Biography & Photos
Oren Ambarchi is a composer and multi-instrumentalist with longstanding interests in transcending conventional instrumental approaches. His work focuses mainly on the exploration of the guitar, "re-routing the instrument into a zone of alien abstraction where it’s no longer easily identifiable as itself. Instead, it’s a laboratory for extended sonic investigation". (The Wire, UK).
Ambarchi's work on harmonics and resonance has led him to define serene spaces of fluid, shifting sound that is both fragile and extremely physical. His solo releases Grapes From The Estate, Suspension and Insulation for UK label Touch, have transcended the guitar into a zone of alien beauty and sonic impossibilities to critical acclaim. In 2003 his live release Triste received an ‘honourary mention’ in the Prix Ars Electronica digital musics category.
In 2002 alone he has made 7 extensive international solo guitar tours.
He has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists such as Martin Ng (Australia), Sunn 0)) (USA), Christian Fennesz (Austria), Otomo Yoshihide (Japan), Pimmon (Australia), Keiji Haino (Japan), John Zorn (USA), Rizili (Greece), Voice Crack (Switzerland), Sachiko M (Japan), Keith Rowe (UK), Phill Niblock (USA), Gunter Muller (Switzerland), Evan Parker (UK), Robbie Avenaim (Australia), Toshimaru Nakamura (Japan), Dave Grohl (USA), Damo Suzuki (Japan), Chris Townend (Australia) and many more.
Ambarchi is involved in many collaborative projects including the song-based duo Sun with Chris Townend (releases on Staubgold, Preservation, Textile & Important records), Burial Chamber Trio together with Greg Anderson of Sunn 0))) & Atilla Csihar of Mayhem (with a recent LP release on Southern Lord & an upcoming 10" release) and Grave Temple with Csihar and Stephen O'Malley of Khanate & Sunn 0))). Southern Lord have recently released The Holy Down a Grave Temple live document recorded in Israel in July 06. His much loved long-running duo with Rizili the Mestruation Sisters have releases on labels such as Menlo Park, No Fun, Ecstatic Peace, Saucerlike & more. The Four Gentlemen Of The Guitar is a quartet formed by Keith Rowe of AMM in 2004 featuring Ambarchi, Christian Fennesz, Toshimaru Nakamura & Rowe. Their 2CD release Cloud was released by Erstwhile records.
For 10 years together with Robbie Avenaim, Ambarchi was the co-organiser of the What Is Music? Festival, Australia’s premier annual showcase of local and international experimental music. The What Is Music? festival hosted over 200 local and international performers. Ambarchi now curates the weekly "Maximum Arousal" series at The Toff In Town in Melbourne and has recently co-produced a television series for SBS on experimental music called Subsonics.
His most recent solo release In The Pendulum's Embrace is released on the Touch (UK) and Southern Lord (USA) labels. UK magazine The Wire ran a full-length feature on him in their September 07 issue.
Photos
1. sunn 0))), hifi bar, Melbourne, May 07
2. Oren & Stephen O'Malley w/Pentemple, May 07
3. Oren w/Pentemple melbourne, May 07
4. Oren & Stephen O'Malley w/Pentemple, May 07
5. Oren w/sunn 0))), hifi bar, Melbourne, May 07
6. Oren w/sunn 0))), hifi bar, Melbourne, May 07
7. Oren in Sydney
8. Oren in San Sebastian
9. Burial Chamber Trio, Amsterdam 07
10. Oren & O'Malley, Niigata, Japan 07
11. sunn 0))), Nagoya, Japan 07
12. Oren & Attila Csihar, Jerusalem, Israel 06
Hi-Res photos can be downloaded here and Lo-Res here
Hi-Res photos from The Wire feature in November 2007 issue by Daniel Mahon:
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