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Jan Bang

Norwegian producer, composer, performer, innovator

About Me

JAN BANG SHORT BIOGRAPHY

The musical spheres Jan Bang works in revolve around such luminaries as Jon Hassell, David Sylvian, Brian Eno, Sidsel Endresen, Nils Petter Molvaer and Arve Henriksen. From his work as successful pop producer in the 1990s his creative thrust and pioneering work in developing the concept of live remix- improvising with electronics alongside more conventional instruments and performers - has led today to him being constantly in- demand as producer and performer. In 2005 he launched, together with Erik Honoré the internationally renowned Punkt Festival where Bang’s live sampling, his own musical instrument, works within the framework of overlapping concerts one being the original, the other the remix. The Punkt brand has already travelled abroad to the UK, Germany and has plans to visit the United States. Bang’s recent recorded work includes the acclaimed CDs Cartography by Arve Henriksen and Jon Hassell’s Last Night the Moon Came, both on ECM. Recent live performances and tours have included with Jon Hassell to Sidney Opera House as part of Eno´s own festival and last year playing Carnegie Hall in NYC and Royce Hall, LA. In November -08, as curator of “Scene Norway during the opening of King´s Place in london - BBC´s Fiona Talkington invited Punkt for a three day festival as part of the London Jazz Festival.

Bang was born in Denver and grew up in Kristiansand, nurtured by the legacy of his father’s vast record collection, his mother’s piano playing and the sounds of swallows in the family garden. The early meeting between Bang, Erik Honoré and a range of music technology awoke a desire to start a band and a thirst to develop something unique. The Tromsø electronic scene and some musical collisions with other soon-to-be famous musicians such as Bugge Wesseltoft and Nils Petter Molvaer set Bang on the road to his status as one of the most innovative and creative musicians working in Norway today.

Jan Bang’s solo album “….and poppies from Kandahar” is due for release on David Sylvian’s samadhisound label and will be touring the material together with guitarist and long time collaborator, Eivind Aarset.

AUGUST 2009