Alexander von Schlippenbach / Paal Nilssen-Love

The duo emerged following a powerful encounter in 2024 during a memorial concert for Peter Brötzmann, which also featured names such as Evan Parker and John Edwards. It was not until two years later that they found their way into a pure duo format, debuting at the all Ears festival in Oslo. The result was, in Schlippenbach’s own words, “strong, fresh!” — an intense and vital musical dialogue that has already attracted significant international attention.

Since the 1960s, Alexander von Schlippenbach has been one of the central figures in European free jazz and improvised music. As a pianist and bandleader, he has collaborated with nearly every major name in the field, and his musical language combines free improvisation with influences from contemporary and classical music. Even at an age when most artists have slowed down, he remains a searching and highly relevant artistic force.

Paal Nilssen-Love, meanwhile, has been one of the most prominent driving forces in Norwegian and international improvised music over the past decades. With extreme energy, physical presence, and an uncompromising approach to rhythm and form, he has helped define an entire generation of free improvisation through collaborations with artists such as Peter Brötzmann, Ken Vandermark, Frode Gjerstad, and Mats Gustafsson.

Together, they create an open and dynamic space where anything can happen — from the most subtle, texture-based passages to explosive and boundary-pushing expression. This is not merely a concert, but a meeting between two artistic voices that continue to challenge, explore, and push music forward.

Alexander von Schlippenbach – piano
Paal Nilssen-Love – drums, percussion, gongs

Concerts in our main program typically last between 60 to 90 minutes.
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