All dead. All immortal.


Misha Mengelberg (1935-2017)


Who dies?

Misha Mengelberg (June 5, 1935, Kiev, Ukraine - March 3, 2017, Amsterdam) was a Dutch composer and pianist. He was the son of conductor Karel Mengelberg, who was himself the nephew of the conductor Willem Mengelberg. A lifelong enfant terrible among his fellow composers, he was the (co-)founder of STEIM (Studio for Electro-Instrumental Music) and the Bimhuis (a platform for improvised music), both in Amsterdam. and the Instant Composers Pool (ICP) label and orchestra.

As a (jazz) pianist Misha Mengelberg played with a large variety of musicians. He often performed as a duo with drummer and percussionist Han Bennink, with other collaborators including Derek Bailey, Anthony Braxton, Peter Brötzmann, Steve Laacy, Evan Parker, Cecil Taylor, John Tchicai, and, featured here, (from the B-side of a live recording with Eric Dolphy) his pet parrot Eeko. He was also one of the earliest exponents of the work of the once-neglected pianist Herbie Nichols.
More on Misha Mengelberg: Wikipedia, AllMusic

Here are some obituaries: The Guardian, DO THE M@TH, de Volkskrant (Dutch)


Photo: Anton Corbijn



Audio: Misha Mengelberg (1974) with Eeko, his parrot.




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