan’s album 'Wiggle Squiggle' marked his jazz recording debut as leader and he has featured on several recordings as both player and composer, notably T.I.M.E., Septet Music and the award-winning 'Devsirme'.

Furthermore, he has worked with many diverse international artists, including, Kenny Wheeler, Chucho Valdes (Irakere), Shirley Bassey, Louis Stewart, Jack Jones, John Taylor and Norma Winstone. Brendan’s wide range of musical interests include: jazz, classical, and world music. He is currently involved in projects such as The Sami Moukaddem band (Arabic/jazz originals), Camille O'Sullivan (International Theatre/Cabaret Star), the RTECO and performs regularly with Irish Jazz piano star, Myles Drennan. His most recent collaboration is with the award-winning Rough Magic Theatre Company.

SHANE O’DONOVAN - Drums

Shane O' Donovan began playing drums at twelve and by the age of sixteen was already working with many of Irelands leading jazz musicians.

Shane began studying drums with Conor Guilfoyle and then went on to complete a diploma in jazz performance at Newpark School of Music. After over ten years of professional performance he is now recognized on the Irish jazz scene as one of the instruments leading exponents. He has performed with many of Ireland's top jazz musicians such as the Buckleys, Mike Nielsen, Ronan Guilfoyle, and Louis Stewart and has also worked with many top international musicians such as Dave Liebman, Greg Osby, Greg Burke, and Loren Stillman. Shane recently spent two weeks in New York where he attended the School for Improvised Music. Here he studied with Ralph Alessi, Tyshawn Sorey, and Brad Shepik.

Frisk Verden play Tobergal Lane Café upstairs on Saturday 6 February. Admission is €10, Doors are at 8pm and a superb jazz and world music club "Grapevine" will follow the concert. Please support world-class LIVE MUSIC in SLIGO!