Mats Gustafsson, a Swedish saxophonist, improviser and composer whose hallmark is extended instrumental techniques extended saxophone techniques draw equally from the fiery free jazz blowing tradition and the European microtonal school as well as different forms of noise music. He has recorded and toured with an astonishing variety of players including Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, Derek Bailey, Neneh Cherry, Evan Parker, The Ex, Phil Minton, John Russell, Lasse Marhaug, Kevin Drumm, Merzbow.
Mats Gustafsson improvised about Konrad Smolenski’s work ‘Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More’ – a sound installation that reproduces, at regular intervals, a music piece written for bronze bells, wide range loudspeakers, and other resonating objects. First presented in the Polish Pavilion at the 55th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia. . This performance has been published by Bocian Records on vinyl and and have been very well received both by listeners and music critics around the world.
The many years of cooperation of Mats Gustafsson with the Bocian resulted in a number of recordings with such artists as Paal Nilssen-Love. Lasse Marhaug, Phil Minton, John Russell, Joachim Nordwall, and Konrad Smoleński. These records document the artist’s different approach to the sound material and constitute an excellent cross-section of his work.