Misha Mengelberg (5 June 1935 – 3 March 2017) was a Dutch

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

pianist and composer.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 459. Oxford University Press. A prominent figure in post-WWII European Jazz, Mengelberg is known for his forays into

free improvisation Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician(s) involved. The term can refer to both a technique (employed by any musician in any genre) and as a recognizable genre in its ...

, for bringing humor into his music, and as a leading interpreter of songs by fellow pianists

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

and

Herbie Nichols Herbert Horatio Nichols (January 3, 1919 – April 12, 1963) was an American jazz pianist and composer who wrote the jazz standard " Lady Sings the Blues". Obscure during his lifetime, he is now highly regarded by many musicians and critics. Li ...

Biography

Mengelberg was born in

Kiev Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

, the son of the Dutch conductor (born Karel Willem Joseph Mengelberg; 18 July 1902,

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the fourth-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, in the very centre of mainland Net ...

– 11 July 1984,

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

) and grand-nephew of conductor

Willem Mengelberg Joseph Wilhelm Mengelberg (28 March 1871 – 21 March 1951) was a Dutch conductor, famous for his performances of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Strauss with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest s ...

. Karel Mengelberg was a Dutch composer and conductor, who worked in Berlin, Barcelona, Kiev and Amsterdam. A notable work of his was 'Catalunya Renaixent', written for the Banda Municipal of Barcelona in 1934. Misha's family moved back to the Netherlands in the late 1930s and he began learning the piano at age five. Mengelberg briefly studied architecture before entering the Royal Conservatory in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

, where he studied music from 1958-64. While there he won the first prize at a jazz festival in

Loosdrecht Loosdrecht () is a town in the municipality of Wijdemeren, North Holland, the Netherlands, with a population of about 8,600 inhabitants. Loosdrecht consists of two small villages: Nieuw-Loosdrecht and Oud-Loosdrecht. Nieuw Loosdrecht covers a s ...

and became associated with

Fluxus Fluxus was an international, interdisciplinary community of artists, composers, designers and poets during the 1960s and 1970s who engaged in experimental art performances which emphasized the artistic process over the finished product. Fluxus ...

. His early influences included

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

and

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading f ...

, whom he heard lecture at

Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the fourth largest city in the state of Hesse ...

. Mengelberg won the Gaudeamus International Composers Award in 1961. Among his first recordings was one of

Eric Dolphy Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist and flautist. On a few occasions, he also played the clarinet and piccolo. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to ga ...

's last, '' Last Date'' (1964). Also on that record was the drummer

Han Bennink Han Bennink (born 17 April 1942) is a Dutch drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured him playing soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, trombone, violin, banjo and piano. Though perhaps best known as one of the pivotal fig ...

, and the two of them, together with saxophonist Piet Noordijk, formed a quartet which had a number of different bassists, and which played at the

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hir ...

in 1966. In 1967 he co-founded the Instant Composers Pool, an organisation which promoted avant garde Dutch jazz performances and recordings, with Bennink and

Willem Breuker Willem Breuker (4 November 1944 – 23 July 2010) was a Dutch bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist, and clarinetist. Career During the mid 1960s, he played with percussionist Han Bennink and pianist Misha Mengelberg, co-founding the I ...

. He was co-founder of

STEIM STEIM (STudio for Electro Instrumental Music) was a center for research and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beginning in the 1970's, STEIM became known as a pioneering cen ...

in Amsterdam in 1969. Mengelberg played with a large variety of musicians. He often performed in a duo with fellow Dutchman Bennink, with other collaborators including Derek Bailey,

Peter Brötzmann Peter Brötzmann (born 6 March 1941) is a German saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Early life Brötzmann was born in Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He studied painting in Wuppertal and was involved with the Fluxus move ...

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Ch ...

, and (on the flip side of a live recording with Dolphy) his pet parrot. He was also one of the earliest exponents of the work of the once-neglected pianist

. He also wrote music for others to perform (generally leaving some room for improvisation) and oversaw a number of music theatre productions, which usually included a large element of absurdist humour. A 2006 DVD release, ''Afijn'' (ICP/Data), is a primer on Mengelberg's life and work, containing an 80-minute documentary and additional concert footage. Mengelberg died in Amsterdam on 3 March 2017, aged 81, from undisclosed causes.

Discography

Solo albums

* 1979: ''Pech Onderweg'' (BV Haast) * 1982: ''Musica Per 17 Instrumenti / 3 Intermezzi /Omtrent Een Componistenactie'' Composer's Voice * 1994: ''Impromptus'' ( FMP) * 1997: ''Misha Mengelberg'' (I Dischi Di Angelica) * 1997: ''The Root Of The Problem'' ( hatOLOGY) * 1999: ''Two Days In Chicago'' (hatOLOGY) * 2000: ''Solo'' (

Buzz Buzz may refer to: People *Buzz (nickname), a list of people * J. Buzz Von Ornsteiner (born 1967; aka ''Dr. Buzz''), American forensic psychologist and journalist Fictional characters *Buzz, a character in the 1987 American comedy movie '' Rev ...

) * 2005: ''Senne Sing Song'' (

Tzadik Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. Th ...

)

Collaborations

As leader * 1978: ''Groupcomposing'' ( Instant Composers Pool), with

, Peter Bennink, Paul Rutherford, Derek Bailey, and Han Bennink * 1978: ''Fragments'' (Instant Composers Pool), with

John Tchicai John Martin Tchicai ( ; 28 April 1936 – 8 October 2012) was a Danish free jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Tchicai was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a Danish mother and a Congolese father. The family moved to Aarhus, where he st ...

, Han Bennink, and Derek Bailey * 1985: ''Change of Season (Music of Herbie Nichols)'' (

Soul Note Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

), with Steve Lacy, George E. Lewis, Arjen Gorter, and Han Bennink * 1985: ''On Escalation / 3 Pianopieces / Dialogue / Summer'' (Attacca), with Peter Schat, Jan Van Vlijmen, and Otto Ketting * 1991: ''Dutch Masters'' (Soul Note), with Steve Lacy, George Lewis,

Ernst Reijseger Ernst Reijseger (born 13 November 1954) is a Dutch cellist and composer. He specializes in avant-garde jazz, free jazz, improvised music, and contemporary classical music and often gives solo concerts. He has worked with Louis Sclavis, Dere ...

, and Han Bennink * 1994: ''Who's Bridge'' (

Avant AVANT, also known as AVANT street art guerrilla collective, was the artist group active in New York City from 1980 to 1984. By 1984 AVANT had produced thousands of acrylic on paper paintings and plastered them on walls, doors, bus-stops and gallerie ...

), with Misha Mengelberg Trio (Brad Jones,

Joey Baron Bernard Joseph Baron (born June 26, 1955 in Richmond, Virginia) is an American avant-garde jazz drummer who plays frequently with Bill Frisell and John Zorn. Music career Baron was born on June 26, 1955, in Richmond Virginia. When he was nine, ...

) * 1997: ''Live In Holland '97'' (X-OR), with

Mats Gustafsson Mats Olof Gustafsson (born 29 October 1964) is a Swedish free jazz saxophone player. Career Gustafsson came to the attention of lovers of improvised music as part of a duo with Christian Munthe (started in 1986), as member of Gunter Chri ...

and Gert-Jan Prins * 1998: ''No Idea'' ( DIW), with Misha Mengelberg Trio (

Greg Cohen Greg Cohen (born July 13, 1953) is an American jazz bassist who has been a member of John Zorn's Masada quartet and worked with numerous other noted musicians for over four decades. Career Cohen plays traditional jazz and other styles, includin ...

, Joey Baron) * 2001: ''Four in One'' (Songlines), with Misha Mengelberg Quartet ( Dave Douglas, Brad Jones, Han Bennink) * 2009: ''Mill'' (Conundrom), with Cor Fuhler and Michiel Scheen * 2011: ''It Won't Be Called Broken Chair'' (Psi), with Evan Parker * 2013: ''Lucebert / Jazz & Poetry '65'' (Uitgeverij Huis Clos), with Misha Mengelberg / Piet Noordijk Kwartet (Han Bennink, Rob Langereis) * 2014: ''Nunc!'' (Nemu), with Dirk Bell, Ryan Carniaux,

Gerd Dudek Gerhard Rochus "Gerd" Dudek (28 September 1938 – 3 November 2022) was a German jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist. Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the 1950s, before joining a big band ...

, Joscha Oetz, and Nils Tegen With

* 1964: '' Last Date'' (

Fontana Fontana may refer to: Places Italy *Fontana Liri, comune in the Province of Frosinone *Fontanafredda, comune in the Province of Pordenone *Fontanarosa, comune in the Province of Avellino *Francavilla Fontana, comune in the Province of Brindisi * ...

), live including with Jacques Schols and

* 1974: ''Playing: Epistrophy, 1 June 1964 In Eindhoven, Holland'' ( Instant Composers Pool), including Schols and Bennink With

* 1968: ''Instant Composers Pool'' (Instant Composers Pool), including with John Tchicai * 1971: ''Instant Composers Pool 010'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1972: ''Een Mirakelse Tocht Door Het Scharrebroekse no. 1-6'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1974: ''EinePartieTischtennis'' (FMP, Instant Composers Pool), live * 1975: ''Coincidents'' (Stichting ICP Geluidsdragers, Instant Composers Pool) * 1978: ''Midwoud 77'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1979: ''A European Proposal (Live in Cremona)'' ( Horo), including with Paul Rutherford and

Mario Schiano Mario Schiano (20 July 1933 in Naples – 10 May 2008 in Rome) was an Italian people, Italian alto saxophonist and soprano saxophonist associated with avant-garde jazz, avant-garde/free jazz. He was born in Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; na ...

* 1982: ''Bennink Mengelberg'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1994: ''Mix'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1996: ''The Instant Composers Pool 30 Years'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1998: ''MiHa'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2004: ''Senne Sing Song'' (

) With

Louis Andriessen Louis Joseph Andriessen (; 6 June 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Dutch composer, pianist and academic teacher. Considered the most influential Dutch composer of his generation, he was a central proponent of The Hague school of composition. Althoug ...

* 1969: ''Reconstructie'' (

), including with

Hugo Claus Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (; 5 April 1929 – 19 March 2008) was a leading Belgian literature, Belgian author who published under his own name as well as various pseudonyms. Claus' literary contributions spanned the genres of drama, the novel, a ...

, Reinbert de Leeuw, Harry Mulisch, Peter Schat and Jan van Vlijmen With

ICP Orchestra Instant Composers Pool (ICP) is an independent Dutch jazz and improvised music label and orchestra. Founded in 1967, the label takes its name from the notion that improvisation is "instant composition". The ICP label has published more than 50 r ...

* 1979: ''Live in Soncino'' (Instant Composers Pool, AD LIB) * 1982: ''Japan Japon'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1984: ''Extension Red, White & Blue'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1987: ''Two Programs: Performs Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1990: ''Bospaadje Konijnehol I'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1991: ''Bospaadje Konijnehol II'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 1999: ''Jubilee Varia'' (hatOLOGY) * 2001: ''Oh, My Dog'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2004: ''Aan & Uit'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2006: ''Weer Is Een Dag Voorbij'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2009: ''Live at the Bimhuis'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2010: ''!ICP! 50'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2010: ''ICP Orchestra'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2014: ''East of the Sun'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2015: ''Misha Enzovoort'' (Instant Composers Pool) * 2016: ''Restless in Pieces'' (Instant Composers Pool) ;With

*''

Anthony Braxton's Charlie Parker Project 1993 ''Anthony Braxton's Charlie Parker Project 1993'' is an album featuring live and studio performances of compositions associated with Charlie Parker arranged and performed by saxophonist Anthony Braxton which was recorded in Switzerland and Germany ...

'' (HatART, 1993 995 With

* 1979: ''3 Points and a Mountain'' (FMP), including with Han Bennink With

Dudu Pukwana Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana (18 July 1938 – 30 June 1990) was a South African saxophonist, composer and pianist (although not known for his piano playing). Early years in South Africa Dudu Pukwana was born in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, ...

* 1979: ''Yi Yole'' (Instant Composers Pool), including with Han Bennink With Keshavan Maslak * 1980: ''Humanplexity'' ( Leo), including with Han Bennink With

Roswell Rudd Roswell Hopkins Rudd Jr. (November 17, 1935 – December 21, 2017) was an American jazz trombonist and composer. Although skilled in a variety of genres of jazz (including Dixieland, which he performed while in college), and other genres of musi ...

* 1983: '' Regeneration'' (Soul Note), including with Steve Lacy,

Kent Carter Kent Carter (born June 14, 1939 in Hanover, New Hampshire) is an American jazz bassist. His father, Alan Carter, founded the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He is also the grandson of American artist, Rockwell Kent. He worked in Steve Lacy's group, ...

, and Han Bennink With Pino Minafra * 1987: ''Tropic of the Mounted Sea Chicken'' (Splasc(H)), including with Michele Lomuto, Han Bennink, and Unknown Artist With

Franz Koglmann Franz Koglmann (born 22 May 1947) is an Austrian jazz composer. He performs on both the trumpet and flugelhorn in a variety of contexts, most often within avant-garde jazz and third stream contexts. An award-winning composer, Koglmann has perfor ...

*1991: ''

L'Heure Bleue ''L'Heure Bleue'' is an album by trumpeter/flugelhornist Franz Koglmann which was recorded in Austria and Switzerland in 1991 and released on the Swiss HatART label.Steve Lacy * 1996: ''Five Facings'' (FMP), including with Marilyn Crispell, Ulrich Gumpert, Fred Van Hove,

Vladimir Miller Vladimir Robertovich Miller (Russian: Влади́мир Робертович Ми́ллер) (born February 3, 1964) is a Russian opera, folk and choir singer possessing a low-ranging basso profondo (oktavist) voice, one of the lowest voices in t ...

With Yuri Honing * 1998: ''Playing'' (Jazz in Motion) * 2000: ''Lively'' (Buzz), including with Ernst Reijseger With Paul Termos * 2003: ''Termos Sessions Volume I'' (X-OR, Bimhuis) With

Benjamin Herman Benjamin Herman (London, 9 May 1968) is a Dutch jazz musician. He is best known as an alto saxophonist and as leader of the jazz band New Cool Collective. Herman also plays the C-melody saxophone and flute. He also has a radio show on Radio 6 ...

* 2004: ''Heterogenity'' (X-OR, Bimhuis), featuring

Bert Joris Bert Joris (born 18 January 1957 in Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

With Alessandra Patrucco * 2006: ''Circus'' (Instant Composers Pool), including with

Tristan Honsinger Tristan Honsinger (born October 23, 1949) is an American cello player active in free jazz and free improvisation. He is perhaps best known for his long-running collaboration with free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor and guitarist Derek Bailey. Born i ...

Ab Baars Ab Baars (born November 21, 1955 in Axel, Netherlands) is a Dutch saxophonist and clarinetist who has had an active performance career since the 1970s. He has recorded several albums for the Geestgronden Records, Atavistic Records, and WIG record ...

, and Han Bennink With Frank Gratkowski * 2006: ''Frank Gratkowski Vis-à-vis Misha Mengelberg'' (Leo) With

and

Ig Henneman Ig Henneman (born 21 December 1945) is a Dutch composer and bandleader. She was born in Haarlem, Netherlands, and took music lessons as a child. She studied viola and violin in Amsterdam and Tilburg, and composition with Robert Heppener. After co ...

* 2009: ''Sliptong'' (Wig 16) 2009, With Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra * '' Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra'' (ECM, 1990)

References

External links

1996 Mengelberg interview conducted by Dan WarburtonICP Orchestra Homepage
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mengelberg, Misha 1935 births 2017 deaths Dutch composers Dutch jazz pianists Free improvisation pianists Gaudeamus Composition Competition prize-winners Soviet emigrants to the Netherlands Post-bop pianists Avant-garde jazz pianists DIW Records artists Misha Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra members ICP Orchestra members FMP/Free Music Production artists