Stratocluster (CZ), Ranjevš & Óbasz (CZ/SK)

Stratocluster is an ensemble from Prague founded in 2013 focused on improvisation and multimedia work. Among their collaborators there are shakuhachi player John Kaizan Neptun, Dutch composer Samuel Vriezen or American researcher in the field of artificial intelligence in improvised music Ritwik Banerjee. Musicians Ian Mikyska (wind and string instruments), Martin Konvička (piano), Luan Gonçalves (bass-guitar/contrabass), Jan Chalupa (drums and percussion) will perform during the A4 concert. 

Behind the Czecho-Slovak project Ranjevš & Óbasz there is guitarist Štefan Szabó and drummer Jakub Švejnar – whose trio KIN had a big success during the last year’s festival NEXT and is now on tour. Czech journalist Jan Hocek had remarked “Švejnar is a toy(er), Szabó a non-compromising searcher; they inspire each other, their inspiration is unpredictable, in one moment noise sweeps you of your feet, next one nordicly dreamy ambient soundscapes, then rock intensity, gargling blues. A nutritious meal!”