Minor Empire meets Eivind Aarset (Toronto)

The next presentation in Minor Empire’s Sonic Colliders series sees the beloved Toronto band performing with world-renowned, Norwegian innovator and guitarist Eivind Aarset.

These concerts in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal will present a unique fusion between Minor Empire’s Anatolian-inspired soundscapes and Eivind Aarset’s groundbreaking experimentation on guitar and electronics that has helped define the Oslo underground jazz scene for decades.

This series represents a rare opportunity to hear the Norwegian artist and Minor Empire collaborating in three of Canada’s most beautiful and soulful music spaces – located in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal - all in a whirlwind, three day tour.

Eivind Aarset has a truly singular voice on the guitar. He’s a voracious collaborator and has worked on dozens of albums with many groundbreaking musicians around the world including Jon Hassell, Nils Petter Molvaer, Bill Laswell and Dhafer Youssef.

"One of the best post-Miles electric jazz albums". New York Times (Re: Eivind’s Electronique Noir album).

Eivind has also recorded as a leader for the legendary ECM and Jazzland Records labels and is one of the most admired improvisers in the European arts scene. An opportunity to hear this trailblazer in Canada is un-common, made even more special with the collaborative nature of this project with Minor Empire.

CBC Radio One said about Minor Empire’s music: “I love how their sound blurs the lines between electronic and traditional Turkish music...ominous and psychedelic”. Indeed, their music takes listeners on a voyage of the imagination. It’s a unique sound and style that largely defies categorization and stereotypes, but their heady mix of middle-eastern roots, rock, jazz and lush contemporary sonic ambience has attracted fans far and wide.

American critic Milo Miles (NPR, Rolling Stone, NY Times) deemed their Uprooted album the “Best Release of 2018" and their online videos have racked up millions of views around the world.

Co-leader Ozan Boz said of this series of concerts: "Eivind Aarset has helped shaped our taste in music and has had a grand impact on how we approach music making. His swarming otherworldly soundscapes have inspired and influenced us over the years and this is a rare opportunity to hear one of the most influential guitarists of his generation transport his unique sound from Norway to our Canadian fans. We are beyond excited about the magic that will be created and shared on stage in January."