Electric Umbrella #29

Finally, a new Umbrella again after the amazing October edition. WORM continues to celebrate the fine art of musical improvisation, for you to enjoy. This time we present a truly golden trio from the eclectic Amsterdam musical avant-garde: Mother Tongue. A Senegalese Griot singer, a Korean jazz drummer and an Amsterdam multi-instrumentalist / instant composer find each other on an open playground. With m’bira, xalam, drumkit, voice, percussion, household tools and an electric clavichord on 220 volt, they sit down and take off: Wrrrrrraaang!
listen here.

Mother Tongue
Singer and percussionist Mola Sylla is in many ways a musical explorer. Born and raised in Dakar, Senegal, he grew up in the tradition of the griots. Griots play conveying stories – sometimes decorated with music, theater and dance – which all play an important role in West African culture. His rhythm and melodic compositions differ from the western conventional schedules and provide surprising twists.

Sun-Mi Hong moved to Europe when she was 19 to study jazz in Amsterdam and that is where she met her soulmates. In her playing with Mother Tongue she lets herself be inspired by both the world jazz and traditional Korean musics. She was honoured with the Paul Acket award for an “extraordinary contribution to jazz” at the North Sea jazz festival this July.

Oscar Jan Hoogland is the sound of Amsterdam in person. He invented his own instrument by putting a clavichord, a keyboard instrument from the 17th century, on 220 Volt electricity. As the last student of the late pianist, composer and improvisor Misha Mengelberg he tears like a tornado through the Amsterdam jazz and impro scene.