Urs Leimgruber reeds
Christy Doran electric guitar, devices
Bobby Burri double bass, devices
Fredy Studer drums, percussion
UNKNOWN NAVIGATION
IMPROVISING MEETS INSTANT COMPOSING
Improvisation is all about a certain attitude. It requires know-how and thrives on experience. OM are steeped in these qualities. The cult band had a peerless career spanning the years from 1972 to 1982, and since 2006 they have once again been making occasional appearances on stage. These days, OM use improvisation as an instrument. They have developed a new technique of playing that focuses on the immediacy of this instrument without neglecting the overall sense of drama inherent in the performance as a whole.
The range of musical experience gathered by the members of OM over the years has further extended the breadth of the tonal and rhythmic material available to the band. The improvisation of jazz, the energy of rock, the tonal quality of contemporary music, the noise of the experimental, as well as the sounds and space of electronica – they are all part of the new musical texture created by OM.
The energy generated by the collision of Hendrix and Coltrane that originally blasted OM into existence is still clearly present. At the same time, the process of transformation undergone by the four musicians since then has created space for new types of sound pattern and the sort of unexpected results that can only emerge in the course of a live performance.
Between 1972 and 1982, OM was one of the most significant impro-jazz-rock bands in Europe. Electric jazz free music was the hallmark of those years. In 2006, after a 25 year break, Christy Doran, Urs Leimgruber, Bobby Burri and Fredy Studer appeared once again on stage together as OM – at the KKL Luzern. The old energy was still there and, enriched with new experiences, it was also more subtle and intense than ever before.
Following this relaunch, OM have made occasional appearances at selected venues, developing their music further. They aren’t a reunion band that wants to relive the old days. They play because they have something to say and are still curious about each other. They have remained friends over the decades. The chemistry is still there. At the same time, each of the members brings such a wealth of new experiences into the band that there’s never going to be a place for just warming up old material. They much prefer to play what’s still to come.
Awards
In 2003, OM receives the Art Prize of the City of Lucerne. „OM WITH DOM UM ROMAO“ Japo 60022 / ECM „The 100 Best Jazz Albums Ever,“ Rolling Stone Magazine.