Swiss pianist/composer Nik Baertsch doesn't play pop, jazz or classical music - at least not in any conventional sense. With his two groups - Mobile and Ronin, the latter introduced to an international audience with its ECM debut Stoa, both play what Baertsch calls “ritual groove music" and it's as good a description as any for music that incorporates elements of funk, improvisation, minimalism and more.
It's a clearly-conceived musical philosophy that Baertsch has been honing for a number of years through a series of independently-released discs. With ECM the providing greater exposure Baertsch deserves, Contributing Editor Paul Olson thought it would be a good time to talk with Baertsch about this philosophy, his two bands and what, exactly, is “ritual groove music."
Read Nik Baertsch: Commitment, Movement, and the Batman Spirit at AAJ Today!
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