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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