Large Unit goes big!

Paal Nilssen-Love’s powerhouse free jazz big band hits like a force of nature

Large Unit By Dawid Laskowski
Photo credit: Dawid Laskowski
LARGE UNIT

Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love has spent a lifetime immersed in the worlds of both musical composition and free-improv jazz. He has performed alongside iconic underground musical figures ranging from Ken Vandermark, Thurston Moore, and Peter Brötzmann to sax man Mats Gustafsson in hardcore free jazz trio the Thing.

With Large Unit, Nilssen-Love takes lead over a large ensemble of Nordic players. Throughout their set, songs sway from subtlety and introspective to massive walls of skronk and rhythm — whatever direction the music goes hinges on Nilssen-Love’s direction, and whatever the spirit of the day dictates. That is to say that free improvisation plays a role in what the sometimes 14-member ensemble creates, but there is also musical chemistry to account for. The result is a singularly massive force of nature — driven by saxophones, bass, and drum excursions — all coming together under Nilssen-Love’s compositional style.

The Large Unit lineup for the for the Gallery 992 performance on Wed., June 13 features Nilssen-Love on drums along with Thomas Johansson (trumpet), Mats Äleklint (trombone), Kristoffer Alberts (tenor and alto sax), Julie Kjær (alto sax and flute), Klaus Holm (alto and baritone sax), Per Åke Holmlander (tuba), Kalle Moberg (accordion), Ketil Gutvik (electric guitar), Tommi Keranen (electronics), Jon Rune Strøm (double and electric bass), Christian Meaas Svendsen (double and electric bass), Andreas Wildhagen (drums and percussion), and Christian Obermayer (sound design).

With 4WAKO feat. Robbie Lynn Hunsinger. $15. 9 p.m. Wed., June 13. Gallery 992, 992 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.






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