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Magic I.D., The

till my breath gives out

Magic I.D., The : till my breath gives out (erstwhile)

Superb 1st erstwhile 'pop' release as only an erstwhile artist could define the term: abstract lower case and perceptive songs with dual clarinets creating harmonic interactions (Kai Fagaschinski & Michael Thieke, aka The International Nothing), guitar & voice from Margareth Kammerer and electronics & vocals from Christoph Kurzmann.
 

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Personnel:



Margareth Kammerer-vocals, guitars

Christof Kurzmann-vocals, G3, lloop

Kai Fagaschinski-clarinet (right)

Michael Thieke-clarinet (left)


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Label: erstwhile
Catalog ID: ErstPop P001
Squidco Product Code: 8929

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2008
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack
Recorded at Amann Studios, Vienna, August 2006 by Christoph Amann.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"The Magic I.D. is a Berlin-based quartet exploring the juncture of song forms with abstract music. The band, consisting of Margareth Kammerer, Christof Kurzmann, Kai Fagaschinski and Michael Thieke, formed in summer 2005 after previously being connected via smaller groupings and projects. till my breath gives out is their debut release, and consists of six intricately constructed gems, each with its own individual shape, painstakingly sequenced to form a record that becomes more than the sum of its parts.

The six pieces contained here are precise collective compositions, three by the full quartet, and one from each of the three potential "duos" (the two clarinets form one twinned instrument). till my breath gives out expands song forms through the prism of experimental sensibilities and meshes the two remarkably fluidly. The design has been sourced from a photograph taken by Gianmarco Bresadola in Alexanderplatz, Berlin, and stunningly reconceived by Berlin designer Marion Gerth.

Margareth Kammerer was born in Italy and moved to Berlin in 1994. She is deeply involved in the worlds of both theatre and music, and has a lengthy resume in both areas. Her mostly solo album To Be An Animal Of Real Flesh was released on Charhizma in 2004, featuring collaborative tracks with Axel Dörner, Chris Abrahams and Tatusya Yoshida, as well as remixes from Fred Frith, Philip Jeck, Bernhard Fleischmann and Kurzmann. Her unique, distinctive voice has been underdocumented previously, but is showcased on till my breath gives out to riveting effect.

Christof Kurzmann has been a prominent part of both the Vienna and (more recently) the Berlin scenes over the past decade. As an organizer, he cofounded the phonoTAKTIK festival, helped found the famous Rhiz club in Vienna, and runs the prestigious Charhizma label. Kurzmann has been an essential part of many Erstwhile-related live events, in Tokyo, Berlin and NYC, and was the first to work at Amann Studios for an Erstwhile release, beginning a crucial relationship for the label. His duo with Burkhard Stangl, schnee, is one of the core projects of Erstwhile, with a third release for the label currently in preparation for release, and his duo with Ami Yoshida, a s o, is an underappreciated gem.

Kai Fagaschinski has leapt to prominence in the improv world over the last few years, with well-received duo projects such as Los Glissandinos (w/Klaus Filip), The International Nothing (w/Thieke) and Kommando Raumschiff Zitrone (w/Kurzmann). His music is rooted in abstraction, but with an increasingly insidious melodious element. This is his first Erstwhile release, and his second is already in the works, a duo disc with Stangl.

Michael Thieke was born in Düsseldorf and moved to Berlin in 1993. He works in a wide range of styles in the jazz and improv worlds, from a Mingus tribute to a collective trio on Ayler Records (w/Christian Weber and Michael Griener) to his own Unununium project on Charhizma to the aforementioned The International Nothing w/Fagaschinski, ranging from free blowing to sparse, pointillistic abstraction, from fully improvised to fully composed.

The six pieces contained here are precise collective compositions, three by the full quartet, and one from each of the three potential "duos" (the two clarinets form one twinned instrument). till my breath gives out expands song forms through the prism of experimental sensibilities and meshes the two remarkably fluidly. The design has been sourced from a photograph taken by Gianmarco Bresadola in Alexanderplatz, Berlin, and stunningly reconceived by Berlin designer Marion Gerth.

till my breath gives out is being released simultaneously in two formats: foldout digipak CD and gatefold 180g vinyl. The content and the running order are identical; the LP version was mastered slightly differently to better fit the format. The LP is an edition of 500 copies; the CD is unlimited and inexpensive."-erstwhile records



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Artist Biographies

"Margareth Kammerer began her musical activity in Bologna (Italy) where she studied at the D.A.M.S (Disciplines of Art, Music and Theater). She co-founded several bands working with improvisation and collective composing. After moving to Berlin, she became involved in the experimental "Echtzeit" music scene, and has since developed her craft along many different lines, both with music and performance.

Her solo work can be found on "To be an animal of real flesh" (Charizhma, 2004), and "Why is the sea so blue" (Mikroton, 2013). Other continuing projects include: The Magic I.D. (with Christoph Kurzmann, Kai Fagachinski, and Michael Thieke), The RubyRubyRuby (with Steve Heather and Derek Shirley), Mugglestone Revue (with Big Daddy Mugglestone), Secret Spirit House (with Ellen Fullman and Teresa Wong), etc.

She has also worked with Chris Abrahams, Fred Frith, Luciano Chesa, Seby Ciurcina, Otomo Yoshihide, Paolo Angeli, Axel Dörner, Jason Forrest, Stefano Pilia, Andrea Belfi, Daniela Cattivelli, Claudio Rocchetti, the new contemporary music ensembles "Die Maulwerker" und "Ensemble Zwischentöne", and many more.

M.K. has performed at Angelica Festival in Bologna (2008), Music Unlimited in Wels (2006) Auditorio Parco della musica (2010 Rom), Serralves em Festa (2010 Porto) Experimental Media (2010 New York), Maybeck Studio (2005 San Francisco), Festival de lá Musique Creative (1995 Nancy), Jazz á Mulhouse (2007 Mulhouse), Musica 90 (2005 Torino), Escena Contemporanea (2005 Madrid), Teatro Fondamenta Nuove (2007 Venice), Vooruit (2009 Gent), Echtzeitmusiktage (2010 Berlin), Netmage (2010 Bologna), Alternativa Festival (2011 Prag), Ring Ring (1994 Belgrad), Festival Transart (2010 Bozen), Maerzmusik (2011 Berlin), Konfrontationen (2011 Nickelsdorf), etc.

In theater, she has worked as actress/singer with Laurent Frechuret, (1999/2000, St. Etienne, Paris), Wolf Twiehaus (2001/2002, Schaubühne, Berlin), Berthold Schneider (2003, Staatsbank, Berlin), Jay Scheib (2002, Volksbühne, Berlin; 2005, Lamama Theatre, New York; 2006, Living Room, Bologna; 2009, Institute of Creative and Performing Arts at Colgate University), Adeline Rosenstein (2004-2008, Ausland, Berlin; 2009, Premieres Actes, France), Tone Avenstroup (2001, Reich und Berühmt Festival, Berlin; 2002, Lady Chutney, Vienna; 2002, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo; 2001,Black Box, Oslo; 2012, Ackerstadtpalast, Berlin), Worm Winters (2002, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo), Antonija Livingstone (2009, Performance Festival, Bologna) and Bo Wiget (2010, Fabriktheater Zürich; 2010, Sophiensäle, Berlin)."

-Margareth Kammerer Website (http://margarethkammerer.com/biopress)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Christof Kurzmann (vocals, lloopp, clarinet, alto sax), is an Austrian musician, performer, composer currently living in Buenos Aires. Beginning in 1994 he started his work in the field of experimental electronic music. Since that time Christof has collaborated with some of the most significant artists working in contemporary music and improvisation- including Toto Alvarez, Martin Brandlmayr, John Butcher, Eden Carrasco, Sebi Ciurcina, Werner Dafeldecker, Kai Fagaschinski, Fernanda Farrah, Bernhard Fleischmann, Michaela Grill, Margareth Kammerer, Leonel Kaplan, Bernhard Lang, Andrea Neumann, Fernando Perales, Eva Reiter, Marina Rosenfeld, Ursula Rucked, Burkhard Stangl, Michael Thieke, and Clayton Thomas- in groups such as El Infierno Musical, The Magic I.D., and Schee. During the course of his career, Christof has performed throughout Europe, Japan, North and South Amercia. He has also been a music curator since the mid 1980's, and in 1999 founded the record label, Charhizma, which has released more than 30 cds."

-http://kenvandermark.com/2013/10/made-to-break-biography/ (Ken Vandermark Website)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"The Berlin-based clarinetist and composer/performer focuses on a subtle musicality of sound and noise phenomena. As an autodidact he has developed dubious manners on his instrument. His music is rooted in abstractness, including increasingly an insidious expressivity and a pre-melodic quality. He works on the borderline of composition and improvisation, with a preference for long-term collaborations.

His projects are The International Nothing - clarinet duo with Michael Thieke (cd: Mainstream, ftarri 2006 / less action, less excitement, less everything, ftarri 2010 / the dark side of success, ftarri 2014), los glissandinos with klaus filip (cd: Stand clear, creative sources 2005), the magic i.D. - Song Project with margareth kammerer, christof kurzmann & michael thieke (cd/vinyl: Till my breath gives out, erstwhile 2008 / i'm so awake - sleepless i feel, staubgold 2011), duo with Burkhard Stangl (cd: Musik - ein portrait in sehnsucht, erstwhile 2009), the dogmatics with Chris Abrahams (lp: The sacrifice for the music became our lifestyle, monotype 2012), here comes the sun with gunter schneider & barbara romen (cd: Here comes the sun, mikroton 2012), Kommando Raumschiff Zitrone with Christof kurzmann (cd: First time ever i saw your face, quincunx 2006), duo with Bernhard Gal (cd: Going round in serpentines, charhizma 2005), rebecca with michael renkel (cd: Rebecca [two variations], charhizma 2003), No Furniture with Boris Baltschun and Axel Dörner (cd: No furniture, creative sources 2003), and (exceptionally) solo.

Kai has been the commander of Raumschiff Zitrone from 2000 to 2006, joined by christof kurzmann in 2002. Recently both commanders have been retired and closed the legendary raumschiff zitrone which has presented concerts of countless international artists. In 2001 he co-initiated together with gregor hotz and conrad noack berlin's experimental music platform www.Echtzeitmusik.De.

Kai was artist-in-residense at quartier21 (part of museumsquartierwien, vienna) in 2004. As a result of fruitful collaborations and good friendships vienna feels like a second home for him."

-Kai Fagaschinski Website (http://kylie.klingt.org/bio.html)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"The Berlin-based clarinetist/composer/performer Michael Thieke is equally at home across a broad range of musical environments, such as experimental song forms, collectively composing projects, improvising collectives, and music on the fringes of jazz. He is exploring the minutiae of sound, timbre and noise, with a particular interest in microtonality and related sound phenomena, and with a preference for long-term collaborations and collective work.

Some of his current Projects are: The International Nothing (with Kai Fagaschinski cl, CD on ftarri), The Magic I.D. (with Christof Kurzmann, Kai Fagaschinski, Margareth Kammerer, CD/LP on ErstPop and staubgold), The Pitch (with Boris Baltschun organ, Koen Nutters b, Morten Olsen dr, LP on gaffer), Der lange Schatten (with Håvard Wiik p, Antonio Borghini b), Voutchkova/Thieke (with Biliana Voutchkova vl), Splitter Orchester, Toulemonde/Thieke (with Olivier Toulemonde acoustic objects), Hotelgäste (with Derek Shirley b, Dave Bennett g, CD on schraum, LP on self), Michael Thieke Unununium (with Luca Venitucci acc/p, Martin Siewert g, Christian Weber b, Derek Shirley b, Steve Heather dr, Eric Schaefer dr, CD on charhizma), motif (with Atle Nymo sax, Håkon Mjåset Johansen dr, Eivind Lønning tp, Ole Morten Vågan b, Håvard Wiik p), Porta Chiusa (with paed Conca cl, Hans Koch cl), Spirit Songs (with Mike Cooper voc/g, Elio Martusciello el, Fabrizio Spera dr, Luca Venitucci acc/el.), Roman Tics (with Burkhard Beins, Luca Venitucci, CD on Cathnor), Cowards Bend The Knee (Live Music in different setups with the film Cowards Bend The Knee by Guy Maddin), Gebhard Ullmann's The Clarinet Trio (with Gebhard Ullmann bass clarinet, Jürgen Kupke clarinet) and Uli Gumpert Workshop Band."

-Michael Thieke Website (http://www.michael-thieke.de/e/biographie.htm)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. True Holiday 6:25

2. Feet Deep 4:59

3. Wintersong 6:14

4. Martin Fierro 3:02

5. From The Same Road 8:13

6. Loopstuck 12:57

Related Categories of Interest:

erstwhile

Electro-Acoustic
lowercase, reductionist, micro-improv, sound improv, onkyo sound
Song Based Music

Search for other titles on the label:
erstwhile.


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