The Squid's Ear Magazine


Agnas, Kasper: Grain Live (FRIM Records)

Three live guitar improvisations from Swedish guitarist Kasper Agnas performing at Stockholm's New Music and Intermedia Art venue Fylkingen, each piece uniquely approached, starting with a lap guitar dulcimer-like approach of rapid rhythmic attacks, to a warm sound world using mallets on the guitar neck, and finally a work of decaying chords that evolve in complexity, strength and skew.
 

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Kasper Agnas-guitar


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UPC: 7320470263037

Label: FRIM Records
Catalog ID: FRIM4CD
Squidco Product Code: 33023

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2023
Country: Sweden
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Fylkingen, in Stockholm, Sweden, on March 18th, 2021, by Mats Aleklint.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"It's unfortunately rare for an improviser, especially in a solo context, to concentrate on one idea, a single angle of attack, and to work that idea deeply, to discover hidden jewels within a relatively "narrow" range and further, to surprise the listener with unexpected divergencies. Agnas, in the three selections from a live event presented here, does this beautifully.

On '1992', he places his guitar on his lap and approaches it as a kind of dulcimer, generating a strong and captivating rhythmic attack. Just as you think you have it figured out, he shifts pitches into a more microtonal area, opening hitherto unsuspected doorways. 'Mirrored Memories' moves to a very different sound world, Agnas gently striking the neck of his guitar with a soft mallet, creating floating, organ-like tones. But again, about two-thirds of the way through, he changes direction, roughly hitting the strings with the mallet stick, resulting in a harsher, more bracing environment scarcely hinted at in the previous sounds.

Agnas begins 'Far Away, Closer' with jangly chords suspended in time, perhaps recalling aspects of John Fahey or Loren Connors, very thoughtfully phrased and positioned, each set of two or three allowed to linger for consideration. About halfway through, however, things morph into a less solid, more warped space; one feels the ground shifting beneath one's feet. Later still, CD-skipping effects join the fray, rendering any smug, presumed understanding of the situation on the part of the innocent listener absurd.

In Agnas' hands, the electric guitar continues to reveal undreamt of possibilities."-Brian Olewnick, liner notes


Artist Biographies

"Born in 1992, Kasper Agnas has, over the past years, been at the helm of the new Swedish jazz scene. He has collaborated with a number of European musicians (Julia Strzalek, Susana Santos Silva, David Stackenäs, Joakim Milder, Nils Landgren...) and received critical acclaim for his group Agnas Bros., bringing together his three brothers with whom he has toured several European countries.

Kasper was the winner of the Montreux Jazz Electric Guitar Competition in 2017."

-All About Jazz (https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/kasper-agnas)
3/27/2024

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


Track Listing:



1. 1992 10:36

2. Mirrored Memories 8:12

3. Far Away, Closer 18:39

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Guitarists, &c.
Solo Artist Recordings
New in Improvised Music

Search for other titles on the label:
FRIM Records.


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