Dirk Serries : solo guitar and electronics
Doors 7:30 | music 8pm | entry £10
Despite his prolific ambient period in the eighties and nineties, with a huge back catalogue of music and several tours in Europe and the United States, Dirk Serries never played his solo ambient music live on UK soil. Until now – and where better than to break this tradition with a solo ambient concert than at his favorite place in London. Hundred Years Gallery is foremost a fantastic DIY art gallery and a creative hub for free jazz and the free improvised. This is where Dirk probably teams up the most with his fellow musicians in the free improvisation. But now HYG will be transformed for one evening into that dwelling place where Dirk will embrace listeners with his unique and trademark ambient music that is clearly his own, and with which he’s been considered to be one of the European forerunners in the ambient music of the mid eighties and early nineties.
The Belgian-based artist Dirk Serries has experimented with music on the border between avant-garde, industrial, experimental and ambient for more than 38 years. He released his earliest work (1984) behind the pseudonym vidnaObmana up to 2007 when he closed the book on this project (realizing an extensive discography). Other projects like Fear Falls Burning and his Microphonics series made him collaborate with several key-players like Steven Wilson, Justin K. Broadrick, Cult Of Luna, Steve Roach and toured extensively on the sides of Jesu, MONO, Low, My Bloody Valentine and Cult Of Luna.
In October 2013 Dirk Serries re-booted his classic vidnaObmana ambient sound from the mid eighties/early nineties. In contrary to his original music that was mostly synth-based, this ambient music is constructed on electric guitar. Music that flows from its discreet origins: sonic purity, washes of harmony, and organic textures which slow time to a phase of transcendence.
Acclaimed albums were under his own name on Projekt Records and his EPITAPH on Consouling Sounds.
However, being a follower of (free) jazz for years, when meeting Tomas Järmyr (Motorpsycho) and Kristoffer Lo to form YODOK III his confidence in improvisation boosted and slowly shifted from his meticulously executed subtle ambience to being a full improviser on mostly the guitar. As heavily influenced by legendary improviser Derek Bailey, over the past years Dirk manifested him as a strong and new leading figure in the Belgian impro scene and works extensively together with some of the best and modern improvisors like saxophonists Alan Wilkinson, Rodrigo Amado, John Dikeman, Colin Webster, drummers Tomas Järmyr, Steve Noble, Tom Malmendier, George Hadow, Onno Govaert and Andrew Lisle, tuba player Kristoffer Lo, viola player Benedict Taylor, Peter Jacquemyn and Gonçalo Almeida (double bass), Kris Vanderstraeten (percussion), Patrick De Groote and Charlotte Keeffe (trumpet), Martina Verhoeven (piano) etc. He also runs the A New Wave Of Jazz label, dedicated to free improvisation and minimal avant-garde.
Through his experience in the free improvisation Dirk transformed his solo ambient music, originally constructed melticulously by writing strict motives before performing, to being able to improvise 200% and still create his trademark ambient music for which he is recognized worldwide.
