Wellington show images by Thomas Lambert

Altmusic is proud to announce Peter Brötzmann (DE) touring New Zealand throughout May in 2014!

German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann is known worldwide for his pioneering, unprecedented and ear eviscerating technique – exemplified by his classic 1968 album Machine Gun which threw down the gauntlet for a high decibel, politically charged approach to free jazz & improvised music. With nearly five decades of performances and recordings under his belt, he’s played with such pivotal figures as Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Keijii Haino, John Zorn, Derek Bailey, Bill Laswell and many more, regularly headlining festival appearances around the globe. This will be Peter Brötzmann’s first solo tour of New Zealand, and is sure to be a hugely exciting and crucial event!

“Mr. Brötzmann is famous for a hardheaded, fulminating style devoid of any bathos. Trying to describe it sends you grasping for overheated metaphors: blowtorches, hellfires, certain Congressional libidos… he recently turned 70, and he sounds almost invincible.” – New York Times

“His reeds seem to reach right down and connect up to his vocal cords, a true extension of himself. The ungodly ratatat of his quivering notes is so powerful because it is so tangibly real. Every breath is pushed out to its very fullest, and every note becomes a knell.” – The Quietus

“Brötzmann still possesses the sandblasting tone that made his early LPs and performances the stuff of legend.” – Pitchfork

Peter Brötzmann’s 1968 album Machine Gun is regarded as an uncompromising landmark in the history of free jazz and improvised music. His expansive discography stretches over nearly five decades, including collaborations with such legendary figures as Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Rashied Ali, Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, Mahmoud Ghania, Keiji Haino, Bill Laswell, Sonny Sharrock, CKrystof Penderecki, John Zorn and many more. Brötzmann performed and recorded with numerous groups including Last Exit, Die Like a Dog Quartet, Global Unity Orchestra, The Chicago Octet/Tentet, Full Blast and more, as well as countless group-led and solo performances & recordings.

Tour info – Presale tickets available via Undertheradar (prices below include booking fee):

Auckland – Saturday 3 May, Silo 6, Silo Park (Wynyard Quarter) w/ Microsoft Voices, Clinton Watkins, Jonny Marks, Drumbroz, 6pm start, $18.50 presales / $20 door, all ages

Wellington – Wednesday 7 May, Old St Pauls, 34 Mulgrave St (Thorndon) w/ Simon O’Rorke, 8pm start, all ages, $18.50 presales / $20 door, all ages

Dunedin – Friday 9 May, The Anteroom, 29 Wickliffe Tce (Port Chalmers) w/ Hermione Johnson, John Glasgow, 7.30pm start, $18.50 presales / $20 door, all ages

Christchurch – Saturday 10 May, CPIT Jazz School Auditorium, 130 High St w/ Joe McAllum + more, 8pm start, $18.50 presales / $20 door, all ages

Peter Brötzmann website: http://www.peterbroetzmann.com/

Altmusic is a programme administered by the Audio Foundation – http://audiofoundation.org.nz/altmusic
For more press info/interview info/hi-res images please contact chris@audiofoundation.org.nz
Special thanks to CNZ and Undertheradar