Circus by The Ambush Party

Originally released on de Platenbakkerij: PB004

Natalio Sued - tenor sax, clarinet
Oscar Jan Hoogland - piano
Harald Austbø - cello
Marcos Baggiani - drums

All music is uncut recorded improvisation in the original concert order.

Artist: The Ambush Party
Title: Circus
Label: De Platenbakkerij
Cat #: PB004

The Ambush Party was the first band to emerge from the new Amsterdam impro scene more than six years ago. By now the group has an impressive concert history, having played all over Europe and in South America.
Circus, their second album, is a live recording of their concert in the big circus tent of the renowned Moers Festival in Germany.
This recording - in front of an enthusiastic and attentive crowd - captures the band in top form, doing what they do best: composing a concert of entirely improvised music that is, to quote The Irish Times, "impossible to predict and impossible to resist".


BIOGRAPHY

The Ambush Party is aptly named indeed. As in an ambush, the band lies in wait for the listener, and takes him by surprise. The group takes its inspiration from such diverse genres as noise, tango, opera, drum ‘n’ bass and jazz. Natalio Sued, the Argentinean tenor saxophonist, can boast of a beautiful, old-fashioned sound, which bears comparison to a velvety Ben Webster. But he is equally capable of setting off on noise- based explorations making his saxophone sound like electronics. At times his sax ishardly distinguishable from the lyrical cello of Harald Austbø (who also takes up the role of jack-in-the-box, theatrically pushing the improvisation in a new direction). Pianist Oscar Jan Hoogland treats the piano both on the outside and the inside, as if it were a guitar or a percussion instrument. Drummer Marcos Baggiani is the best possible fourth man as he invents melodies on his drum kit and can be a musical pest and powerhouse at the same time. The foursome has a great sense of musical humor to boot, in the grand tradition of the playful, sometimes sardonic irony of Misha Mengelberg. The second half of the band’s name is just as appropriate as the first: this music is a party!
The Ambush Party was the first band to emerge from the new Amsterdam impro scene more than six years ago. By now the group has an impressive concert history, having played all over Europe and in South America. The group developed its sound at experimental venues like Zaal 100, OT301 and their own DIY-stage Boog 29. By now they bring their instant compsosing also to the more renowned stages in Amsterdam such Bimhuis, Melkweg and Paradiso and the EYE. The band collaborated with dance groups and filmmakers and recently did a big thaeter tour through Belgium with Clara van den Broek. The band continues touring and playing at festivals like The North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Buenos Aires Jazz Festival and the famous Moers Festival where they recorded their new second album ‘Circus – The Ambush Party live at Moers Festival’ in front of an attentive and very enthousiastic crowd. The album will also be released as a limited edition on vinyl. The cover for this edition will be painted live during the release concert by artist Theo Tomson.

Doek is an Amsterdam-based collective of improvising musicians who play in various ensembles and organise tours, projects and a yearly festival.

The core members of Stichting dOeK are:

Eric Boeren
John Dikeman
Kaja Draksler
Oscar Jan Hoogland
Michael Moore
Wilbert de Joode
Ada Rave
Jasper Stadhouder
Marta Warelis
Wolter Wierbos

Coordinator: Carolyn Muntz

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