NEWS:
Punkt in Kristiansand and abroad
The Punkt Festival 08 will be held in Kristiansand on 4.-6. September, and we’ll bring more details about the festival program soon. We’re also taking the Punkt concept "on the road" in 08, doing Live Remixes with both Norwegian and international guests. The following dates are confirmed: 3/4 May: Mumbai, India. 9 May: Schumannfest, Düsseldorf, Germany. 10-12 May: Moers Festival, Germany. 20-22 November: London Jazz Festival, London, UK
Punkt/Jon Hassell/Sidsel Endresen
We’re currently finishing the work on an album that will consist of two of the best Live Remixes from the Punkt Festival: Jon Hassell’s Live Remix of Sidsel Endresen’s concert in 2005 (together with Audun Kleive and Bang/Honoré), and Sidsel Endresen’s Live Remix of Sweet Billy Pilgrim in 2007 (together with Bang/Honoré). Musician and visual artist Russell Mills will design the cover, in collaboration with the Punkt "in-house designers" Alf Solbakken and Nina Birkeland. The album will be released on Jazzland (date and other details to follow).
Punkt remix of J. Peter Schwalm/Brian Eno
The Punkt (Jan Bang/Erik Honoré) remix of the J. Peter Schwalm/Brian Eno track "No Orders" is now available for download here.
Punkt 07
was arranged in Kristiansand, Norway on August 29 - September 01.
Jon Hassell returned to Punkt, and so did Nils Petter Molvær, Arve Henriksen, Eivind Aarset, J. Peter Schwalm, Bugge Wesseltoft and Sidsel Endresen. Among the many new names this year were David Toop, Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Jaki Liebezeit & Burnt Friedman, Hans Appelqvist, Huntsville, Quercus (June Tabor, Iain Ballamy, Huw Warren), Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Magne Furuholmen, Solveig Slettahjell Slow Motion Quintet, Robin Guthrie, Trio Mediaeval, Russell Mills/Undark, Joanna MacGregor, Michiyo Yagi, Wallumrød/Charles/Grydeland/Zach, Svalastog, Nils Chr. Moe-Repstad, Scanner and David Rothenberg. Check out the Punkt website for a full overview of what we believe was the best and most coherent Punkt Festival program so far.
The festival, now in its third year, combines the performances of some of the world’s most interesting musicians with the concept of Live Remix (instant deconstruction/remixing) of the concerts, which the audience may experience immediately after each concert. BBC Music Magazine wrote: "Norway has done it again! My award for this year’s most innovative festival goes to Punkt."
The Punkt CD "Crime Scenes" praised in AllAboutJazz:
"Bang and Honoré are masters at sonic conception, so regardless of how much is going on and how experimental things get, the music remains uncluttered and approachable. Their vision of electronica incorporates elements of world music, techno, spoken word and more into a genre-busting mix. By retaining a spirit of spontaneity that distinguishes it from the more simplistic view many have of music stemming from electronic means, they manage to shape Crime Scenes into a truly forward-thinking album.
Purists may balk, but Punkt is one vision of future music that, while awaiting greater recognition in North America, is already becoming a brand name elsewhere in the world." (The full review can be found at at AllAboutJazz.com.)
"Crime Scenes" released in Europe in May 07, through Jazzland/Universal. It is available already in Norway, and internationally by mail order or download.
"Crime Scenes" is available in Europe via www.cdon.com and worldwide via www.cdplanet.no . In Japan, the album is available via www.bomba-records.com . In Norway, the record can also be ordered via Platekompaniet .
The album is also available for download on Bugge Wesseltoft..s website www.buggesroom.com and through I-Tunes.
ABOUT PUNKT:
Punkt is a range of projects initiated by Norwegian musicians/producers Jan Bang and Erik Honoré.
Punkt is also a festival in Kristiansand, Norway
(See images from the Punkt festival in the pictures section)
Punkt now exists on CD, "Crime Scenes" was released August 21 2006:
PUNKT "Crime Scenes"
Tracklist
1. Map (featuring Sidsel Endresen)
2. Challenge
3. Angels (featuring David Sylvian)
4. Picket Fences (featuring Nils Petter Molvær)
5. Comfort
6. Her Ghost (featuring Sidsel Endresen)
7. Body Language (featuring Arve Henriksen/Audun Kleive)
8. Patience
9. Speechless
10. Bird’s Eye (featuring Eivind Aarset/Sub-Z)
11. Residue (featuring Sidsel Endresen)
12. Reconstruction (featuring Nils Petter Molvær/Arve Henriksen)
13. Loss (featuring Origami Ios/Arve Henriksen)
Jan Bang and Erik Honoré a.k.a. Punkt have collaborated on the following projects:
Album productions: Arve Henriksen: "Chiaroscuro", Anne Marie Almedal/Nils Chr. Moe-Repstad/Jan Bang/Erik Honoré: "Going Nine Ways From Wednesday", Arve Henriksen/Christian Wallumrød/Jan Bang/Erik Honoré: "Birth Wish", Punkt: "Crime Scenes", Velvet Belly: "Velvet Belly", Room: "Imaginary Borders"
Album tracks: Nils Petter Molvær, Mungolian Jet Set, Eivind Aarset, Bendik Hofseth
Remixes: David Sylvian ("Mother and Child" on "Camphor", "The Only Daughter" on "The Blemish Remixes"), Velvet Belly: "The Conversation Stops", J. Peter Schwalm feat. Brian Eno: "No Orders".
Currently working on: Producing the next Arve Henriksen album. Working on ideas and sketches for the next Punkt studio album. Planning the Punkt 08 festival in Kristiansand and Punkt "mini festivals" or Live Remixes in Britain, India and Germany.
Festival: The annual Punkt Festival in Kristiansand, Norway, curated by Bang/Honoré. Punkt 08 takes place 3-6 September 2008.
We promise to check out every booking request, but we cannot guarantee a reply. Small organization, hope you understand ...
Individual bios:
Jan Bang: Musician, producer from Kristiansand, Norway. Main instruments: Live sampling, programming. Member of Jon Hassell Group, Arve Henriksen trio, duo project with Sidsel Endresen and trio with Nils Petter Molvær and DJ Strangefruit. Has played with a range of improvisational artists. Four Norwegian Grammys as producer.
Erik Honoré: Musician, producer, author from Kristiansand, lives in Oslo. Main instruments: Programming, synthesizers, studio tools. Produced albums by Velvet Belly, Elsewhere, Claudia Scott and others, in addition to the Punkt projects. Norwegian Grammy for Velvet Belly’s "Lucia". Stage music for the Norwegian National Theatre and Riksteatret. Published 3 novels, most recently: "Kaprersanger" (Gyldendal 2005).
Erik has a "producer page" here . There..s also a Myspace-site for his "singer/songwriter/laptop" project Elsewhere here .
