Ars Transmutatori Iku-turso & Primati Primi
“prismatic textural universe … a deep dive into the emotional power of resonances” TheWholeNote (Canada)
Out now, Michel’s new recording Ars Transmutatoria Iku-turso! The music was recorded in Helsinki as he gathered a group of talented musicians, Jorma Tapio flute, saxophone, Raoul Björkenheim guitar, Sampo Lassila double bass, old friends from his days in their Krakatau band, to play his newest Ars Transmutatoria scores, a series based on mythic and hybrid animals. Knowing our sons, van garden and beamer!, had devoted much of their lockdown time to studying underground rap and freestyling, I tossed them in at the deep end and had them freestyle to the scores as well. I continued my process of layering of melodic dream haiku upon the reactions to the visual scores. The results are poetic and uncanny, dark and frothy.
Also available now, the second workshop of the new scores recorded in Rome, Italy with Greg Burk, piano, Matt Renzi, saxophone, Federica Michisanti, bass, van garden, beamer! and myself on vocals and poetry. Recorded by Clive Simpson at Extra Beat Studios. If you’d like hard copies of these they are available on Michel’s Bandcamp page.