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The Sonus Rex Label Sonus Rex [ latin ] = King Sound
Founded in 2006 by Swedish-born American composer, guitarist and bandleader
Sten Hostfalt as a continuation of the labels g-wOw (2001-05 ) and U-diG (1998).
Built on the legacy of a documented innovative contribution to creative music
since 1981, with an independent philosophy, a collegiate network is utilzed to
ensure that every aspects of the productions matches the artistic vision and
quality. The Sonus Rex catalogue currently holds six official audio CD releases
featuring some of the most innovative musicians and artists of our time.
Prepared by Sten Hostfalt's 1981 soloist/co-composer/co-leader feature on the
Fanzine produced, released audio cassette compilation of Scandinavian New Wave
and
Prog bands Moderned Pop / Drömmar I Faksimile and his 1991 Gary Burton
produced CD debut as a featured soloist with the legendary Berklee 'Recording
Band' ( of 'Jazz in The Classroom' fame ) led by Herb Pomery. The first ever
recording to be represented on a CD-release in the Sonus Rex catalogue was a
1992 Toxic Audio, Boston session engineered by Eric Tew and included on the
2001 mastered (by Greg Thompson) CD Sten Hostfalt Eternity Check (g-wOw)
due to legendary Jazz pianist and Avant-Garde pioneer Paul Bley initiating the
session, that marks a part of Sten Hostfalt's full-length debut as a leader and
coincidentally also is
one
of the earliest recordings of electric bass phenom
Matthew Garrison. All in ln line with Jazz history telling us how the famed
talent scouting of Paul Bley has included being instrumental in organizing
the legendary Ornette Coleman Quartet as well as producing the recording
debut of electric bass genius Jaco Pastorious through the 1974 album Jaco
( Improvising Artists ) also featuring one of the first recordings of one of
the
past 35 years most influential Jazz guitarists-Pat Metheny.
The second release in the Sonus Rex catalogue, Sten Hostfalts 2002 solo
concert album 29 Pieces For The MIcrotonal Guitar Live At Knitting Factory
New York (g-wOw) was recorded to an audience of among others concert
pianist John Kamitsuka, Matt Moran (The Claudia Quintet) who played at
the Knit's Old Office with Mat Maneri same night, just like Tim Luntzel
(Rosanne Cash) who played a country show at the main space. 29 Pieces
for the Microtonal Guitar was mixed and mastered by Greg Thompson,
by way of association with Kenji Shimoda of Kampo Studios-a key
recording studio facility in 1990's New York City where, in relation to
among others Dougie Bowne ( Lounge Lizards, Iggy Pop, John Zorn,
Jack Bruce, Marianne Faithfull, Bennie Worrell, John Cale) releases by
B-52's, Brian Eno, They Might Be Giants, Steve Reich, David Byrne,
Alicia Keys, Cat Power, Fatboy Slim, Herbie Hancock, Violent Femmes,
Bill Laswell, The National, Aimee Mann, Sam Rivers, Mike Stern,
Anthony Coleman and Laurie Anderson were recorded and produced.
2006 was the year of the first actual Sonus Rex CD release-a solo live
concert recorded by Brett Rautenberg at Zeitgeist Gallery, Cambridge
MA titled MACROSCOPE ( not to be confused with Nels Cline's album
with same title, relased 8 years later ) edited by Doug Henderson,
known for work with Downtown NY musicians and pop, rock and folk
acts Anthony and The Johnsons, System Of A Down and Devendra
Banhart. Due to lack of immediate funding, following it's release,
Macroscope was not promoted but remains as a document of over
a decade of solo concert performances at New York and East Coast US
( Boston MA ) as well as related duo performances in Philadelphia
and New York City and subsequent ensembles from trio and quartet
to the 15-piece large ensemble with dancers DIMENSIONAL STATES.
The 2008 CD QUARTET was a Sonus Rex re-release of the 1998 Swedish
Radio Studios recorded, scandinavian art grants supported, released ( on
the independent U*diG label) and ( locally in Swedish press/media and
in british Jazz Guitar International
) critically well-received CD Elexir /
Feel Real with 4 original Sten Hostfalt compositions and 3 co-leader
features as a soloist, along with an original track from the Eternity
Check '92 session that as it turned out fits right into the program.
This album was recorded during a time of Sten Hostfalt's touring
and
recording as a member of traditional large Jazz orchestra
Sandviken Big Band appearing in concerts with Deborah Brown,
Bobby Shew and Rob McConnell and in shared Jazz festivals with
Ray Brown, James Moody, Phil Woods, The Woody Herman Big
Band, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and Tower of Power.
and in shared
NOW MATTER-a duo album with Blaise Siwula-alto and tenor saxophones
and Sten Hostfalt-guitar recorded in 2007 and released four years later,
documents around a hundred performances ( and counting ) together
both in duos as well as various ensemble formations and shared events
with among others Tim Berne, Bob Stewart, Ray Anderson, Bern Nix
and Daniel Carter
on New York City's downtown creative music scene.
The quartet recording Sten Hostfalt / G-Factor MONEYTOWN, featuring
Matt Renzi-tenor saxophone, Raymond Todd-spoken word, trombone,
toy piano, flute,
Marko Djordjevic-drums and recorded ( live in one
single take)
and edited by Mark Trewella ( of Full Circle Mastering,
Philadelphia PA ) was released in 2011 as a document of the groups
and ensembles that had both grown out of as well as become collective
interpretations of Sten Hostfalt's solo work. Moneytown is also the
first recording to feature Sten Hostfalt on electric bass guitar due to
his parallell work as a bassist on NYC's electronica scene with Calmer
aka Collin Palmer (of New Villager) in shared concert events with
MOBY, Keith Murray (Def Squad), Machinedrum aka Travis Stewart
(Azealia Banks), Addiquit and Theophilus London (Warner Bros.)
In addition to recordings, since the 2006 start Sonus Rex has also been
instrumental in
hundreds of independently produced arranged and staged
concerts in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia as well as elsewhere in
the USA and Internationally, involving members of the New York and
International Jazz and Improvised Music scene and has administered
educational work and projects for Sten Hostfalt's teaching facility NYC
Guitar Studio that in turn caters to New York City schools and elsewhere.
To stay informed about record releases and concerts, please see the live
itinerary regularly. Please download audio and buy hardcopy records from
artist recommended community based outlets such as Bandcamp.com and
CD Baby as this guarantees the maximum amount directly to the Artist
and therefore isa sure investment in
more future new music to come.
Note that while all Sten Hostfalt, Sonus Rex (and related) recordings are
available
through multiple outlets ( including Amazon.com and iTunes )
most of these merchants in fact take a substantial cut, thus leaving only
a mere fraction for the musicians, composers and artists creating and
generation the music as such. Today's digital distribution agreementsf
are most often set up this way-except for aforementioned independent
community based outlets. Content Creators Coalition is a great place
to go to read, study and learn about the circumstances surrounding the
artistic process in the digital era and how to participate in bettering
the
climate for composers, performers & artists in our own time.
And most
importantly, as the best way to do all of this is live - See You Around !
All Rights Reserved Sonus Rex 2015.