This Canadian/German trio based in Berlin,
draws upon diverse experiences within their environment
to explore a new music created in the moment;
sonic densities and vast cold silences are juxtaposed to bring
architectural like structural integrity to their improvisations.
Population and solitude, traffic jams and back country ways,
amplification and quietness, acoustic and electric, exploratory and communication, and of course conversations
with the many different guests
make this hotel an exciting musical experience.
In August 2005, they released their debut album
‘Flowers You Can Eat’, on the Berlin label Schraum.
a release of live recordings made on tour in Germany
and Switzerland in 2006 is planned for 2007
Biographies
Dave Bennett – Electric guitar, Shortwave radio, Tape recorder
born 1973 in Calgary Alberta, now lives in Berlin with his wife,
drummer Merle Bennett and his daughter Clara. He studied
electro-acoustic composition and classical guitar at the McGill University
in Montreal. For twelve years now he has played music together
with Derek Shirley. Apart from Hotelgaeste he plays in various different projects:
Tunar, Tom Krimi and the Blind, Erik&Me, Coal Oven
and Defcon & Kahn. He has Cd releases on Sinistre Sound Records, Charhizma, Japan-Improv and Schraum.
Derek Shirley – Kontrabass, Clarinet
born 1975 in Ottawa, Ontario and now lives in Berlin. Lived
and studied Jazz Bass in Montreal at the McGill University
Faculty of Music before moving to Berlin in 2001. He
is active in the fields of improvised music and Noise. He
is a member of, among others, Monno, Coal Oven and
Unununium. He has record releases on Charhizma,
Japan-Improv, and Schraum.
Michael Thieke – Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Zither, Bottom Resonator
born 1971 in Duesseldorf, and now lives in Berlin and Rome.
He studied Jazz Saxophone and Clarinet at the
Kunsthochschule in Berlin. Among others, he plays
in the following ensembles: Schwimmer
(with Alessandro Bosetti, ss; Sabine Vogel, fl; Michael Griener, dr),
Nickendes Perlgras (with Eric Schaefer, dr; Michael Anderson, tp),
Spore (with Fabrizio Spera, el.),
Duo with Kai Fagaschinski (cl),
Trio with Olaf Rupp (g) and Uli Jennessen (dr).
He has numerous record releases on the labels Creative Sources,
Leo Records, Konnex, Charhizma, Jazzhausmusik,
Japan-Improv and Schraum.
Rewiews of "Flowers You Can Eat"
"A pleasure to hear: improvised enough, but also a bit composed,
played freely among tight plans, crossing the boundaries of
old and new improvisation. Quite nice!“
Frans de Waard, VITAL WEEKLY 09/2005
"A wonderful suspended soundscape. In its cohesiveness
and variety of inputs, this is a cd to be listened to many times."
Eugenio Maggi, CHAIN DLK (USA) 11/2005
"The trio works amazingly well, with balanced interaction
between silence and noise, sound layers of the AMM school
and tones that move between piercing notes and percussive timbres...
This is the new berlin school, captured at its best!"
Alfredo Rastelli, SANDS-ZINE (I) 11/2005
"A sensitive and well-executed set of six improvisations."
Dan Warburton, PARISTRANSATLANTIC (F) 11/2005
„Improvisierte Musik sollte auf einem soliden Fundament aus Erfahrung,
Koennen und Flexibilitaet ruhen - die Hotelgaeste verfuegen
ueber all dies in hinreichendem Masse. Guten Appetit!“
Karsten Zimalla, WESTZEIT (D) 12/2005
Was wir hoeren, sind die Geraeusche der Wand, der Oberflaechen,
das Dahinter und Darunter bleibt halluzinatorisch.
Das auf alle moeglichen Spektakel geeichte Alltagsbewusstsein
versagt und beugt sich verdutzt ueber ein ominoeses Karnickelloch.“
Rigobert Dittmann, BAD ALCHEMY (D) 01/2006
„It is pretty impressive when a band succeeds. This band succeeds.“
NEO-ZINE (USA) 12/2005
„A play of reciprocal influences in constant metamorphosis.“
MODISTI.COM (E) 01/2006
„Flowers has the slight edge. Dense timbres, sonic juxtapositions and
structural quiet are as much a part in the tunes as clearly defined instrumental sounds...Undoubtedly Thieke and his associates have
many CDs ahead of them.“
Ken Waxman, ONE FINAL NOTE (USA) 01/2006
