Biondini – Godard – Niggli

For a band that wants to break new ground, it doesn’t hurt if the members come from different backgrounds: Italian accordionist Luciano Biondini received a classical education and moves seamlessly between folk traditions and experimental soundscapes. French tuba and serpent player Michel Godard moves with stunning ease between early music, avant-garde, and jazz. Swiss drummer Lucas Niggli is one of the most prolific percussionists working at the intersection of new and improvised music. Three countries, three languages, an infinite variety of musical expressions: this trio makes complex ideas sound simple. Their freedom stems as much from their virtuoso mastery of their instruments as from their openness to diverse musical influences. What the band brings to the stage is something audibly new—a kind of swinging folklore free of clichés—whether they’re performing their own compositions or their take on Coltrane’s “Naima.”