Video History Project

People

Hans Tammen

In over 30 years as a guitarist, composer and improviser, Hans Tammen developed a personal style influenced by contemporary electronic compositions, the rhythmic concept of the free jazz pulse, and European improvisational strategies. Projects include site-specific performances and collaborative efforts with dance, light or video. His works have been presented in the US, Canada, Mexico, Russia and all over Europe.

All Music Guide recommended him: "...clearly one of the best experimental guitarists to come forward during the 1990s." (FranÁois Couture) As a composer and improviser he primarily focuses on the juxtaposition of sounds of his mechanically and electronically manipulated guitars, and rhythm as pulse or as polyrhythmic structures. As a guitarist originally influenced by Sonny Sharrock's fiery and energetic playing, he became also inspired by the music and playing styles of Pete Cosey, Bitches Brew's John McLaughlin, Attila Zoller, Jimi Hendrix, Derek Bailey, Fred Frith und Keith Rowe.

His music is documented on over a dozen CDs, on labels like Nur/Nicht/Nur, Leo Records, Potlatch, Cadence, or Hybrid. Besides his current trio "Shadow Puppies" with Nick Didkovsky (guitar) and Kurt Ralske (video), his ensembles are often located partly in the US and in Europe, e.g. his east/west German collaboration with dancer Fine Kwiatkowski, the "Extended Guitars" quartet (in the last version with Erhard Hirt, Nick Didkovsky and Keith Rowe), the trio "mechanique[s]" with Martin Speicher (bassclarinet) and Dafna Naphtali (voice & live sound processing), or the trio with Ricardo Arias (balloons) and G¸nter M¸ller (electronics). https://www.tammen.org.

Cite this record

"Hans Tammen." Video History Project, Experimental Television Center, 2011. https://www.videohistoryproject.org/hans-tammen.

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Summary

Hans Tammen is a guitarist, composer and improviser whose 30-year career developed a personal style drawing on contemporary electronic composition, the free jazz pulse and European improvisational strategies; he performs site-specific works and collaborates with dance, light and video. His works have been presented in the US, Canada, Mexico, Russia and throughout Europe; he is documented on over a dozen CDs on labels including Nur/Nicht/Nur, Leo Records, Potlatch, Cadence and Hybrid. As a composer and improviser he focuses on mechanically and electronically manipulated guitars and rhythm as pulse or polyrhythmic structure; ensembles include the trio Shadow Puppies with Nick Didkovsky and Kurt Ralske, the Extended Guitars quartet, mechanique[s] with Martin Speicher and Dafna Naphtali, and a trio with Ricardo Arias and G¸nter M¸ller.

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Last modified 18 June 2011

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