Skúli Sverrisson
Encyclopedia
Skúli Sverrisson is an Icelandic composer and bassist residing in New York City.
Over the past two decades, bass guitarist-composer Skuli Sverrisson has worked with a veritable who’s who of the experimental world, from free jazz legends (Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey) to music icons (Lou Reed. Jon Hassel, David Sylvian, Arto Lindsey) and composers (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Johann Johannsson and Hildur Gudnadottir. Sverrisson is also known for his work as an artistic director for Olof Arnalds (Innundir Skinni, Vid og Vid), recordings with Blonde Redhead and as a musical director for legendary performance artist Laurie Anderson. He has released a series of duo albums of in collaboration with artists such as Anthony Burr, Oskar Gudjonsson and Hilmar Jensson. He has been a member of many influential groups including Pachora, Alas No Axis, The Allan Holdworth group and The Ben Monder group. Sverrisson has also composed music for The Icelandic Dance Company ( Open Source) the National Theatre of Iceland (Volva) and numerous films and installations such as "Welcome" and "Music for furniture" with Olafur Thordason", Spacial Meditation" with Claudia Hill and "When it was Blue" with Jennifer Reeves. Sverrisson founded Seria, an ongoing ensemble featuring Amedeo Pace (Blonde Redhead), Olof Arnalds, David Thor Jonsson, Anthony Burr, Eyvind Kang and Hildur Gudnadottir in 2005 and released Seria in 2006 and Seria ll in 2010.
He has appeared on over 100 recordings and has performed around the world with a wide range of artists.
Recent works include series of live film /music performances with experimental film maker Jennifer Reeves. Three new recordings of the ongoing collaboration with Anthony Burr and a new duo recording with Oskar Gudjonsson
Sverrisson has been awarded 5 Icelandic Music Awards, including Icelandic Album of the Year for Seria in 2006.
He has worked with numerous musicians and groups, including Hildur Guðnadóttir
, Hilmar Jensson, Jim Black
, Chris Speed
, Anthony Burr, Laurie Anderson
, Allan Holdsworth
, Ryuichi Sakamoto
, David Sylvian
, Blonde Redhead
, Yungchen Lhamo
, Jamshied Sharifi
, Ólöf Arnalds
, Pachora, and Alas No Axis. He was a part of Mo Boma with Jamshied Sharifi and Carsten Tiedemann, releasing 4 albums on Extreme; "Jijimuge", "Myths of the Near Future - Part One", "Myths of the Near Future - Part Two" and "Myths of the Near Future - Part Three".
His solo works include "Seremonie" in 1997 and "Sería" in 2006. "Seria" was chosen as "Best album of the Year" by the Icelandic Music Awards.
His music is featured in the 2008 experimental film When It Was Blue, directed by Jennifer Reeves.
Sverrisson also plays dobro, acoustic bass guitar, and charango, in addition to electric bass. He is currently music director for Laurie Anderson and tours with her internationally.
-Poetry of Joseph Kopf Peter Herbert Extraplatte 1992
-Jijimuge Mo Boma Extreme 1992
-Hard Hat Area Allan Holdsworth Restless Records 1993
-Myths of the Near Future I Mo Boma Extreme 1994
-Myths of the Near Future II Mo Boma Extreme 1995
-Dofinn Hilmar Jensson Is Jazz 1995
-Blonde Redhead Blonde Redhead Smells Like Records 1995
-Myths of the Near Future III Mo Boma Extreme 1996
-Espirit Kazume Watanabe Polygram 1996
-Seremonie Skúli Sverrisson Extreme 1997
-Prayer for the Soul of Layla Jamshied Sharifi Alula 1997
-No Boat Ben Monder Songline Records 1997
-Extreme 10 Skúli Sverrisson Extreme 1997
-Kjár Skúli Sverrisson & Hilmar Jensson Bad Taste 1998
-Bushes and Briars Susan McKeown Alula Records 1998
-Pachora Pachora Knitting Factory Works 1998
-Unn Pachora Knitting Factory Works 1998
-Dabilen Harrida Ruper Ordorika Nuevos Medios 1998
-Desist Skuli Sverrisson & Anthony Burr Staalplaat Records 1999
-Yeah No Chris Speed Songlines Records 1999
-Deviantics Chris Speed Songlines Records 1999
-Ast Pachora Knitting Factory Works 1999
-Alas No Axis Jim Black Winter & Winter 2000
-Origami Theo Bleckmann Songlines Records 2000
-The Well Brad Shepik Songlines Records 2000
-Marinade Mark Dresser Tzadik 2000
-In His Own Sweet Way Pachora Avant 2000
-Excavation Ben Monder Arabesque 2000
-Emit Chris Speed Songlines Records 2000
-Life on a String Laurie Anderson Nonesuch Records 2001
-Splay Alas No Axis Winter & Winter 2001
-Klif Jóel Pálsson Omi 2001
-Live at Town Hall Laurie Anderson Nonesuch Records 2001
-Napoli 23 Napoli 23 Bad taste 2001
-After Silence Skúli Sverrisson & Óskar Guðjónsson Omi 2001
-Asterotypical Pachora Winter & Winter 2002
-Iceman Is Terje Isungset Jazzland/Universal 2002
-World Citizen David Sylvian & Ruyichi Sakamoto Samadhisound 2003
-Quartet Lucy John Hollenbeck CRI 2003
-Voice in the Wilderness Pachora Tzadik 2003
-Swell Henry Chris Speed Squealer Records 2004
-Habyor Alas No Axis Winter & Winter 2004
-One Jamshied Sharifi Alula Records 2004
-Misery is a Butterfly Blonde Redhead 4AD 2004
-Virðulegir Forsetar Jóhann Jóhannsson Touch 2005
-Ociana Ben Monder Arabesque 2005
-Marmorere Peter Scherer Peter Scherer 2005
-A 1000 Incidents Arise Skúli Sverrisson & Anthony Burr Worker's Institute 2005
-Dogs of Great Indifference Alas No Axis Winter and Winter 2005
-Ama Yungchen Lhamo Real World 2005
-Bricolage Ruyichi Sakamoto KAB 2006
-Seria Skúli Sverrisson 12 Tonar 2006
-Family Album Kitchen Motors Bad Taste 2006
-23 Blonde Redhead 4AD 2007
-Illusionista Bass instinct Erschienen 2007
-Við og Við Ólof Arnalds 12 tonar 2007
-Jostojoo Mamak Khadem Mamak Khadem 2007
-Cycles Einar Scheving Valdis 2007
-Aero Ghostdigital Bad Taste 2008
-Without Sinking Hildur Guðnadottir Touch 2009
-Iridescence Hildur Guðnadottir Touch 2009
-Houseplant Jim Black Winter and Winter 2009
-Haizea Garizumakoa Ruper Ordoroka Elkar 2009
-Spiritual Dimensions Wadada Leo Smith Cuneiform Records 2009
-Out of Noise Ruyichi Sakamoto KAB 2009
-Butterfly Base Instinct Zappel Music 2010
-Homeland Laurie Anderson Nonesuch 2010
-Innundir Skinni Ólof Arnalds One Little Indian 2010
-Seria ll Skúli Sverrisson Seria Music 2010
Over the past two decades, bass guitarist-composer Skuli Sverrisson has worked with a veritable who’s who of the experimental world, from free jazz legends (Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey) to music icons (Lou Reed. Jon Hassel, David Sylvian, Arto Lindsey) and composers (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Johann Johannsson and Hildur Gudnadottir. Sverrisson is also known for his work as an artistic director for Olof Arnalds (Innundir Skinni, Vid og Vid), recordings with Blonde Redhead and as a musical director for legendary performance artist Laurie Anderson. He has released a series of duo albums of in collaboration with artists such as Anthony Burr, Oskar Gudjonsson and Hilmar Jensson. He has been a member of many influential groups including Pachora, Alas No Axis, The Allan Holdworth group and The Ben Monder group. Sverrisson has also composed music for The Icelandic Dance Company ( Open Source) the National Theatre of Iceland (Volva) and numerous films and installations such as "Welcome" and "Music for furniture" with Olafur Thordason", Spacial Meditation" with Claudia Hill and "When it was Blue" with Jennifer Reeves. Sverrisson founded Seria, an ongoing ensemble featuring Amedeo Pace (Blonde Redhead), Olof Arnalds, David Thor Jonsson, Anthony Burr, Eyvind Kang and Hildur Gudnadottir in 2005 and released Seria in 2006 and Seria ll in 2010.
He has appeared on over 100 recordings and has performed around the world with a wide range of artists.
Recent works include series of live film /music performances with experimental film maker Jennifer Reeves. Three new recordings of the ongoing collaboration with Anthony Burr and a new duo recording with Oskar Gudjonsson
Sverrisson has been awarded 5 Icelandic Music Awards, including Icelandic Album of the Year for Seria in 2006.
He has worked with numerous musicians and groups, including Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir is a classically trained Icelandic Cellist who has played and recorded with the bands Pan Sonic, Throbbing Gristle and Múm, as well as her solo project Lost in Hildurness...
, Hilmar Jensson, Jim Black
Jim Black
Jim Black is a jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas, among others. He attended Berklee College of Music....
, Chris Speed
Chris Speed
Chris Speed is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He studied classical piano from the age of five, and began clarinet at eleven. In high school he took up the tenor saxophone and began studying jazz...
, Anthony Burr, Laurie Anderson
Laurie Anderson
Laura Phillips "Laurie" Anderson is an American experimental performance artist, composer and musician who plays violin and keyboards and sings in a variety of experimental music and art rock styles. Initially trained as a sculptor, Anderson did her first performance-art piece in the late 1960s...
, Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
, Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
, David Sylvian
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
, Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
, Yungchen Lhamo
Yungchen Lhamo
Yungchen Lhamo is a Tibetan singer-songwriter and currently living in exile in New York City. She has won an Australian Record Industry Association award for best Folk/World/Traditional album, and was then signed by Peter Gabriel's Realworld Record label.She has performed with Billy Corgan and...
, Jamshied Sharifi
Jamshied Sharifi
Jamshied Sharifi was born October 17, 1960 in Topeka, Kansas to an Iranian father and an American mother. At an early age, Sharifi was exposed to Jazz and Middle Eastern music by his father and to European classical and church music by his mother. He began to study classical piano at age five and...
, Ólöf Arnalds
Ólöf Arnalds
Ólöf Arnalds is an Icelandic singer/songwriter and indie musician who has been active within the Icelandic music scene for quite some time. Apart from her own music and being a touring member of Múm since 2003, she has cooperated with bands and artists such as Stórsveit Nix Noltes, Mugison,...
, Pachora, and Alas No Axis. He was a part of Mo Boma with Jamshied Sharifi and Carsten Tiedemann, releasing 4 albums on Extreme; "Jijimuge", "Myths of the Near Future - Part One", "Myths of the Near Future - Part Two" and "Myths of the Near Future - Part Three".
His solo works include "Seremonie" in 1997 and "Sería" in 2006. "Seria" was chosen as "Best album of the Year" by the Icelandic Music Awards.
His music is featured in the 2008 experimental film When It Was Blue, directed by Jennifer Reeves.
Sverrisson also plays dobro, acoustic bass guitar, and charango, in addition to electric bass. He is currently music director for Laurie Anderson and tours with her internationally.
Discography
-Secret Stories Full Circle Sony Records 1991-Poetry of Joseph Kopf Peter Herbert Extraplatte 1992
-Jijimuge Mo Boma Extreme 1992
-Hard Hat Area Allan Holdsworth Restless Records 1993
-Myths of the Near Future I Mo Boma Extreme 1994
-Myths of the Near Future II Mo Boma Extreme 1995
-Dofinn Hilmar Jensson Is Jazz 1995
-Blonde Redhead Blonde Redhead Smells Like Records 1995
-Myths of the Near Future III Mo Boma Extreme 1996
-Espirit Kazume Watanabe Polygram 1996
-Seremonie Skúli Sverrisson Extreme 1997
-Prayer for the Soul of Layla Jamshied Sharifi Alula 1997
-No Boat Ben Monder Songline Records 1997
-Extreme 10 Skúli Sverrisson Extreme 1997
-Kjár Skúli Sverrisson & Hilmar Jensson Bad Taste 1998
-Bushes and Briars Susan McKeown Alula Records 1998
-Pachora Pachora Knitting Factory Works 1998
-Unn Pachora Knitting Factory Works 1998
-Dabilen Harrida Ruper Ordorika Nuevos Medios 1998
-Desist Skuli Sverrisson & Anthony Burr Staalplaat Records 1999
-Yeah No Chris Speed Songlines Records 1999
-Deviantics Chris Speed Songlines Records 1999
-Ast Pachora Knitting Factory Works 1999
-Alas No Axis Jim Black Winter & Winter 2000
-Origami Theo Bleckmann Songlines Records 2000
-The Well Brad Shepik Songlines Records 2000
-Marinade Mark Dresser Tzadik 2000
-In His Own Sweet Way Pachora Avant 2000
-Excavation Ben Monder Arabesque 2000
-Emit Chris Speed Songlines Records 2000
-Life on a String Laurie Anderson Nonesuch Records 2001
-Splay Alas No Axis Winter & Winter 2001
-Klif Jóel Pálsson Omi 2001
-Live at Town Hall Laurie Anderson Nonesuch Records 2001
-Napoli 23 Napoli 23 Bad taste 2001
-After Silence Skúli Sverrisson & Óskar Guðjónsson Omi 2001
-Asterotypical Pachora Winter & Winter 2002
-Iceman Is Terje Isungset Jazzland/Universal 2002
-World Citizen David Sylvian & Ruyichi Sakamoto Samadhisound 2003
-Quartet Lucy John Hollenbeck CRI 2003
-Voice in the Wilderness Pachora Tzadik 2003
-Swell Henry Chris Speed Squealer Records 2004
-Habyor Alas No Axis Winter & Winter 2004
-One Jamshied Sharifi Alula Records 2004
-Misery is a Butterfly Blonde Redhead 4AD 2004
-Virðulegir Forsetar Jóhann Jóhannsson Touch 2005
-Ociana Ben Monder Arabesque 2005
-Marmorere Peter Scherer Peter Scherer 2005
-A 1000 Incidents Arise Skúli Sverrisson & Anthony Burr Worker's Institute 2005
-Dogs of Great Indifference Alas No Axis Winter and Winter 2005
-Ama Yungchen Lhamo Real World 2005
-Bricolage Ruyichi Sakamoto KAB 2006
-Seria Skúli Sverrisson 12 Tonar 2006
-Family Album Kitchen Motors Bad Taste 2006
-23 Blonde Redhead 4AD 2007
-Illusionista Bass instinct Erschienen 2007
-Við og Við Ólof Arnalds 12 tonar 2007
-Jostojoo Mamak Khadem Mamak Khadem 2007
-Cycles Einar Scheving Valdis 2007
-Aero Ghostdigital Bad Taste 2008
-Without Sinking Hildur Guðnadottir Touch 2009
-Iridescence Hildur Guðnadottir Touch 2009
-Houseplant Jim Black Winter and Winter 2009
-Haizea Garizumakoa Ruper Ordoroka Elkar 2009
-Spiritual Dimensions Wadada Leo Smith Cuneiform Records 2009
-Out of Noise Ruyichi Sakamoto KAB 2009
-Butterfly Base Instinct Zappel Music 2010
-Homeland Laurie Anderson Nonesuch 2010
-Innundir Skinni Ólof Arnalds One Little Indian 2010
-Seria ll Skúli Sverrisson Seria Music 2010
External links
- http://www.xtr.com/artists/skuli-sverrisson/
- 1992 Video of Skúli Sverrisson playing with Allan Holdsworth and Chad Wackerman