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The beginning
After two journeys to Tanzania with an international jazz quintet in the late 90's, Dutch bassist Willem van Dijk had decided to found his own group.
Home with him, he took a painting, picturing an antelope and a snake in an alienated entanglement. Shortly after, he wrote the first songs for a then still imaginary band. After a long search to find the right musicians in the Netherlands and Belgium, he finally found them in Germany.
Transforming
Art af Oryx represents a repertoire rooted in jazz and improvisation, that is both very colourful and
dynamical. The band loves it to question musical borders. In the music bandleader Willem van Dijk writes he wants to create a creative playing room, where the band's truly different musical personalities can
challenge each other to find new ways of musical expression.
New Album:"First Book of Sound"
"On the riverside. Where it all began to shimmer. They vagely shone, the hidden signs, way out of reach and way out of sight..." (Waterfronts and Riversides, "First Book of Sound" 2008)
At the beginning of 2006 Art af Oryx finished up the recordings for an adventurous and highly energetic
jazz album presenting AaOs new repertoire.
Guitarist Thomas Büchel and bassist Willem van Dijk re-worked the studio recordings and had the dream and the will to take the music somewhere else.
Additional recording sessions took place. Beautiful music miniatures and gentle and inviting songs were
added. Willem wrote strongly personal lyrics to the new music arising. Carefully found electro-acoustic
sounds were integrated.
Finally, Thomas and Willem shaped it all into an unexpected, intriguing total music concept.
"First Book of Sound" takes the listener to the dark river landscapes of Holland (Willem van Dijks home country) with its silver shining rivers. Or, to all the other places, the listeners imagination wants to take
this music to.
To hear AaO's "First Book of Sound" visit: www.myspace.com/artaforyx or click on the link below.
Short discography:
Art af Oryx (2001)
In Transition (2003)
JazzArt Festival WDR Radio Live recording (2004, Promotion)
Live in A-Trane RBB Radio Live recording (2005, Promotion)
First Book of Sound (2008)
