Playing the Electrophonic Saxophone

Kjetil Traavik Møster

'Playing the Electrophonic Saxophone' explores the expanded role of the instrument and relations made possible by such expansions. In and through artistic practice I research the many processes, tensions, and artistic possibilities that emerge through interplay. How can exploring possibilities and conditions for the acoustic saxophone in interplay with electric and electronic tools and sounds pave the way for new music, new insights, and expand the conception of what the instrument can be? How can playing with electrically and digitally manipulated sound facilitate the instrument’s ability to connect to musicians and artists from other fields of practice? The research’s main artistic outcome is the sum of a series of artistic projects presented in this exposition. The two texts Playing Air and Playing Parasitic constitute the ethical and methodological basis for the research and my practice and transfers to the projects’ two basic elements: roles and their relations. The band Møster! acts as the main project ensemble, and the PhD research is finalized with a public artistic presentation at the Nattjazz Festival, Røkeriet USF, Bergen on June 1st, 2021. 'Playing the Electrophonic Saxophone' utforsker instrumentets utvidete rolle, og relasjoner som en slik utvidelse åpner for. I og gjennom kunstnerisk praksis forsker jeg på de mange prosesser, spenninger, og kunstneriske potensial som vokser frem gjennom samspill. Hvordan kan utforskning av muligheter og premisser for akustisk saksofonspill i samspill med elektriske og elektroniske verktøy og lyder lede til ny musikk, ny innsikt, og utvide forståelsen av hva instrumentet kan være? Hvordan kan det å spille med elektrisk og digitalt manipulert lyd legge til rette for samhandling med musikere og artister fra andre kunstneriske felt, med ulike kunstneriske praksiser? Forskningens kunstneriske resultat er presentert som en samling prosjekter i denne eksposisjonen. De to tekstene 'Playing Air' og 'Playing Parasitic' utgjør det metodologiske og etiske grunnlaget for forskningen og min praksis, og kan leses inn i forskningens to hovedelementer: roller, og deres relasjoner. Bandet Møster! fungerer som hoved-ensemble, og PhD-prosjektet ble avsluttet med en offentlig konsertfremføring på Nattjazz, Røkeriet USF i Bergen, 1. juni 2021.

Acknowledgments

This PhD in artistic research has taken place 2016 – 2021 at The Grieg Academy, Faculty of Fine Arts, Music and Design, University of Bergen.

The PhD research has been funded by the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme

My deepest gratitude to my supervisors, Thomas T. Dahl, Trond Lossius, and Bjørn Kruse for sharing your knowledge and guiding the process with experience and insight.

Many thanks to the staff at The Grieg Academy and Faculty of Fine Arts, Music and Design for engaging in my project and including me in the many processes of the institution.

A very special thanks to the artistic PhD fellows at the Grieg Academy: Tijs Ham, Craig Wells, Stephan Meidell, and Thorolf Thuestad. It has been a delightfully destratifying experience. Also, thank you to The Reading Group, which has been an essential tool for mind expansion. Thank you, Andrea Parkins and Juan Vassilo for your great contributions there.

Thank you to everyone involved in the research’s artistic projects:

Jørgen Træen for knowing how to make everything and everyone sound good.

Møster!:
The band: Snah, Niko and Kenneth, for always joining the ride.

The extras: Olaf Olsen, Ståle Storløkken, Helge Norbakken

The crew: Christian Engfelt, Espen Høydalsvik, Johan Berntsen, Jan Erik Holto, and Kimarius Abrahamsen.
The booking: Thomas Paulsen/Standing Ovation
A special thank you to the label, Andreas Meland/Hubro and Aslak Gurholt/Yokoland. for generously permitting the use of the album material

Møster! has been funded by Norsk Kulturråd, Fond For Utøvende Kunstnere, and Norsk Jazzforum

The End:
The band: Mats Gustafsson, Anders Hana, Sofia Jernberg, Børge Fjordheim, and Greg Saunier for infinite inspiration
The Art: Edward Jarvis and Kjetil Brandsdal

The booking: Danielle Oosterop

A special thank you to the label, Giacomo Bruzzo/RareNoise Records for generously permitting

the use of the album material

The End has been funded by Norsk Kulturråd, Norsk Jazzforum, and Music Export Norway

AKB Trio: Anders Hana and Børge Fjordheim

Pyramiden: Kyrre Heldal Karlsen, Lars Vaular, Frode Kvinge Flatland, Jørgen Træen, Marty Brown, and André Løyning.

A special thanks to Henie Onstad Art Centre, Kristoffer Kinden and Svein Terje Torvik for generously permitting the use of the sound and visual material.

Pyramiden was funded by Norsk Kulturråd

A heartfelt thank you to every musician I have played with during the PhD research period with whom I get to exchange musical DNA.

Special thanks to Øyvind Torvund for contributing to the research and inviting me to play on The Exotica Album.

Thank you:

Tom Svendsgård and Nattjazz for hosting the public presentation concert
Orange Factory for the work and the open doors
And every concert presenter we have played for, every staff at the venue, and every audience coming to concerts
Thank you, everyone who listens to music and engage in the sonic dimensions

Thank you to my familiy for babysitting, proof reading and support.

The deepest possible thank you to Maria, Edvard and Viktor for continuous support and love.

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