AURORA Vilhelm Bromander – sopransaxofon Johan Graden – klarinett Mauritz Agnas – klarinett & kontrabas Emma Augustsson – cello Pelle Westlin – sopransaxofon, basklarinett & klarinett Anton Svanberg – tuba
The word “aurora” is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who travelled from east to west announcing the coming of the sun. Vilhelm Bromander’s new suite titled aurora similarly signals the arrival of a new chapter in the Swedish bass player, composer and improviser’s creative endeavours. aurora is an album of ten pieces written for an extended woodwind ensemble. The music has a gentle, fragile and somewhat naive sound – perhaps a result of half the ensemble exploring new instruments (Bromander himself plays soprano saxophone). The instrumental identities are blurred; reeds, bowed strings and organ form together a warm, inviting, collective sounding body. The compositions themselves feel like glimpses of light, air and mystery. They are open-ended, floating, yet each composition still explores a specific theme, mood, or feeling – like trying to describe the scent of a flower, or the feeling of the wind gently caressing your neck. “I embraced trying to compose music as romantic and beautiful as I was able to” says Bromander” but contrasting this by playing it strictly, consciously not syncing breaths and phrasing. That tension, between the strict playing and the romantic compositions is for me a key to this music: like drone music cut up into smaller sections and pieces that when combined create melody.”
Vilhelm Bromander (1988) is a Swedish bass player and composer deeply entwined in the Stockholm experimental and free jazz scene. He can be heard in groups such as Svenska Folkjazzkvartetten, Christer Bothén 3,in duo with Fredrik Rasten and with Elin Forkelid plays for Trane among others.
Vilhelm has also worked a lot with solo double bass - where he directs his focus to acoustic details such as beating, common partials and difference tones – to hear what happens with our perception when we allow ourselves to be immersed in sound for a longer stretch of time. In January -22 he also debuted as a soprano saxophone player with his new chamber work, Aurora, that was released by warm winters ltd.
As an improviser he has played with musicians like Axel Dörner, Tisha Mukarji, Michael Thieke, Sten Sandell, Phil Minton, Mazen Kerbaj, Maria W. Horn, Christer Bothén, Katt Hernandez, Lisa Ullén, Henrik Olsson to name a few. He is also an active session musician and has played with Daniel Johnston, Sara Parkman, Saigon, Musette, Joe Davolaz, Rotem Geffen, Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation, The Tiny & Music Is The Weapon.
Pelle was born 1991 in Uppsala. He is known for his work as a saxophonist, clarinetist, guitarist, and vocalist. A graduate of the Academy of Music and Drama at the University of Gothenburg, Westlin has been active in the Swedish jazz and experimental music scenes since the mid-2010s.
In addition to Trio Ramberget, Pelle leads the free jazz quartet Westlin Tontin, co-leads the big band Stockholm Improvisers Orchestra, and plays in several other constellations in jazz and improvisation. He also works with his solo project, where he sings and plays guitar, blending folk traditions with lo-fi sounds. Notably, in 2021, he released a series of albums featuring hymns and spiritual songs performed with vocals and his 130-year-old guitar, which he inherited from his great grandmother.
Pelle has played and collaborated with diverse musicians and artists such as Fredrik Ljungkvist, Jockum Nordström, Jocke Åhlund, Hannes, Waterbaby, Matti Bye, Klara Lewis, Magda Mayas, Sara Parkman, Roland Keijser, Lisa Ullén, Eva Lindal, Per-Åke Holmlander, Anna Högberg, to name a few.
