Maja S.K. Ratkje & Stian Westerhus - Live Stream
Composer and musician, Maja S.K. Ratkje, meet guitarist, Stian Westerhus. An intimate setting where they, among other things, play music Ratkje wrote for the production of Hamsun's "Hunger" for the National Ballet at The Norwegian Opera.
Unplugged experience in the Zorn Selected-series
The concert's part of Moldejazz's events with and around this year's Artist in Residence, John Zorn. Zorn, as the curator, has handpicked Norwegian musicians who are then presented in 3 concerts under the label «Zorn Selected». Among them are Ratkje and Westerhus. Ratkje has been in contact with Zorn on several occasions in the past. She's released music on Zorn's record label, Tzadik, and been Artist in Residence at The Stone, a club Zorn has been running in New York for many years.
Westerhus and Ratkje are usually connected with effect pedals, samplers, amplifiers and computers. In this concert, they perform their music in an acoustic room with organ, fiddle, acoustic guitar and their voices. The expression can give associations to both 19th-century Kristiania, as well as saloons with emigrated Norwegians in the Midwest.
In the few occasions the duo has presented themselves in the past the response has been overwhelming. Critics have used terms such as "One of the decidedly strongest musical moments of the year". Along with the music from Hunger, Ratkje and Westerhus will also present newly written material.
Welcome to a captivating concert where you can lower your shoulders to the sounds of strings, bellows, old wood and squeaky pedals.
Maja S. K. Ratkje – vocals and various instruments, Stian Westerhus – guitar and vocals.