Hans Fjellestad
Encyclopedia
Hans Jorgen Fjellestad is a musician and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Fjellestad co-founded the Trummerflora Collective
, and has worked as a curator/producer for the international art initiative, inSite 05. A classically trained pianist, he studied music composition and improvisation at University of California, San Diego
. Fjellestad has composed for film, video, theater, dance and has toured with his music and film work throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Mexico and Brazil.
(2004), the feature-length documentary on synthesizer pioneer Robert Moog
. He is also credited as producer, writer and editor. Fjellestad's previous film Frontier Life (2002) is a documentary feature that explores the world of Tijuana
, Mexico, with a focus on the vibrant electronic music scene thriving there. Fjellestad began working on film, television and multimedia projects in the mid-1990s. He directed/edited music videos and enhanced cd content for the likes of Soundgarden
, John Lydon
, the Monkees and Terence Trent D'Arby. In 2000, partnering with producer Ryan Page, he started the Los Angeles-based independent film production firm ZU33, which develops music-oriented film projects.
, Peter Kowald
, Lé Quan Ninh, Lisle Ellis, Haco, Miya Masaoka
, Money Mark
, Trummerflora Collective
, Thomas Dimuzio, Tetsu Saitoh, David Slusser, Baiyon, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Jakob Riis, P.O. Jørgens, Carl Bergstrøm-Nielsen, Mike Keneally
, Nortec Collective
, among many others. His music is available on Hollywood Records, Accretions Records, Circumvention Music, Brain Escape Sandwich, Barely Auditable Records, Pan Handler and Vinyl Communications.
Fjellestad usually records and performs under his own name, but has sporadically employed his alter-ego 33, as with recent performances at The Roxy in Prague and Bimbo's 365 Club
in San Francisco. His track "Abominatron" on the Moog
original film soundtrack (on Hollywood Records) is credited as 33. Strangely, 33 is also the title of Fjellestad's 2003 solo cd (on Accretions Records), making the artist's intentions behind the moniker somewhat unclear.
Fjellestad began playing the piano in 1973, at age 5. He first encountered the synthesizer (a Minimoog
model D) three years later and has been fascinated by both instruments ever since. His music is often characterized as experimental, avant-garde
, free jazz
or outside electronica.
Kobe Live House (on Accretions Records) was released in February 2006 and is a prime example of how the keyboardist approaches his unconventional mix of acoustic and electronic sounds. Recorded live on October 17, 2003, at Big Apple (a jazz club in Chūō-ku, Kobe
, Japan) the concert was part of the club's 14th Anniversary Special Concert Series. Both sets are unedited and appear as they did the night of the show in Kobe, performed with a grand piano, Nord Lead 3 synthesizer and a custom software instrument programmed in MaxMSP. More recently his music projects in the studio and on the stage are produced almost entirely on analog electronic instruments (mainly Moog).
Trummerflora Collective
The Trummerflora Collective is an independent group of music makers that embraces the pluralistic nature of creative music as an important means of artistic expression for the individual and the community, and provides an atmosphere that nurtures the creative development of its...
, and has worked as a curator/producer for the international art initiative, inSite 05. A classically trained pianist, he studied music composition and improvisation at University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
. Fjellestad has composed for film, video, theater, dance and has toured with his music and film work throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Mexico and Brazil.
Film career
He is best known as the director of MoogMoog (film)
Moog is a 2004 documentary film by Hans Fjellestad about electronic instrument pioneer Dr. Robert Moog. The film features scenes of Dr. Moog interacting with various musical artists who view Moog as an influential figure in the history of electronic music....
(2004), the feature-length documentary on synthesizer pioneer Robert Moog
Robert Moog
Robert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
. He is also credited as producer, writer and editor. Fjellestad's previous film Frontier Life (2002) is a documentary feature that explores the world of Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
, Mexico, with a focus on the vibrant electronic music scene thriving there. Fjellestad began working on film, television and multimedia projects in the mid-1990s. He directed/edited music videos and enhanced cd content for the likes of Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, John Lydon
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
, the Monkees and Terence Trent D'Arby. In 2000, partnering with producer Ryan Page, he started the Los Angeles-based independent film production firm ZU33, which develops music-oriented film projects.
Music career
As a musician, Fjellestad has an extensive discography both as a solo artist and in collaboration with many musicians in the international experimental music scene including Muhal Richard Abrams, George LewisGeorge Lewis
George Lewis may refer to:*George Lowys or Lewis , mayor of Winchelsea*George Lewis , track and field athlete from Trinidad and Tobago*George Lewis , New Orleans jazz clarinettist...
, Peter Kowald
Peter Kowald
Peter Kowald was a German free jazz musician.A member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, and a touring double-bass player, Kowald collaborated with a large number of European free jazz and American free-jazz players during his career, including Peter Brötzmann, Irène Schweizer, Karl Berger, Fred...
, Lé Quan Ninh, Lisle Ellis, Haco, Miya Masaoka
Miya Masaoka
Miya Masaoka is an American musician and composer who performs on the 17-string Japanese koto zither, often augmenting it with string preparations and electronic triggers...
, Money Mark
Money Mark
Mark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. He also appears on the first Banyan album in 1997 as the "Freeway Keyboardist".-Career:...
, Trummerflora Collective
Trummerflora Collective
The Trummerflora Collective is an independent group of music makers that embraces the pluralistic nature of creative music as an important means of artistic expression for the individual and the community, and provides an atmosphere that nurtures the creative development of its...
, Thomas Dimuzio, Tetsu Saitoh, David Slusser, Baiyon, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Jakob Riis, P.O. Jørgens, Carl Bergstrøm-Nielsen, Mike Keneally
Mike Keneally
Michael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...
, Nortec Collective
Nortec Collective
Nortec Collective is a musical ensemble formed by various individual one or two man production projects. The group came together in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Their sound genre mixes electronica with musical elements and instrumentation of Tambora and Norteño music, resulting in the nortec ...
, among many others. His music is available on Hollywood Records, Accretions Records, Circumvention Music, Brain Escape Sandwich, Barely Auditable Records, Pan Handler and Vinyl Communications.
Fjellestad usually records and performs under his own name, but has sporadically employed his alter-ego 33, as with recent performances at The Roxy in Prague and Bimbo's 365 Club
Bimbo's 365 Club
Bimbo's 365 Club, also known as Bimbo's 365, is an entertainment club located at 1025 Columbus Avenue in San Francisco, California. It specializes in live rock and jazz shows. The location is one of San Francisco's oldest nightclub sites, and has operated under two names with a series of owners...
in San Francisco. His track "Abominatron" on the Moog
Moog (film)
Moog is a 2004 documentary film by Hans Fjellestad about electronic instrument pioneer Dr. Robert Moog. The film features scenes of Dr. Moog interacting with various musical artists who view Moog as an influential figure in the history of electronic music....
original film soundtrack (on Hollywood Records) is credited as 33. Strangely, 33 is also the title of Fjellestad's 2003 solo cd (on Accretions Records), making the artist's intentions behind the moniker somewhat unclear.
Fjellestad began playing the piano in 1973, at age 5. He first encountered the synthesizer (a Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
model D) three years later and has been fascinated by both instruments ever since. His music is often characterized as experimental, avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
, free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
or outside electronica.
Kobe Live House (on Accretions Records) was released in February 2006 and is a prime example of how the keyboardist approaches his unconventional mix of acoustic and electronic sounds. Recorded live on October 17, 2003, at Big Apple (a jazz club in Chūō-ku, Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan) the concert was part of the club's 14th Anniversary Special Concert Series. Both sets are unedited and appear as they did the night of the show in Kobe, performed with a grand piano, Nord Lead 3 synthesizer and a custom software instrument programmed in MaxMSP. More recently his music projects in the studio and on the stage are produced almost entirely on analog electronic instruments (mainly Moog).