Mats Gustafsson


Mats Olof Gustafsson is a Swedish free jazz saxophone player. He is known for his tonal belligerence and intensity when improvising.

Career

Gustafsson came to the attention of lovers of improvised music as part of a duo with Christian Munthe, as member of Gunter Christmann's Vario project and the band Gush. He later played widely with Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, Paul Lovens, Barry Guy, Yoshimi P-We, Derek Bailey, Magnus Broo, Otomo Yoshihide, Pat Thomas, Jim O'Rourke, Thomas Lehn, Evan Parker, Misha Mengelberg, Zu, The Ex and Sonic Youth.
Since the early 1990s Gustafsson has been a regular visitor to the United States, forming a particular affinity with Chicago musicians Hamid Drake, Michael Zerang, and Ken Vandermark and recording for Okka Disk. This resulted in a more traditional free jazz style in contrast to his innovative early work with European improvising musicians.
He was awarded the 2011 Nordic Council Music Prize.
Gustafsson has worked extensively with artists from the worlds of dance, theatre, poetry and painting. He has lived in Nickelsdorf, Austria since 2011.

Selected projects

, June 2006, Germany
, 14 Dec 2008

Major collaborators

Gustafsson curated the Perspectives festivals in Västerås, Sweden in 2004, 2007 and 2009. This festival of musical improvisation is noted for its cross-genre character and creative atmosphere among musicians. The festival slogan for 2004 was "Fight Global Stupidity", 2007 "Fight Local Stupidity" and for 2009 it became "Fight our stupidity".
Gustafsson was also joint curator of the 2010 Konfrontationen festival in Nickelsdorf, Austria.

Gallery

Photos

Discography

Solo albums

With AALY Trio + Ken Vandermark
;With Per Henrik Wallin & Kjell Nordeson
;With Jaap Blonk & Michael Zerang
;With Ken Vandermark
;With Jim O'Rourke
;With David Grubbs
;With Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo & Steve Shelley
;With Greg Goodman & George Cremaschi
;With Agustí Fernández
;With Paal Nilssen-Love
;With Sonic Youth & Merzbow
;With Pat Thomas and Roger Turner
;With Barry Guy Solo/Duo
;With Gord Grdina Trio
;With Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid
;With The Sons of God
;With Masami Akita & Jim O'Rourke
;With Colin Stetson
;With Ich Bin N!ntendo including Christian Skår Winther, Joakim Heibø Johansen & Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard
;With The Ex
;With Agustí Fernández & Ramon Prats
;With Correction
;With Merzbow & Balázs Pándi
;With Merzbow, Balázs Pándi & Thurston Moore
;With Craig Taborn