Recorded live as part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival in June 2018, ‘Vesper’ is guitarist/composer Kim Myhr’s collaboration with the world-renowned Australian Art Orchestra, led by Peter Knight. A long-form, immersive work consisting of three movements that add up to a combined running time of just under one hour, it further demonstrates Myhr’s masterly command of complex musical resources and extended duration. ‘Vesper’ – which means “evening” in classical Latin – also reunites Myhr with drummer and percussionist Tony Buck, of Australia’s legendary improv trio The Necks. Buck was one of the three guest drummers featured on Myhr’s acclaimed Hubro recording ‘You | me’, shortlisted for the 2018 Nordic Music Prize alongside Bjork and Susanne Sundfør.
“I had been thinking for a while to do a night piece”, Kim Myhr says about the genesis of ‘Vesper’. “The music I’ve listened to the most, and which is perhaps the closest to me, is the music that I listen to in the hour before going to bed, when the tempo is a bit slower, and the expectations of the day are fading. Daniel Lanois talked about how they recorded Bob Dylan’s ‘Oh Mercy’ only in the night-time, because musicians tend to be more patient and relaxed then, and even play a few bpms slower. Although this is a nice idea, I was… more
released April 17, 2020
Kim Myhr: guitar and electronics
Australian Art Orchestra:
Peter Knight: trumpet, hammered dulcimer, electronics
Aviva Endean: clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, autoharp, umtshingo
Erkki Veltheim: viola
Lizzy Welsh: violin
Jacques Emery: double bass, autoharp
Joe Talia: Revox B77 and electronics
Tony Buck: drums and percussion
Recorded live by Jem Savage at The Substation 9. June 2018 during Melbourne International Jazz Festival.
Music by Kim Myhr
Mixed by Jem Savage
Mastered by Joe Talia
Produced by Kim Myhr
Thanks to Brad Spolding and everyone else at The Substation for making the project possible, Jerry Remkes, Leo Dale, and Jem Savage who recorded the live performance so beautifully, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Javid Afsari Rad, Adrian Myhr, Jan Martin Smørdal, Eivind Lønning, Philippe Lauzier and Håvard Volden.
Kim wants especially to thank all the musicians of the Australian Art Orchestra for their wonderful musicianship and their lovely collaborative spirit during the week working together in Melbourne.
The composition work was supported by TONO and
Komponistenes Vederlagsfond. The development and
performance of the work was supported by Australia
Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, and The Substation.