anthropods

Susanna Gartmayer (Bassklarinette) · Jakob Gnigler (Tenorsaxophon) · Irene Kepl (Violine) · Clemens Sainitzer (Cello) · Mark Holub (Schlagzeug)

Anthropods is the new band from American drummer and composer, Mark Holub. Holub, known mainly as bandleader of the acclaimed and Mercury Prize nominated Led Bib (www.ledbib.com) has with ‘Anthropods’ created his first project as a leader since starting Led Bib in 2003.

Holub has been based in Vienna, Austria since 2012. The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic stopped all touring, all life, but gave Holub an unexpected opportunity- time to finally start his own project in Vienna, as bandleader, something he had been planning for years, but never found the time to do. For Holub, this band wasn’t about creating a new Austrian Led Bib, but was a total reassessment of what he wanted to produce as a composer and bandleader. With Led Bib always being very much a collaborative project, this was the chance for Holub to start afresh, and think about what he would want to make with completely new musicians, and a fresh palette.

Holub elaborates, “I wanted to create something where the musicians felt free to try and determine what the band might sound like. I didn’t want to be too prescriptive about where the band might go sonically. My first thought was to try and find instruments that perhaps by already being a slightly unusual grouping would make us not only sound different, but make us immediately think about where such a collection of instruments and musicians might be able to go sonically. It has been an amazing journey for myself as leader and composer, and I look forward to hearing how this band will further develop over the course of the touring.”

The players Holub selected include long term Vienna based collaborators, such as violinist Irene Kepl, as well as musicians like Susanna Gartmayer who appeared briefly on the latest Led Bib album, but also people Holub had met more briefly on the Viennese scene and liked their approach. Holub adds: “Playing music for me is really about people, and the way we communicate with each other. I wanted to find the right group of people to then continue to try and forge a sound together. Allowing each musician to bring their own special contribution, and thus allowing this band to create a sound which only THIS band could be.”

“Ein amerikanisch-österreichisches Unternehmen, angesiedelt zwischen Free Music und Komposition, das keine Wünsche offen lässt.” Jazzpodium

“Das Ergebnis  ist ein musikalischer Parcours, der zwischen weiträumigen FreestyleElementen, hochkomplexen  und hypnotischen Momenten  und  verschachtelter Metrik alles  parat  hält, was der Fanmoderner  Jazzmusik  sich  wünscht.” InMusic

“Was man auf „Anthropods“ zu hören bekommt, ist eine etwas andere Art der Annäherung an das Thema Jazz, eine, die sich trotz ihrer großen klanglichen Vielfalt und komplexen Natur dennoch in erzählerischer Form wiedergibt und so zu einem echten Erlebnis wird.” MICA

“…es könnten sich neue Wege öffnen.”  er-em Online Szene Magazin *****

“Sehr interessante Kompositionen, beeindruckendes gegenseitiges Verständnis der Musiker. Die perfekte Balance zwischen einer genau dosierten Aufführungstechnik und oft offen gezeigten, aber kontrollierten Emotionen erlaubt es, in die Schönheit dieser Musik einzudringen. Charakteristisch ist auch ein ausgeprägter individueller Stil, der durch sorgfältig kontrollierte musikalische Effekte ergänzt wird. Wir sind begeistert!” Jazz-fun.de