Harri Sjöström – Sunday Interview

© photo Uwe Bley

1.  What is your greatest joy in improvised music?

To play with others in intensive-concentrated-listening and open-to-risk
collectives. I particularly like everything from duos – sextets, but
occasionally there had been some really enjoyable larger groups as well.

2. What quality do you most admire in the musicians you
   perform with?
   

Generally speaking: the profound/convincing ability of deep listening,
selflessness playing, joy of sharing, “jumping into cold water”.

3. Which historical musician/composer do you admire the most?
   

Oh dear, there are more than one…: Anton Webern, Edgar Varèse, Iannis
Xenakis, Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane.

4. 
   If you could resurrect a musician to perform with, who
   would it be?
   

I would like to play with Fred Frith and Lori Freedman, playing with Lori
is coming up soon.

5. 
   What would you still like to achieve musically in your
   life?
   

Ha! Concerning me as an artist I wish to maintain a continuous healthy
stream of creativity and an ongoing openness towards changes along the
road.

Concerning contemporary improvised music I would like to see -in general-
better recognition of the many merits of this music. Among other things,
significantly improved performance opportunity in good venues such as
acoustically suitable concert halls Philharmonic halls would contribute to
this. I founded the ongoing “SoundScapes – Festival” 2016 to support the
contemporary improvised music scene to achieve some of these aims.

6. 
   Are you interested in popular music and – if yes – what
   music/artist do you particularly like?
   

My musical background includes a fair variety of popular, rock, blues and
soul music for sure. I can still enjoy many of the artists from the
Woodstock period, perhaps Jimmy Hendrix especially.

7. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it
   be?
   

Well, I’m working on to learn more about keeping my body in good condition
and my mind in good spirits.

8. Which of your albums are you most proud of?
   

Quintet Moderne – Wellsprings (2004)

Sestetto Internazionale – Due Mutabili (2023)

Milano Dialogues – Windows & Mirrors (2022)

Milano
Dialogues – More Windows & Small Mirrors (2023)

Milano
Dialogues – Flight Mode Live in Berlin (2024)

9. Once an album of yours is released, do you still listen to
   it? And how often?
   

Yes, I listen every now and then but I can’t say it’s really regularly.
My listening concentrates on new material under work in mixing etc. for the
releases. This occupies a lot of time.

10. Which album (from any musician) have you listened to the most in
    your life?
    

It’s hard to pin down one particular because it’s related to different
periods of my life.

Probably the album I’ve heard the most was “complete webern * boulez”.

Actually I don’t listen that much to albums, I prefer visiting live
concerts.

11. 
    What are you listening to at the moment?
    

The latest music I listened to has been Frank Gratkowski’s Mature Hybrid Talking and Entrainment, Concerto for Violin and Symphony
Orchestra’s Auseil and Veli Kujala – Concerto for Vi.

12. What artist outside music inspires you?
    

Sources of inspiration outside music lay in abstract painting, contemporary
photography, contemporary theatre.

Harri Sjöström on the Free Jazz Blog:

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