https://www.buzzsprout.com/150518/7002958-jon-balke-the-music-of-change
Here is a link to the New York based “Soundwalker” full length portrait of Jon Balke´s musical production throughout the years, covering Magnetic North Orchestra, Jøkleba, Siwan, Batagraf and the solo work…and more. Created and edited by David Rothenberg.
In 2021 one of the main projects will be working with the scoring of Emily Atef´s movie “More Than Ever” set in Bordeaux and Norway, The project is still in its beginning stages , but the script is a very strong and moving story about Helene, who is struggling with a rare and terminal lung disease and travels to Norway to meet with a contact she discovers online, an elderly man , also sick, who handles his situation with humour and brutal honesty.
The planned recording of Siwan 3 (work title) , scheduled to start sat 9th january at Village Recording in Copenhagen, had to be postponed due to stricter covid restrictions in Denmark. The project includes travels from Turkey, France, Germany and Canada and became extremely complicated ot negotiate.
New dates are set to 12-17th april in the hope that things have improved slightly by then…
The new music is based on poetry from Al Andaluz mostly around the period 1000 to 1100.
Working at Madstun in covid shutdown mode, a full new repertoire for Siwan 3 the final album of the trilogy, to be recorded in january in Copenhagen, according to a plan made in spring this year. With the new rising infection numbers in Denmark it is starting to look bleak…..
lyrics in arabic and spanish from Al Andalus around 1100 a.d.
On the 2 october at Nasjonal Jazzscene in Oslo we perform a tribute to Miki N´Doye, master drummer from Gambia, who came to Norway in 1974 and stunned the Oslo scene with his powerful mix of drumming , dancing and singing. Featuring Oddrun Lilja, Per Jørgensen, Snorre Bjerck and Jon Balke
Jon Balke´s new solo album “Discourses” continues to recieve very positive feedback from music press and web around the globe.
Here is a quote from Tumblr based Dusted magazine:
The delicacies so integral to Balke’s work roll back on repeated listening, opening the way to a universe of half-realized possibility sufficient unto itself. Sub-frequencies roar while never losing the grace suffusing them, and each tone’s melodic and harmonic implications become clear only in the often-illusory context afforded by its neighbor. The resulting soundscapes form paths dimly lit until they’re not, until moments of brightness throw all arguments and positions into the stark relief the most creative art makes manifest.
Marc Medwin
photo Caterina di Perri
Fantastic to perform in the caves at James del Agua at Lanzarote, in Tone Myskja´s visual scenography , double projected on the jagged stone ceiling and on the little screen at the back of the stage.
Testing of Tone Myskja´s video projections at Jameos Del Agua cave in Lanzarote, Spain, for the solo performance of Warp tomorrow 12th oct at 21.30 . These images are taken with work lights on. More images from the concert will be posted tomorrow.
The auditorium
Lines crawl in the roof and sides of the cave
One projection grows from the back screen ater 30 minutes
With Trondheim Voices, Munich chamber orchestra, Asle Karstad and Jon Balke. First performance of Jon Balkes composition based on the poem by Yusef Komunyakaa. A full house in Alleheiligenhofkirche in Munich.
photo by Ralf Dombrowski
arrived in Konya, home of Rumi and one of the oldest cities in the world. Enjoying a tea in the park near the Alaadin mosque. The rest of Siwan arrives today, for rehearsals and concert at the festival of mystic music. The «mystic» referring to Rumi’s message of love in the sufi interpretation. A great honour to be part of this famous festival with the music of Siwan
teatime in Konya
Mosque in Konya
cave dwellings in Silla
Siwan in front of Rumi’s mausoleum. Pedram Khavarzamini, Mona Boutchebak, Jon Balke, Helge Norbakken. Derya Turkan was occupied at this moment