11th Floor (after film noir)

"Like most ballet music I composed for Edouard Lock, the music involves reworking existing scores but this time from a musical genre; 1940's and 50's Film Noir, rather than from specifc composers The film studio's big band is reduced to just four players: tenor saxophone, doubling clarinets, accordion, piano and double bass. Here the musicians have to be versatile with the references to various forms of jazz and to some of the conventions of Film Noir music. As with all this music, recognition and memory of the source is critical. For the production by Cullberg Ballet, who commissioned the work, I had four of the finest Swedish musicians who move freely between the various musical demands: being precise, but fexible in a nonclassical way; understanding the requirements of this musical approach, with a powerful double bass driving the ensemble, which even swings at times, anchored at the centre by the richness and fluidity of the accordion, and moving subtly between written music and improvisation."

Performers on this recording: Lisa Langbacka, accordion/ musical director; Nils Berg, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet; Adam Forkelid, piano; Dan Berglund, double bass.