Nik Bartsch: Ronin | Oct 24

Following their May release Awase, the Zurich-based quartet will be hitting the road on a rare US tour. RONIN was founded in 2001 by composer/pianist Nik Bärtsch who aptly categorized their music “zen-funk.”  This will be their first appearance in Denver, and will no doubt be an incredibly unique opportunity for Colorado listeners.

Nik Bärtsch – piano, Sha – bass clarinet, alto saxophone, Thomy Jordi – bass, and Kaspar Rast

“Awase”, a term from martial arts, means “moving together” in the sense of matching energies, a fitting metaphor for the dynamic precision, tessellated grooves and balletic minimalism of Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin.  Six years have passed since the last release from the Swiss group. In the interim, trimmed from quintet to quartet size and with new bassist Thomy Jordi fully integrated, Ronin has become a subtly different band. Bärtsch speaks of a new-found freedom and flexibility in the approach to the material, with “greater transparency, more interaction, more joy in every performance”.   The freedom here extends to revisiting early Bärtsch modules alongside new compositions including, for the first time on a Ronin record, a piece by reedman Sha. Awase was recorded at Studios La Buissonne in the south of France in October 2017 and produced by Manfred Eicher.

Dazzle @ Baur’s presents

Nik Bartsch: Ronin

Wednesday, October 24 – 6:30 & 9 pm

Tickets here!