Michael Maierhof, guitar, exciter, electronics
Chris Heenan, contrabass clarinet
Birgit Ulher, trumpet, radio, speaker, objects
Since 2004, the trio NORDZUCKER has been exploring a soundscape all its own.
Chris Heenan, Michael Maierhof, and Birgit Ulher have developed a unique musical language that goes beyond conventional instrumental sound; they work with extended playing techniques and preparations, such as clothespins, metal objects, and mutes.
The open texture, punctuated by pauses, is defined by fragmented and multi-layered sounds and sound blends. NORDZUCKER’s music combines improvisational freedom with musical precision. Concerts have included appearances at the katarakt festival in Hamburg, Brussels, and Berlin, among others.
Their first CD 500 gr. was released on the Portuguese label Creative Sources.
“…. there are very few silences of more than a couple of seconds – as much as a look further back into the history of German music: the pristine clarity of Webern, the spiky pointillism of Stockhausen’s Kontra-punkte and the extreme compression of Mathias Spahlinger (think the Vier Stücke). It’s a terse, closely argued music, angular and intense without being expressionistic. And certainly not sweet either, despite the giant sugarcubes on the album cover.” (Dan Warburton)