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Mikael Augustsson

Seeking new musical territories is important for Mikael Augustsson. With his bandoneon and accordion he explores the intrinsic force of music, and creates a field of tension where the instruments’ timbre and nature constantly offer new dimensions.

The foundation lies in Argentinian tango. It is there as a part of him after the time he spent in Buenos Aires. But the music he creates is still unique, for the influences come from many directions, through both the journeys he has made and the different constellations of which he has been a part.

Over the years, it has been natural to invite Mikael Augustsson onto many of the major Swedish and international scenes. He has worked together with artists like Lena Willemark, Anna Järvinen, Ale Möller, Susana Rinaldi and Julia Zenko. The list can be made very long indeed!

With his phenomenal virtuosity, his wide-open musical sense and the bandoneon’s special sound, he has supplied an extra dimension in many contexts: Stockholm City Theatre’s arrangement of the Master and Margarita, Blue Tango at the Norrland Opera, the Park Theatre’s presentation of BREL, the Tales of Hofffman at the Folk Opera, to name just a few.

And the combination of composer and musician is a strength of Mikael Augustsson. With the bandoneon’s intense and sensual nature and the tango’s suffering heat, in association with impulses from composers like Stravinsky, Bartók, Debussy and Morricone, he creates music that is highly personal and unique. In the latest of a series of projects, he mixes impressions from Miles Davis’s recording Bitches Brew with elements from Astor Piazzolla’s Octeto Electronico. As well as Mikael Augustsson himself, on the bandoneon and accordina, his group consists of a string of prominent musicians: Andreas Unge, bass, Johan Lindström, guitar and pedal steel, Jesper Nordenström, keyboard, and Jon Fält and Christopher Cantillo, drums.

He has another acclaimed collaboration with Nils Berg, Josef Kallerdahl and Daniel Bingert in the group DynaMike. Their debut album, National Hymns, was very well received by critics in Sweden. “But the primary creator of atmosphere is Augustsson’s bandoneon, and, if you are seeking a more specific geographical residence for these new self-written ‘national anthems’, it is, despite everything, the tango’s Argentina,” wrote the leading Swedish national newspaper, Dagens Nyheter.

The bandoneon is recognized as an instrument that is very hard to play. “Diabolical, you have to be a bit crazy to take it on,” said Astor Piazzolla, while at the same time celebrating its melancholy sound.

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“Sveriges bandoneonister kan troligtvis räknas på några få fingrar, och en av dem är Mikael Augustsson. På hans andra skiva i eget namn, ett dubbelalbum, står han själv för samtliga kompositioner.”

“Mikael Augustsson är en virtuos.” “Björn G Stenberg blir imponerad av Mikael Augustsson.”

“Tillsammans skapar de en maffig hybrid av ultramodern tango, elektronika, psykedelia, Ennio Morricone-parafraser, Grace Jones à la Libertango….”

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Carne

Bull Cat Records
2015

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National Hymns

Hoob Records
2012

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Skanstull Tango Trio

Agnas Musikproduktioner
2002

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Hôtel Safsaf

From: Carne
By Mikael Augustsson

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