Studio Dan

Dan Riegler's Studio Dan Ensemble & Label
Austrian trombonist Dan Riegler assembled his Studio Dan ensemble in 2005, initially as a big band to perform at the inaugural JazzWerkstatt Wien festival. Bringing together performers in both contemporary composed music and improv, with an open mind towards sound art and genre blending, the ensemble proved to be a flexible organization to take on a wide variety of styles and approaches. Using his skills as a composer, arranger and director, Riegler embarked on a series of projects suited to his players, developing projects for the music of luminaries including Elliott Sharp, George Lewis, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Julius Eastman, Michel Doneda, Fred Frith, Christian F. Schiller, Anthony Coleman, Vinko Globokar, Anthony Braxton, Steve Lehnman, &c. &c... The list is diverse and encompassing, and the resulting works tangible and important documents.

Squidco became aware of Studio Dan through the ezz-thetic by Hat Hut, Ltd release bringing together two works commissioned by Studio Dan, the first by George Lewis with Riegler's ensemble for a fascinating electroacoutic work, alongside Ozana Omelchuk's double concerto for two trombones. Late last year Riegler approached Squidco to inform us of his new ROS label (Records & Other Stuff), which was in the process of releasing two EPs and two full length albums. With projects commissioned by and developed with Fred Frith, Michel Doneda, Christian F. Schiller and Anthony Coleman, the label has defined itself as both steeped in the modern language intersecting improvised and composed music, and as forward-looking for adventurous new projects.

Lewis, George / Ozana Omelchuk (Studio Dan): Breaking News (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Two works commissioned by the Austrian Studio Dan ensemble: "As We May Feel" by George Lewis, referencing visionary engineer Vannevar Bush's concepts of data linking & association, in a work reminding how music recombines and associates; and Oxana Omelchuk's double concerto for two trombonists, "Wow and Flutter", taking listeners on a profound journey through recording technologies.

Studio Dan / Anthony Coleman: ...Im Gebirg (ROS)
In 2019, the Ensemble Studio Dan commissioned Downtown New York composer and pianist Anthony Coleman for a new work, fluctuating in fascinating ways between contemporary music and jazz forms, premiered at the Saalfelden Jazz Festival and also presented in Vienna at the Jeunesse Special 2019, live at Porgy and Bess, from which this album was superbly recorded.

Studio Dan / Fred Frith: Rocket Science #1 #5 #8 [CD-EP] (ROS)
Originally commissioned by Music Traditions Inc. for the Paul Dresher Ensemble and premiered at Z Space in San Francisco in 2012, this adaptation of three numbered works by composer, improviser & multi-instrumentalist Fred Frith was part of Studio Dan's homage to Frank Zappa, written using strong rhythmic structures and melodies associated with Frith's voice as a composer.

Studio Dan / Christian F. Schiller: HOHNOR [CD-EP] (ROS)
A chamber music piece for two harmonicas and an ensemble of strings, brass and drums, written by Austrian composer Christian F. Schiller, originally premiered at the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York in 2017 by the Austrian new music ensemble Studio Dan directed by Daniel Riegler, who perform the work again in the studio in Vienna in 2019 for this album release.

Studio Dan / Michel Doneda: Fanfare III (ROS)
Based on the improvisations and sounds generated by soprano/sopranino saxophone player Michel Doneda, composer and Studio Dan director Daniel Riegler developed this work, at the intersection of Doneda's radical tonal language and Riegler's idiosyncratic music, performed live at Stanica Zilina in Slovakia in 2012 with an ensemble including Doneda himself.