Swedish alto saxophonist Marcus Wärnheim and Finnish double bass player Jonathan Bäckström have been playing together as a duo since 2018. Through a long-lasting close collaborative process they are consequently pushing the limits of the intimate duo setting, exploring sound by embracing the spontaneous, pre-determined and arbitrary.

Marcus Wärnheim is a Swedish alto saxophonist and improviser, currently based in Amsterdam. His artistic output is primarily based in a genuine curiosity of sound, which he works with through intense listening and a thorough research of the physical possibilities of his instrument. In recent years he has been preoccupied with acoustic solo performances, improvisational meetings, interpretation of other’s compositions as a sideman, as well as trans-disciplinary collaborations with dancers and circus artists.

Jonathan Bäckström is a Finnish double bassist and composer. He works within the broader spectrum of jazz, free improvisation and contemporary music. He is currently pursuing the master’s program at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. In spring 2024 he debuted as a leader on the Finnish record label We Jazz Records with a critically acclaimed quartet album. During the span of ten years, he has worked extensively as a side musician and freelancer both in Finland and internationally. With his compositional
work, he is blending written material with free improvisation, aiming to create a microcosm that explores the relationship between performer and composer, fostering an environment of innovation and reflection.

https://on.soundcloud.com/i5BJ5xdXtSMkjH8v9
https://jonathanbackstrom.com/
https://www.instagram.com/marcus.warnheim/

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Wilson Tanner Smith (USA/FI) is a composer, improviser, cellist, and interdisciplinary performer currently based in Helsinki, with roots in the improvised music scenes of Chicago.
Wilson Tanner Smith presents a solo set of improvisations rooted in a sensitive approach to the cello and its extended sounding possibilities, drawing from influences across free improvisation, free jazz, and deep listening approaches.

His focus lies in experimental music and music theatre, both solo and in collaborations across dance, free improvisation/free jazz, and cross-disciplinary projects, with past performances in Chicago, France, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany. Smith is also a member of the Chicago-based improvising quartet Mad Myth Science, creating spontaneous compositions and rituals for an increasingly unstable world. Their debut album was released August 2023 by Infrequent Seams (NY) to acclaim from The Wire “Below the Radar,” Quietus, and Stereogum.

https://wilsontannersmith.com/