Misha Mengelberg
Misha Mengelberg was born in Kiev in 1935 - the son of a Dutch composer/conductor/pianist and a German harpist - but is a lifelong resident of Amsterdam, where he teaches counterpoint at the Sweelinck Conservatory. He wrote his first piece for piano at age four and has been composing pretty much ever since, in the jazz and classical fields. Crucial early influences include jazz pianists Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols, the composer John Cage, whom he heard lecture at Darmstadt in 1958, and the absurd-art movement Fluxus, with which he was involved in the 1960s. Mengelberg graduated from the Royal Conservatory in the Hague in 1964. The same year he made his first issued recording, Eric Dolphy’s “Last Date“. That album also features drummer Han Bennink, with whom Misha has had a longstanding duo. In 1966 Mengelberg’s quartet appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival in the USA. The following year Mengelberg, Bennink and Willem Breuker founded the Instant Composers Pool, a landmark in the development of an independent Dutch improvised music, which draws on jazz but does not restrict itself to any one style or aesthetic. (By the time of its 30th anniversary in 1997, ICP Records was the longest – running musician-owned label in improvised music). In the same period he wrote several “game pieces“ for musicians, notably “Hello! Windyboys“ (1968), over a decade before such gaming became common. In the 1970s Mengelberg was artistic director of the electronic music workshop STEIM (Studio for Electro-Instrumental Music), served as first chairman of the Dutch improvising musicians’ union BIM, and began leading the Instant Composer's Pool Orchestra. He also recorded in trios with Bennink and either South African saxophonist Dudu Pukwana or German reed player Peter Brozmann, and in duet with is wife’s parrot Eeko. Along with Breuker, Mengelberg is largely responsible for the creation of Dutch “music theatre“, which contains heavy doses of absurdity and improvisation, musical and theatrical. In the ‘80s Mengelberg presented many music theatre productions and embarked on repertory projects exploring the music of Herbie Nichols, Thelenious Monk and Duke Ellington, with ICP (documented on their CDs “Two Programs - the ICP Orchestra Performs Nichols-Monk“ and “Bospaadje Konijnehol I”, both on the ICP label) and quintets with Bennink and saxophonist Steve Lacy, heard on the albums “Regeneration“ and “Change of Season“ (Soul Note). His recordings in the ‘90s include two acclaimed trio CDs taped in New York with drummer Joey Baron, “Who’s Bridge“ (Avant) and “No Idea“ (DIW); the solo piano recital “Mix“ (ICP) and a duo recording with Bennink, “MiHA“ (both on ICP), and “Jubilee Varia”, a 1997 recording by the ICP Orchestra (hatOLOGY). He also participated with improvised meetings with various European and American musicians, for several labels. Mengelbergs’s many compositions for reading musicians include “3 Pianopieces“ (1961) and “In Memorium Hans van Zweeden“ (1964 - early minimalism, from his Fluxus years) for solo piano, “Dressoir“ (1977) for the wind orchestra De Volharding, “Rokus de Veldmuis“ for the electro-acoustic ensemble Hoketus (1983), and “To a Deaf Man’s Ears”, a 1996 cantata scripted by Dutch writer J. Bernlef. His orchestral compositions include “With Well-Kind Regards from the Camel“ (1974), “3 Intermezzi“ (1981), “Zeekip Ahoy“ (1984) and “Beestebeest versus Hertie“ (1995). “Onderweg“ (1973) and his 1980 saxophone concerto (played by Ed Boogaard) can be heard on the CD “Misha Mengelberg“ (Pierrot Lunaire/Associazione di Idee) recorded by the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, cond. Ernst van Tiel. Mengelberg continues to lead the ICP Orchestra, usually an octet with German trumpeter Thomas Heberer, and the cream of musicians based in Holland: drummer Bennink, reedists Ab Baars and Michael Moore, trombonist Wolter Wierbos, cellist Tristan Honsinger and bassist Ernst Glerum. That band serves as a forum for all Mengelberg’s interests: composition, improvisation, conducted improvisation, and music theatre Biography courtesy of BV Haast, Amsterdam NL. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.
source: Last.fm
Gigs
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MISHA MENGELBERG & FAY VICTOR
ROSCOE MITCHELL SOLO
CARL LUDWIG HÜBSCH’S LONGRUN DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSE + SPECIAL GUEST SIMON NABATOV
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ICP ORCHESTRA PLAYS MONK, NICHOLS, MENGELBERG
special guest: FAY VICTOR
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MISHA MENGELBERG
GUNDA GOTTSCHALK/STEVKO BUSCH/COR FUHLER/PETER JACQUEMYN/TATSUYA NAKATANI
KEIKO SHICHIJO/DANTE BOON
ACHIM KAUFMANN/FRANK GRATKOWSKI/WILBERT DE JOODE
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Passe-partout 4 concerts: € 48
ICP ORCHESTRA
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Passe-partout 4 concerts: € 48
ICP ORCHESTRA
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Passe-partout 4 concerts: € 48
ICP ORCHESTRA
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Passe-partout 4 concerts: € 48
ICP ORCHESTRA
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* * SOLD OUT * *
UITREIKING VPRO/BOY EDGAR PRIJS 2009 AAN ERNST GLERUM
in collaboration with VPRO Radio, Muziek Centrum Nederland
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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THE FREESONG SUITE: FAY VICTOR, Misha Mengelberg, ERNST GLERUM, WOLTER WIERBOS
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THE FREESONG SUITE
FAY VICTOR/ Misha Mengelberg/ ERNST GLERUM/ WOLTER WIERBOS
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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afterwards 11.30pm free admission DJ PHILIPPONA JAZZ LOST & FOUND
ICP ORCHESTRA
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Led by Henk Meutgeert
JAZZ ORCHESTRA OF THE CONCERTGEBOUW & GUESTS
25 YEARS FONDS VOOR DE SCHEPPENDE TOONKUNST & 60 YEARS DONEMUS
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Misha Mengelberg & FRANCES-MARIE UITTI
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PIET NOORDIJK 75th BIRTHDAY CONCERT
i.c.w. Radio Nederland Wereldomroep
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** SOLD OUT ** Met o.a. ICP Orchestra, Joachim Badenhorst, Simon Toldam Rosengren, Terrie Ex, Michael Moore, Guus Janssen, Peter Brotzmann afterwards 11:30pm FREE ADMISSION DEELDER TURNS TABLES
ZENG! HAN BENNINK 65
i.c.w. VPRO Radio
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ALESSANDRA'S CIRCUS
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Afterwards, free admission DJ PHILIPPONA JAZZ LOST AND FOUND Dance till late on hidden treasures & crazy grooves in vintage music
CARTE BLANCHE HAN BUHRS
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Misha Mengelberg & FRANCES MARIE UITTI
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LOUIS MOHOLO & AMSTERDAM FRIENDS
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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EVAN PARKER & Misha Mengelberg
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Premiere AFIJN * * * Misha Mengelberg & HAN BENNINK
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MONK, NICHOLS & NEW
FAY VICTOR QUINTET FEAT. Misha Mengelberg
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CARTE BLANCHE FOR ANGELO VERPLOEGEN
in collaboration with VPRO Radio
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BUD SHANK QUARTET
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Misha Mengelberg 70 with ICP Orchestra/ Anthony Braxton/ Guus Janssen/ Peter van Bergen
MENGELBERG & CO
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Misha Mengelberg 70 with ICP Orchestra/ Anthony Braxton/ Magpie dancers: Vincent Cacialano, Katie Duck, Eileen Standley
MENGELBERG & CO
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Misha Mengelberg 70 with ICP Orchestra/Peter Brötzmann/Cor Fuhler/Remco Campert
MENGELBERG & CO
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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OPENING CONCERTS
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THE FINAL CONCERT ON THE OUDE SCHANS
TRIO BLOM, DOOYEWEERD, VAN HEMMEN HEAVY SOUL INC. = cancelled J.C. TANS ORCHESTRA AND MORE..!
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THE FINAL CONCERTS ON THE OUDE SCHANS
ANGELO VERPLOEGEN & JEROEN VAN VLIET Misha Mengelberg & COR FUHLER LILIAN VIEIRA & RANDAL CORSEN
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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DAVE DOUGLAS & Misha Mengelberg
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THE PIANISTS Carte Blanche for Tomoko Mukaiyama TOMOKO MUKAIYAMA/JOANNA MACGREGOR/FREDERIC RZEWSKI/Misha Mengelberg/GUUS JANSSEN/LOUIS ANDRIESSEN
Carte Blanche voor Tomoko Mukaiyama
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THE PIANISTS Carte Blanche for Tomoko Mukaiyama TOMOKO MUKAIYAMA/JOANNA MACGREGOR/FREDERIC RZEWSKI/Misha Mengelberg/GUUS JANSSEN/LOUIS ANDRIESSEN
Carte Blanche voor Tomoko Mukaiyama
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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IN COOPERATION WITH THE VPRO
BILLY ELGART IN AMSTERDAM
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DUOS AND TRIO
Misha Mengelberg, STEVKO BUSCH & WIEL CONENDUOS AND TRIO
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dOeK FESTIVAL #3
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ASTRONOTES ENCOUNTER Misha Mengelberg, AB BAARS
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AB BAARS TRIO & Misha Mengelberg, GUUS JANSSEN, MARIËTTE ROUPPE VAN DER VOORT, IG HENNEMAN
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ICP ORCHESTRA
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Misha Mengelberg & PAUL TERMOS
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DAVE DOUGLAS/Misha Mengelberg/BRAD JONES/HAN BENNINK
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DAVE DOUGLAS/Misha Mengelberg/BRAD JONES/HAN BENNINK
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
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Misha Mengelberg & HAN BENNINK
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YURI HONING, Misha Mengelberg, ERNST REIJSEGER
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Misha Mengelberg TRIO feat. JOEY BARON, GREG COHEN & LEE KONITZ, MICHAEL MOORE
i.s.m. VPRO Radio
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Misha Mengelberg TRIO feat. JOEY BARON, GREG COHEN & LEE KONITZ, MICHAEL MOORE
i.s.m. VPRO Radio
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4-um : MICHAEL VATCHER, Misha Mengelberg, WILBERT DE JOODE, TOBIAS DELIUS
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Misha Mengelberg & HAN BENNINK
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YURI HONING & Misha Mengelberg
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
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Misha Mengelberg & PAUL TERMOS
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COMPOST
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25 JAAR BIMHUIS ! INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA; THE CAMPBELL BROTHERS Featuring Katie Jackson, Denise Brown'Sacred Steel Guitars'
i.s.m. NPS Radio en VPRO Radio
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BENNY MAUPIN & Misha Mengelberg, HAN BENNINK, ERNST GLERUM
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MICHAEL MOORE & Misha Mengelberg, HAN BENNINK, ERNST GLERUM
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
EXTRA CONCERT
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BUD SHANK & Misha Mengelberg, HAN BENNINK, ERNST GLERUM
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PAUL STOCKER QUARTET
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YURI HONING & Misha Mengelberg
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HAN BENNINK & Misha Mengelberg
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LES TROIS JOURS OP TOUR
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30 JAAR INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL
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30 JAAR INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL
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30 JAAR INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL
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DE ORKAAN
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SEAN BERGIN / Misha Mengelberg KWARTET
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MATS GUSTAFSON, Misha Mengelberg, GERT JAN PRINS
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HAN BENNINK & Misha Mengelberg
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
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TIJDKRING/CIM 1995
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Misha Mengelberg Solo
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
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October Orchestra Project
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October Orchestra Project
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October Orchestra Project
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Greatest Hits
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PARAMARIBOP INTEGREERT
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INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA
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THE MUSIC OF CHARLIE PARKER - ANTHONY BRAXTON SEXTET
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AB BAARS SOLO & DUO Misha Mengelberg/HAN BENNINK
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SUNNY MURRAY TRIO
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ICP ORCHESTRA & LEE KONITZ & GEORGE LEWIS
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Portret van Louis Moholo
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Music for Alexandra
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Reflections: Misha Mengelberg / Piet Noordijk Kwartet
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Lee Konitz / Misha Mengelberg / Ernst Glerum / Han Bennink
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ICP Orchestra
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Misha Mengelberg / Piet Noordijk Kwartet
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ICP Orchestra
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ICP Orchestra
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Duo Misha Mengelberg/louis Moholo
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Celona Bar - Music Of Nedly Elstak
