Improvised Music from Japan EXTRA 2006

In addition to interviews of 12 musicians/1 group residing in Berlin (Gregor Hotz, Nicholas Bussmann, Merle Bennett, Thomas Ankersmit, Ignaz Schick, Hans Strobl, Pure, Annette Krebs, Andrea Neumann, Caramel Empties, Alessandro Bosetti, Boris Baltschun, and Kai Fagaschinski), this „extra“ issue of IMJ features 2 CDs with 18 tracks by a total of over 30 musicians, almost all of whom are Berlin residents: Adeline Rosenstein/Andrea Neumann, Annette Krebs/Steffi Weismann, Kommando Raumschiff Zitrone, Michael Thieke Unununium, Lucio Capece/Axel Doerner/Robin Hayward, Tunar, Alessandro Bosetti, Tony Buck/Andrea Neumann, Sink, Marzipan Marzipan, Kalkuel & Leidenschaft, Boris Hauf, Phillip Sollman, Thomas Ankersmit, Ignaz Schick/Jason Forrest, Burkhard Beins, Rechenzentrum, and blumm&tau. The interviews were conducted by Toshimaru Nakamura during a visit to Berlin in January 2005 (with the exception of the email interview of Annette Krebs by Taku Sugimoto, which took place between January and April 2006). In addition to discussing their musical activities, the artists share many of their thoughts about the Berlin scene. Their candid views reveal the dynamism that has characterized that scene since the late ’90s. Berlin musician Nicholas Bussmann was in charge of the selection of artists for the accompanying CDs, and the result is an ideal compilation for those who want to know more about today’s Berlin scene. Through the words and music of musicians on the scene, this issue explores the current situation of improvised music (and related genres) in Berlin.