Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields, Australia’s only electric viola da gamba ensemble, was formed by Jenny Eriksson, Matt Keegan and Matt McMahon in 2015. The band is an ongoing experiment in new improvised and composed repertoire for the electric viola da gamba, of which Eriksson is believed to be the only Australian exponent.
Before Elysian Fields, Jenny Eriksson had long performed and recorded with jazz and world musicians, among them Llew and Mara Kiek and Steve Elphick from Mara!, horn player and composer Paul Cutlan, Matt McMahon, Joseph Tawadros, Kevin Hunt and Matt Keegan, and Susie Bishop and Emily Rose Sarkova from Chaika.
The backbone of the set list is original work written for the line-up by Matt McMahon, Matt Keegan, Jenny Eriksson and bassist Siebe Pogson. Covers range from Eriksson’s arrangements of Marin Marais to charts and folk songs that reflect her Scandinavian heritage, drawing on Mats Norrefalk, e.s.t. and Jan Gunnar Hoff, with Joe Zawinul an occasional visitor.
Influences run as wide as the members’ interests: e.s.t., Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius, Tord Gustavsen, Victor Wooten, Mats Norrefalk, Jean-Luc Ponty, Weather Report, Mara!, traditional Indian music, Irish and Swedish folk song, Jordi Savall, Marin Marais, John McLaughlin, Steve Hunter, Pat Metheny, Jan Gunnar Hoff and Joni Mitchell.
Artist's website: www.maraisproject.com.au
Elysian Fields is featured on the following titles
Fika
Fika is the second album from crossover ensemble Elysian Fields: music shaped for the Swedish custom of gathering with friends over coffee, conversation and something sweet to share.
What should I say
Australia’s only electric viola da gamba band, Elysian Fields joins Jenny Eriksson with jazz colleagues Matt Keegan and Matt McMahon in new repertoire that sets Renaissance verse beside contemporary improvisation.
Members of Elysian Fields
Jennifer Eriksson
Jennifer Eriksson completed her initial musical studies at the Sydney Conservatorium before moving to the Netherlands for three years of viola da gamba tuition with Jaap ter Linden at Rotterdam Conservatorium.
Matt Keegan
Matt Keegan regularly performs throughout Australia and around the world. As a saxophonist, composer, arranger and producer he has released eight albums and won the MCA Freedman Fellowship for jazz.
Matt McMahon
Matt McMahon is a Sydney-based pianist, keyboardist and composer. After studying music and English literature at Sydney University and jazz at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, he has performed and recorded actively since 1993.
Siebe Pogson
Siebe Pogson is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and bassist from Sydney, leader of the jazz-funk group Funk Engine and a composer for Australia’s only electric viola da gamba ensemble, Elysian Fields.
Susie Bishop
Susie Bishop is an Australian singer and violinist whose work moves freely between opera, early music, jazz, folk and world fusion. She writes and arranges as well as performs.
Dave Goodman
Jazz critic John Clare described Dave Goodman as 'one of the leading drummers in the country' and '[one of] the most intriguing drummers recording anywhere'.