JAZZIT MAGAZINE ( Italy ) July 27, 2018 Edition
JOHNNY LAPIO IMPROVISING ARTIST PORTRAIT FEATURE
"New York mi ha visto invece prima in duo il chitarrista
Sten Hostfalt col il quale, oltre a registrare un disco,
ho tenuto una serie di concert in lioghi come lo
ShapeShifter Lab di M.Garrison è poi con l'organista
Constance Cooper nel Queens. L'atmosfera concertista
e stata surreale poiché nei miei giorni di permanenza
mi sono imbattuto in un tempo veramente grigio e
nevoso, il vapore dei tombini avvolgeva le persone e
in due occasioni nelle chiese in cui ho suonato era
percepibile chiaramente il passaggio della metrapolitana
il cui suono è stato inglobato in manera assolutamente
naturale nell'atmosfera del concerto insieme ai colori
dei rosoni. Anche in questo caso, in particolare con
Sten, c’è stata un’ottima intesa e ho avuto modo di
confrontarmi anche con la sua musica microtonale,
fortemente innovativa."
_________________________________________

CityGuide NY Sten Hostfalt Soundalike
at ShapeShifter Lab New York March 2, 2018
Sten Hostfalt SOUNDALIKE is the most recent incarnation
of pioneering and acclaimed yet long time under the radar
New York City guitar virtuoso and composer Sten Hostfalt,
a Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley and Joe Maneri protege' whose
original work may be considered groundbreaking in the
future according to Jazz Review and is regarded as among
the most riveting explorations of the microtonal world ever
recorded by Signal To Noise Magazine. Featured guest is
trumpet player Johnny Lapio, a celebrated member of the
Italian Avantgarde whose work credits include Anthony
Braxton, Markus Stockhausen and Sylvano Bussotti.

Fresh Music
EXPLORATIONS WITH THE CREATIVE
WORKSHOP ENSEMBLE FOR MUSICIANS,
ARTISTS and TEACHERS by Jon Damian
[ YO Publications 2015 ]
ISBN 978-0-9863105-0-8.
Library of Congress Control
Number 2015901154
Chapter 11-Week 11 ( pg. 135-138 )
Sten Hostfalt : Microtonalism
" I'm very excited to introduce
to you Sten Hostfalt, a Creative Workshop
ancestor. It was about ten years ago ( this
written in 2006 ) that Sten graced CreW with
his creative efforts. Sten is a leading innovative
guitarist/composer working in the New York
music scene today. He performs with
some of the most original and unique voices
in modern music. Sten has been called 'highly
exceptional' by legendary American music icon
Jimmy Giuffre and 'virtuosic' by musical innovator
Joe Maneri." - JON DAMIAN Professor, Berklee
College Of Music and Founder / Director of the
Creative Workshop at Berklee, that during it's
40 years in orbit have featured guitar
greats Jeff Parker ( Tortoise ), Bill Frisell,
Mark Whitfield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Leni
Stern, Wayne Krantz and Lionel Loueke.

Signal To Noise Magazine
Issue 36 Winter 2005, page 53-54
STEN HOSTFALT ETERNITY CHECK
[ g-wOw 1214 ] 29 PIECES FOR THE
MICROTONAL GUITAR LIVE AT KNITTING
FACTORY NEW YORK [ g-wOw 1215 ]
In these two releases, guitarist Sten Hostfalt
develops a finely-detailed, insect-scaled musical
system in which a thousand granular details,
seemingly disjointed and unrelated, fuse to build
a giant mound swarming with life. The centerpiece
of Eternity Check is a 1992 Boston recording in
which Hostfalt ringmasters a boisterous sextet.
In this context the leader's fussy guitar work
often comes off as the fine print in a broadside
combining jazzy basslines with spacy synthesizer
wobbles and rockish riffs. The three shorter
tracks on this disc, recorded in 2001, almost don't
belong here ( although this 30-minute disc could
hardly afford the loss ) With Magnus Lind's
time-folding accordion arabesques, they presage
the total immersion in a miniverse of finely etched
detail that Hostfalt takes to glorious extremes in
29 Pieces for Microtonal Guitar. Recorded live
at the Knitting Factory in 2002, 29 Pieces
is among the most riveting explorations of the
microtonal world ever recorded. It's fine focus
and beauty of details puts the cycle in a class with
John Cage's exquisite "Sonatas and Interludes for
Prepared Piano". With few tracks lasting more
than two minutes, Hostfalt contracts the material
to the crystalline scale of fly wings, piercing the
mind and soul with intimations of the deep and
strange order of the universe. The live recording
is almost desperately intense and immediate, and
the disc has richly rewarded as many listeners
as I have been able to give it ( five so far ).
Larry Cosentino


Fundacio Pilar i Joan Miro
( Mallorca, Spain ) XXXV ENCONTRE DE COMPOSITORS
FESTIVAL ILLES DE BALEARS 2014 : L'Encontre
Internacional de Compositors és història viva del nostre
patrimoni musical. Al llarg d'aquests 35 anys d'història,
Mallorca ha pogut veure als seus teatres i auditoris a
les principals figures de la música contemporània
nacional i internacional i és avui, més que mai, quan
les energies de la Fundació ACA es troben en el seu
estat ple per emprendre una nova edició. En aquesta
XXXV edició, l'Encontre Internacional de Compositors
recupera una de les seves senyes d'identitat que
marcaren els seus orígens: els concerts monogràfics.
Des dels seus orígens l'aposta de la Fundació ACA per
la dignificació de la figura del compositor ha estat total.
Possiblement a la societat actual el compositor
de música contemporània sigui un dels estaments creatius
més invisibles i és per això que la Fundació ACA aposta
plenament en la rellevància històrica i social que aquest
suport mereix. Aquesta edició estarà dedicada
principalment a tres compositors de tres generacions:
Helmut Lachemann, José Luis Torá i Mateu Malondra.
Des de les institucions culturals tenim una gran
responsabilitat a l'hora de programar un festival
apostant per la qualitat i l'originalitat de les propostes,
però mai hem d'oblidar que programam per un públic
que desitja trobar-se amb la música contemporània
de múltiples maneres. És per això que a la propera
edició de l'Encontre Internacional de Compositors
a més d'aquests tres concerts monogràfics volem
mostrar una programació més plural que mai
adaptada als diferents perfils de públics que
demanden música contemporània per a una
societat contemporània. Deu concerts articulats
en quatre cicles componen aquesta edició de
l'Encontre Internacional del Compositors
que es celebrarà a Mallorca del 31 d'octubre
al 15 de novembre. A la Fundació Pilar i
Joan Miró a Mallorca: 21 NOVEMBRE 21.00.
Sten Hostfalt, guitarra Obres de
Sten Hostfalt "Microtonal Guitar".

ArtsMallorca.com ( Spain )
STEN HOSTFALT SOLO CONCERT
XXXV ENCONTRE INTERNACIONAL
DE COMPOSITORS Nov. 21 2104
" Este virtuoso guitarrista y aclamado
compositor neoyorkino se inicio' en la
escena internacional del jazz a mediados
de los años noventa y desde entonces
ha recogido numerosos premios por sus
originales proyectos y grabaciones. Y es
que, Sten Hostfalt es un músico
innovadorque ha ideado ténicas para el
seis cuerdas estandár y más allá del
sistema temperadode doce notas.
En el XXXV Encontre Internacional
de Compositors presenta en solitario
su proyecto Microtonal guitar¨

TomaJazz ( Spain ) Nov. 2014
STEN HOSTFALT SOLO MICROTONAL
CONCERT photo gallery by Jose' Luis
Luna from XXXV Encontre de Compositors
Festival, Pilar i Joan Miro Mallorca Spain.


All About Jazz CD REVIEW
29 PIECES FOR THE MICROTONAL GUITAR
LIVE AT KNITTING FACTORY NEW YORK
" Sten Hostfalt takes the rigid confines of the
Guitar and transforms it into an instrument
capable of exploring the minute spaces
between traditional notes by using altered
tunings, mechanical preparations and
electronically enhanced techniques. The
result, 29 Pieces for the Microtonal Guitar,
is an intriguing recording that shows just
how far an instrument can be bent and
altered to meet a more experimental
and adventurous need, taking you on
a journey to a place where rules, quite
simply, don't exist and anything is possible.
For those with ears broad enough to allow
for the possibility that music can extend
beyond the expected, and expand the potent
boundaries of experience, 29 Pieces For The
Microtonal Guitar Live at Knitting Factory
New York constitutes a trip well-worth taking.
William Burroughs once wrote "exterminate
all rational thought" and, while there is an
unquestionable logic behind Höstfält's work,
it is so rooted in the unusual as to have the
appearance of complete abandon."
- John Kelman 2004

New York Music Daily
June 9 2014 STEN HOSTFALT's
DIMENSIONAL STATES ORCHESTRA
at SHAPESHIFTER LAB NYC
- " A bunch of A-list adventurous Jazz types
play Sten Hostfalt's microtonal Dimensional
States for Jazz Orchestra at ShapeShifter Lab"

Time Out New York
March 13, 2014 STEN HOSTFALT'S
DIMENSIONAL STATES TRIO + ORCHESTRA
CONCERT at SHAPESHIFTER LAB NYC
- " Avant-jazz experimenter Sten Hostfalt
presents his microtonal works with both
his Dimensional States trio and Orchestra.




Symphony Space NYC Jan 10 2012
STEN HOSTFALT SOLO CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT :
" Described as genuinely innovative and ground-breaking
by Don Williamson of Jazz Review, impressive and intense
by Time Out NY, inimitable by Paper Magazine as well as
Virtuosic, Original and Highly Exceptional by legendary
icons of American music Joe Maneri, George Russell and
Jimmy Giuffre respectively. And with three decades
spent in creative music, two of them on the NYC
International scene alongside some of the world's
most innovative musicians, at some of the world's
most presigious venues, expanding the vocabulary
for the planets most popular, most played instrument
with self-invented, new, original interpretative techniques,
virtuoso phenom guitarist, bassist, composer and
bandleader Sten Hostfalt makes some of todays'
most unique original new music."


Am NY/Pm NY
" This composer and guitarist takes classical
jazz techniques and transforms them by
adding his own progressive original style "
[ Sten Hostfalt - Solo Concert,
Symphony Space, New York City Aug 2011 ]

West Side Rag NYC
August 5th, 2011
STEN HOSTFALT, SYMPHONY SPACE
NEW YORK SOLO CONCERT
" Sten Hostfalt, described as genuinely
innovative and groundbreaking by Don
Williamson of Jazz Review, impressive
and intense by Time Out NY, inimitable
by Original and Highly Exceptional by
legendary icons of American music
Joe Maneri, George Russell
and Jimmy Giuffre respectively "

Jazz Now CD REVIEW by Kenneth Egbert 2005
29 PIECES FOR THE MICROTONAL GUITAR LIVE
AT KNITTING FACTORY NEW YORK " Not for the
faint of heart, but more for those of us who think
that the late great David Tudor got a bit 'easy
listening' towards the end, and Derek Bailey may
very possibly be the God that others of us thought
in the 1960s Eric Clapton was. Utilizing Joe Maneri's
Micro scale "Alive on the Dead Screen" shreds and
distort over a droning, howling background while
"Icons" quick-picks through a seemingly decaying
landscape. Beyond rapturous. "Dialogue" from the
'Lighters' suite pits Höstfält improvising against a
tape of himself from an earlier timeframe, very
sharp and 'on point', while the 'Major Changes'
sequence moves more into John Fahey territory
- with well-thought-out and absorbing results. In
fact this entire 40-minute live recording from the
Knitting Factory NYC (8-29-02) reaches that peak
early and stays there with very little difficulty.
Certainly one advantage of using a microtonal scale
is that you will get new runs of notes, new chordal
matrices. For an illustration note, "Roll", last section
of the suite "Eight Variations" a furtively smooth run
of cacophonous tones that fit together only because
Mr. Höstfält and the listener want them to. High-
density, highly logical in a completely different way
and highly recommended "

Time Out New York
2007 LIVE ANNOUNCEMENT
" Sten Hostfalt's prepared guitar explorations
combine jazz soloing with surreal effects ;
we're Impressed with his fast fingers
and intense focus ".


The New York Jazz Record March 2013
THE 4TH ANNUAL JOE MANERI CELEBRATION
" High points were Ed Schuller's rock-tinged
bass solo, soon joined by Ben Jaffee's brawny
tenor ; Steve Dalachinsky's recitation of poetry
and autobiographical sketches ; Sten Hostfalt
and Savina Theodorou's visually dramatic duets ;
Josh Sinton and Simon Jermyn's equally dynamic
duet ; Noah Kaplan's operatic microtonalism
and the final soiree, an extended tribute to
Maneri's living memory " - Tom Greenland


Xenharmonic Wikispaces
MICROTONAL GUITAR RESOURCES
International List of Microtonal Guitarists
featuring Sten Hostfalt (New York City)



Guitar Player Magazine
CD Editor's Pick Feb. 2005
Rants & Raves ; 29 PIECES FOR THE
MICROTONAL GUITAR LIVE
AT KNITTING FACTORY NEW YORK
- Barry Cleveland.

Zeitgeist Gallery Cambridge MA,
March 13 2006 STEN HOSTFALT LIVE
SOLO CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT
"Acknowledged as one of the world's foremost
improvisers on the microtonal guitar and currently
announced as 'an innovator on the cutting edge
on the New York City music scene' as
enthusiastically reviewed, featured and
documented in leading international
press like Guitar Player Magazine, Jazz Times,
The New York Times, Time Out NY,
Cadence, All Music Guide and All About Jazz,
after over a decade of work alongside some
of the world's most innovative musicians,
award-winning New York City 6-string
virtuoso, composer and live electronica
improviser Sten Hostfalt is recognized as
a singularly unique voice among the new
generation of improvisers. "


Altrisuoni ( Italy ) CD REVIEW by
Alekos Pandelis : ETERNITY CHECK and
29 PIECES FOR THE MICROTONAL GUITAR
LIVE AT KNITTING FACTORY NEW YORK
[ Altrisuoni.Org 2004 ]
" Sten Höstfält guarda alla microtonalità
come ad uno sviluppo organico dalle
tecniche tradizionali e dalle pratiche
compositive e alla conoscenza del
sistema del dodici toni, diatonicismo,
cromatismo e serialismo, cosi come
alle serie degli ipertoni e al principi
fondamentali dell'acustica". Riconosce
le proprietà uniche del sistema a
72 note ET, un sistema ideato da
Maneri che usa 72 toni fissi
per l'ottava al fine di definire
l'espressione all'interno di un
virtuale tono continuo. Con
un'esperienza accademica
di studi sulle tecniche compositive
microtonali, parallela al suo lvoro di
strumetista e compositore nella musica
jazz improvvisata, per Höstfält la
microtonalità è piu di un semplice
ingrediente della musica, ma
rappresenta una vera e propria
fonte d'ispirazione per il fraseggio,
il ritmo, l'interpretazione armonica e
melodica. I due lavori qui recensiti
potrebbero essere visti uno come
l'espansione dell'altro, nel senso
che come strumentista appare
chiaro che Höstfält abbia voluto
innanzi tutto sviluppare le tecniche
tradizionali della chitarra a sei corde,
strumento che tra l'altro suona con
particolare bravura, sperimentandole
poi su un più largo ensemble di strumenti.
L'interplay tra mucisisti - tutti largamente
noti nella scena improvvisativa di New
York-contribuisce a dare una particolare
verve a questo disco, forse più pieno, senza
riserve o manierismi, proprio perche' il
gioco si allarga ad una squadra che
risponde con un particolare spirito.
Dal punto di vista strettamente jazzistico,
questo approccio, dove il confine tra parti
scritte e preparazione accademica e libera
e creativa improvvisazione è davverolabile,
l'approccio di Höstfält sembra dare nuovo
ossigeno, molta energia e una particolare
luminosità tanto all'approccio qualto
all'esecuzione. Un jazz complesso, mai
troppo astratto, capace di trovare bei
momenti di poesia. Un ottimo risultato per
uno che ha una vita di musica davanti a sè !

PM NYC / Paper Magazine
LIVE CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT :
STEN HOSTFALT's GHOST FACTOR
at MONKEYTOWN NYC [ 2007 ]
" There are few musicians brave
enough to combine live poetry
with the toy piano and the
trombone but then there are few
musicians like Sten Hostfalt. He
takes even more risks with his
band GHOST FACTOR incorporating
guest improvisation into each
inimitable performance".



Club Le Triton
Les Lilas, France 2002
STEN HOSTFALT's TURA-LERI /
MICHEL BARBAUD's KARWAN CONCERT
PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT "En mai fais
qu'il te plait ! Michel Barbaud et Sten Höstfält
vous presénteront Karwan TuraLeri, un
projet musical très improvisé qui cherche
à rapprocher les antipodes. Leur musique
se joue des racines. Partant du jazz, elle
nous emmène en Turquie, en Suède, en
Bulgarie, à Marseille pour atterrir aux Lilas"


Jazz Review
CD REVIEW
by Don Williamson ( 2005 )
STEN HOSTFALT / 29 PIECES FOR
THE MICROTONAL GUITAR LIVE AT KNITTING
FACTORY NEW YORK - "Sten Höstfält has more
than absorbed the teachings of some of the free-jazz
New England-based musicians he studied with at the
New England Conservatory of Music and Berklee ;
he has internalized their thoughts to come up with his
own investigations. As of late Höstfält has been exploring
and presenting the theoretical propositions of Joe Maneri,
who has identified 72 pitches within the octave, although
traditional traditional Western musical theory involves at
the most the 12 notes of the chromatic scale. All of a sudden
the addition of six times as many tonal possibilities has
opened up new vistas for sonic expression as the nuances
between the normally expected vibrations are stated, rather
than being contained within temporary pitch-wavering
allusions such as "blue notes" or vibrato. It means that
Höstfält now has developed his own repertoire that
incorporates the microtones contained within expansion
of pitches available to him. Tuning his guitar in intervals
of a quarter tone and smaller, Höstfält sketches with his
guitar, allowing the listener to connect the lines, rather
than painting a mural, referring to traditional harmonic
conventions even as as he microtonally upends them,
removing the audience's comfort zone as he challenges
it's combined expectations with a genuinely Innovative
approach for guitar. In the future 29 Pieces For The
Microtonal Guitar may be considered a groundbreaking
work as Western musical theory catches up with the
microtonality of Indian and Middle Eastern genres"


Cadence CD REVIEW
[ Cadence October 2005 edition ]
Grego Applegate Edwards
STEN HOSTFALT / 29 PIECES FOR
THE MICROTONAL GUITAR LIVE
AT KNITTING FACTORY NEW YORK
" Sten Hostfalt is perhaps the better known of the group
of guitarists in this batch, having played and/or recorded
with Bobby Shew, Paul Bley and Jimmy Giuffre. Hostfalt
uses conventional instruments and obtains microtones
through various other means. More or less pure-toned
microtones, buzzes, string scratches and other timbral
textures weave in and out of the aural palette in an
attractive complexity."Major Changes" begins with electric
low notes, then follows with rapid figuration, microtonal
chords and arpeggios. "Eight Variations" features Jazz-like
figurations without a tonal center, mostly acoustic. Lower
strings seem downtuned and punctuate the texture dynamically. "Alive on the Dead Screen" brings in increased energy. A white noise wash of electronics in the background to distorted electric noise-oriented Post-Hendrix utterances you hear the influence of the Hendrix at Monterey finale and "Third Stone from the Sun". The electronic wash varies, interjecting Morse-code-like high frequency punctuations underneath the psycho-workout. Pretty convincing. "Diplomacy" turns again to the acoustic guitar with added prepared objects that provide percussive metallic timbres and low buzzes. Starting sparsely, the figuration becomes rapid. On "Lighters II" prepared guitar with a metallic slide produce intriguing koto-like sounds. If you find Derek Bailey's solo guitar works to be of interest, Hostfalt gives you another angle on exploring tone colors and guitar
abstractions that you will not want to miss."

Jazz Views ( U.K. )
CD REVIEW August 2004
STEN HOSTFALT / 29 PIECES FOR
THE MICROTONAL GUITAR LIVE
AT KNITTING FACTORY NEW YORK -
" As alien as the harmonies are, as
abstruse as the overall concept is,
Höstfält's approach draws the listener into
it's most extrinsic world. Even rapid-fire
and more aggressive pieces like "Micronic"
and "Roll" manage to somehow lull the
listener with a somewhat hypnotic sensibility.
The more processed pieces that comprise
the five-part suite "Alive on the Dead Screen"
may be more jagged and sharp, but they
still create an ambience that is strangely
appealing.

C | Net / Download.Com 2006
" With just a regular old guitar, Sten Hostfalt
completely rethinks and restructures conventional
technique " - Editor's Pick [ track : ICONS ]

Club D'Elf Calendar March 2007
CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT LIZARD LOUNGE
CAMBRIDGE MA | shared event w Club D'Elf
ft. David Tronzo.- " Labeled groundbreaking,
virtuosic innovators on the cutting edge of
the NYC scene and lyrical graceful jazz
impressionists of the highest order, guitarist
Sten Hostfalt and Bruno Raberg are known
to create a highly unique, original sonic
universe whenever they join forces and merge."

TomaJazz ( Spain ) by Jesus Moreno 007
Lo cierto es que en mi mùsica me gusta
un acercamiento ínside-outside. Me gusta
experimentar con mi colega Sten Hostfalt,
que està desarollando un concepto de
guitarra microtonal. El es uno que viene
de la escuela tradicional y sabe tocar
muy inside. Eso para mi es algo natural y no
exagerado, pero es muy abstracto y poca
gente escucharia algo asi Hemos tocado
ahora en Nueva York en los clubes
'sub-underground' - Jimmy Weinstein ;
artist spotlight.


PhillyJazz.Org Philadelphia PA,
August 4 2006 STEN HOSTFALT /
KATT HERNANDEZ CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT :
Internationally critically acclaimed
improvisers Sten Hostfalt - guitar/electronics
(NYC) and Katt Hernandez (Boston) - violin,
both with mentor, microtonalist/contemporary
music innovator Joe Maneri as a common d
enominator, appears live in an all improvised
microtonal duo-concert program at The Cinema,
3925 Walnut Street Philadelphia PA.

Bowerbird The Cinema,
Philadelphia PA, Aug 4 2006
HOSTFALT/HERNANDEZ DUO
CONCERT PROGRAM - " Currently noted for
continuously Time Out NY recommended
solo and duo concerts with violinist Katt
Hernandez, as well as with his 'Soft Value'
trio performing originals in homage of
mentor Jimmy Giuffre's style / genre
transcending spirit, Brooklyn NY based
guitarist, composer and live electronica
artist Sten Hostfalt is also after early
1990's studies with microtonal composer
Joe Maneri and the subsequent critically
acclaimed '03 microtonal solo CD-release
"29 Pieces for the Microtonal Guitar
live at Knitting Factory NY",
Acknowledged as one of the world's
foremost microtonal improvisers on the
guitar. Notably so by interpreting Maneri's
72-note systemprimarily through
self-invented, new extended instrumental
techniques for the traditional
6-string / 12-fret guitar."



Jazz Review
CD REVIEW Natasha Mitchell 2004
STEN HOSTFALT / ETERNITY CHECK
[ g-wOw 1214 ] - " Eternity Check, the brainchild of
guitarist/composer Sten Hostfalt presents a clevermprovisation that is matchless. The four track compact disc marks Hostfalt's debut as a lead performer, and Eternity Check features American and European interpretations of original improvised material."



Free NYC January 2006 CONCERT
ANNOUNCEMENT STEN HOSTFALT SOLO
MICROTONAL GUITAR, LUCKY CAT BKLYN
" Continuing the mind expanding events
for the day Sten Hostfalt will perform
microtonal guitar sonorities tonight.
Hostfalt's octave consists of 72 pitch
bending tones derived from the theories
of Joe Maneri ( who, for all you hippies
out there, also taught John Medeski ),
These sounds are, at times, hard on
my ears but I find their academic
value limitless. Check it out yourself
to be the judge. "

Jazz Times JAZZ ARTICLE
Mike Quinn 2002 - " Guillermo Klein assembled
a 17-piece big band that became semi-legendary
in it's stints at Smalls and the Jazz Standard "

All Music Guide
CD REVIEW David R. Adler 1998
GUILLERMO KLEIN / BIG VAN - EL MINOTAURO * * * *
" This album, inexplicably out of print, documents one
of the earliest incarnations of Guillermo Klein's big band.
Called Big Van, the ensemble had pianist Aaron Goldberg,
bassist Johannes Weidenmueller, and drummer Marc
Miralta in the rhythm section; Chris Cheek and Mark
Turner, Matt Hong, Dave Barraza, and Dan Bosshardt
on saxophones; Richard Nant, John Walsh, Juan Cruz de
Urquiza, and David Boato on trumpets; Sandro Tomasi,
Masa Ikeda, and Sir Matt Pavolka on trombones; and
Sten Hostfält on guitar. Klein wrote, arranged, and
conducted the album's eight powerful tracks. Blending
the sounds of his native Argentina with a cutting-edge
harmonic and orchestrational sophistication, Klein guides
you through a wide swath of musical territory: the bright
Latin jazz of "El Minotauro" and "Free"; the darker,
majestic sounds of "Primer Tango" and "Lo Perdido"
(the latter featuring an intense Spanish vocal
performance by Sophie Durer); the impressionistic
portraits "La Manzana de Las Luces" and "Abismo";
and the retro jazz/funk grooves of "La Madre de Mi
Hermana" and "Technicolor." Klein's mastery of timbral
variation and subtle dynamics makes the album a lasting
pleasure. The band's brilliant soloists heighten the impact
of Klein's writing all the more. And the strategic use of
quirky voice-overs and signal processing gives the album
an added punch. Along with figures such as Maria
Schneider and Jason Lindner, Guillermo Klein is helping
give rise to a new era in big-band composition ".

CD Liner Notes by George Garzone :
Guillermo Klein's BIG VAN-EL MINOTAURO

" . . The band continued to rehearse and in
the summer of '95 played every Sunday at
Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village, New York.
Hearing the band was an uplifting experience as
saxophonist George Garzone Recounts :
" I first heard Guillermo's big band in the
fall of 1995 at Small's Jazz Club in New York City.
Guillermo's writing struck me as truly singular
with cluster voicings passing in and out of each
otherin a surprising yet fluid manner. Within
every voicing each line had a discreet melody
and when layered on top of one another they
created a unique effect and added a smooth
harmonic flow to the music. Guillermo's
compositions are romantic, dramatic
and passionate. His Argentinian roots lends his
music a character and a rhythmic feel that,
coupled with his harmonic and melodic ideas
create a totally new and whole expression.
Big Van includes musicians such as Juan
Cruz de Urquiza, Chris Cheek, Mark Turner
and Marc Miralta to name a precious few.
These young players provide Guillermo with
the chops, interpretive creativity and
enthusiasm he needs to articulate his music.
The freshness of their improvisations only
strengthen his vision. While many younger
musicians and improvised music as a whole
searches for new directions, Guillermo
demonstrates a command over the forces
necessary to create his own directing,
harmony, melody, feel and a reverance
for the music we play."



Big Van en la Argentina
TOUR PROGRAM 1995
CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT
dirigada por Guillermo Klein
Saxos: Matt Hong, Chris Cheek, Seamus Blake,
Victor Scorupsky Trompetas : Richard Nant, Diego Urcola,
Juan Cruz de Urquiza Trombones : Sandro Tomasi,
Matt Pavolka, Masa Ikeda. Sección ritmica : Sten Hostfalt,
Aaron Johannes Weidenmueller, Marc Miralta, Jeff Ballard.
" La ¨Big Van¨ es una orquestra de 16 músicos
que naciò a fines del '92 en Boston, cuando estudiaba
en Berklee. Empezamos tocando los proyectos que
componía para la escuela. Rápidamente me identifiqué
con músicos como Richard Nant, Sandro Tomasi,
Juan Cruz de Urquiza, etc. y mi música tomó un
rumbo más personal. Después de algunos recitalesen
Berklee, decidimos salir a tocar en los clubs de jazz.
Al principo no fue fácil, pero tuve la suerte de estar
avalado por Herb Pomeroy y por los músicos de la
orquestra, que en ese momento eran de los más
interesantes en Boston. La respuesta de la gente y
de los medios fue siempre muy estimulante, cosa que
nos dió la oportunidad de tocar regularmente y seguir
evolucionando. En el '94 me mudé a Nueva York con
la idea de conectarme con algunos de mis músicos
favoritos que estaban en la misma búsqueda que yo
y también con el deseo de establecer la "Big Van"
en la gran "Manzana", capital del jazz. En
diciembre último, grabamos un CD con el sello
"Beat Records", y después de tocar en varios clubs,
estacionamos en "Smalls", un club de jazz situado
en el Village, donde tocan muchos músicos de
vanguardia y donde nosotros tenemos un
ciclo todos los domingos." - Guillermo Klein


The New York Times 1995
CONCERT REVIEW by Peter Watrous
GUILLERMO KLEIN'S BIG VAN at SMALLS
" Many sources for an Argentine composer ;
Guillermo Klein, a young Argentine composer
who is leading a big band at Smalls every Sunday
this month can be abrupt. His show this week opened
with one large brusque chord that immediately died,
leaving silence. Sudden riffs burst from nowhere.
What had been background noise emerged as the
beginning of an electronically distorted saxophone
solo. Mr. Klein's orchestra, which draws from the
cliched music written for 1960's television and movies,
from Steve Reich-style Minimalism, from polychordal
harmony and occasionally from mainstream jazz, is
unlike any otherworking in New York. There are jokes
in the music as well. At the end of one piece, Mr. Klein
played two corny organ chords making explicit the tunes'
connections to a 1960's style. The music owes something
to the electronic experiments of 60's rock-jazz, with the
horn soloists playing through amplification. Mr. Klein
manages to make it allsound sincere. The authoritative
way Mr. Klein called riffs was percussive as well, as he
were wrenching them from the band. And he fooled with
tempos keeping the rhythm section working at one speed,
while slowing or speeding up the riffs. When Mr. Klein
returns to Argentina in a few months he will take one of
the better continuing experiments in New York with him.

Jazz Times CD REVIEW 1998 by Marcela Breton
GUILLERMO KLEIN / BIG VAN - EL MINOTAURO
" Klein's band, Big Van, includes four trumpeters,
three trombonists, five saxophonists, a guitarist
plus the standard rhythm section. Klein composed,
arranged and conducted this ambitious and energetic
music. "Abismo" is inspired by Poe's "Descent into
the Maelstrom". The title cut and "La Manzana de
las Luces" have stately openings that lead into
the frenzied, passionate sound of the big band.
"Primer Tango" points to Klein's Argentine roots.
Klein's music is interesting and finely executed. "


ASSORTED PRESS CLIPS
Knitting Factory NYC 2002
Smalls Jazz Club 1994

_______________________________

Orkesterjournalen
( Sweden )CD REVIEW 1997
SANDVIKEN BIG BAND / RIGHT ON TIME
[ Sittel Records ]." Speciellt hajar jag till
i avslutande 'Two Bassfishers' där
gitarristen Sten Höstfält inleder sitt
solo taggigt och avigt innan han glider
över i mer klassiskt jazzspel. Kul att
någon prövar att skära sönder ljudbilden
som annars kan bli väl förutsägbar. "

Falukuriren ( Sweden )
CD REVIEW 1998 by Uno Petersson ;
Elexir Featuring Sten Hostfalt /
FEEL REAL * * * * * FIVE STARS -
" Lågmält, elegant och intimt musicerande
av fyra skickliga instrumentalister och
kompositörer. CD'ns musik är uteslutande
signerad av bandets medlemmar.
Gruppen förmedlar stor samhörighetskänsla,
musiken är fint uppbyggd, solisterna
kan sträcka ut i låtarna som har
improvisationsvänligt harmoniskt underlag.
En lyssnarvänlig produktion som bör
passa alla musik-konnässörer ".



Svenska Dagbladet ( Sweden )
CD REVIEW 1998 : Elexir Feat.
Sten Hostfalt / FEEL REAL
" Gåshud garanterat. Det är en
smått sensationell CD Gitarristen
Sten Höstfält är en spännande
solist, tillika effektiv medspelare ".

Liner Notes CD FEEL REAL
Elexir featuring Sten Hostfalt
" Spektrat når ut trots lågmäldheten.
Intimiteten som kammarjazz förknippas
med, är markant. Kompositionerna är
väl valda med öppning för flexibilitet.
Rent av fräscht eleganta utan att vara
pråliga. Wes Montgomery skulle inte
ha avfärdat gitarristens
sparsmakade toner och ackord
i gruppens originalmusik. Inte
Jim Hall heller för den delen om
man vill ägna sig åt amerikanska
liknelser. Det kan man dock göra i
det här fallet för så välspelat är det."
- Göran Olson 1998


Jazz Guitar International
( U.K. ) CD REVIEW 1999 ;
Elexir ft. Sten Hostfalt-guitar /
Feel Real * * * * " A fine band with a
progressive guitarist who mixes bebop
with a modern approach, great facility,
lovely touch and sound. This is one of
the CDs a reviewer gets every now and
then that finds its way into his private
collection. Highly recommended.




Liner Notes
CD-RELEASE 1990
ONE TWO THREE FOUR JAZZ & MORE
FROM BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC.
Exective Producer GARY BURTON :
" Berklee and Jazz have always gone
together and the list of famous alumni
from the college's past includes
Quincy Jones, Joe Zawinul, Branford
Marsalis and many more important
musicians of the past four decades.
When producing this CD, we felt that
a project highlighting our best
ensembles would be a good way to
connect Berklee's past and present.
The Concert Jazz Orchestra has been
under the leadership of professor
Herb Pomeroy since it's inception during
Berklee's first years, when it was
simply known as the recording band.
In decades past, Pomeroy's ensemble
recorded annually and the albums were
released as the Berklee "Jazz in the
Classroom" series. It is a particular treat
to once again be recording the Herb
Pomeroy big band ensemble. The band
has continued to be the college's most
prestigious jazz ensemble and many of
our students aspire to get a chance to
play in this group. Their twice-a-year
concerts are always exceptional, and
offer the best opportunity to hear the
college's most outstanding jazz players
and writers.The selections featured here
start with an arrangement of Duke
Ellington's "Little African Flower" by
Tommy Kamp. A minor blues, originally
recorded on a trio record with Charlie
Mingus and Max Roach and never scored
for the Ellingtons big band, he referred
to it in his biography as one ofhis favorite
pieces. Kamp's arrangement gives the
piece a modern interpretation featuring
contemporary solos by Pat Loomis alto
sax, Sten Hostfalt on guitar and
preceded in a more traditional vein by
Mercedes Rossy on piano. The most
enduring impression I have after more
than fifteen years at Berklee is the
continuing cast of talented musicians.
Our young musicians' skill and creativity
are a constant reminder that the future
of music in general, and the future of
Jazz, in particular, is in good hands."
- Gary Burton

Sydsvenska Dagbladet
( Sweden ) 1986 JAZZ CONCERT REVIEW,
Swing Inn Malmö Sweden." Söndagens
Swing Inn mönstring utvecklades precis
som den skulle-förvirringen över alla nya ,
spännande smaker var samtidigt en positiv
orgie i omväxling. . . Högre upp i kåken
mullrade samtidigt J.O. Group och flöt
in genom dörren. Funkande elektrisk
Jazz på fyra man lika blå som skicklige
gitarristen Sten Höstfälts Fender.
Den som spelar sådant här går på en
knivsegg, tråkigheten är bara ett felskär
borta. J.O. group klarade sig lätt på
tyngd och känsla " - Alexander Agrell.

_____________________________________

All Rights Reserved © Sonus Rex 2019
www.sonusrex.com

Sten Hostfalt is a SONUS REX recording artist,
professionally affiliated with BMI Broadcast Music Inc.
and American Federation of Musicians Local 802,
Associated Musicians of Greater New York.