For the 20th anniversary of exploratorium berlin, New York violinist Gabby Fluke-Mogul (“the most striking sound in improvised music in years”), English guitarist Fred Frith (“one of music’s greatest improvisers”) and Brazilian drummer Mariá Portugal (“one of the most influential artists in improvised music today”) will perform in a new trio constellation.
gabby fluke-mogul is a New York-based violinist, improviser, composer, educator, organizer and doula. Weaving within the threads of avant and free jazz, with deep roots in improvised and experimental music, their music has been described as “embodied, visceral and virtuosic” and “the most striking sound in improvised music in years”. gabby is humbled to have collaborated with Nava Dunkelman, Joanna Mattrey, Ava Mendoza, Charles Burnham, Fred Frith, Luke Stewart, Zeena Parkins, Tcheser Holmes, Lester St. Louis, William Parker, and Pauline Oliveros among many other musicians, poets, dancers and visual artists. She facilitates improvisation workshops and curates programming for Creative Music Studio, is adjunct faculty at the New School, and is a current Roulette Jerome Artist in Residence.
Fred Frith is a composer, improviser and educator best known for the reinvention of the electric guitar that began with Guitar Solos in 1974. He learned his craft playing in rock bands – notably the iconic Henry Cow – and creating music in the recording studio. Fred’s work has been performed by ensembles ranging from BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Eclipse Quartet to Hieronymus Firebrain and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. He has also composed extensively for dance and film. As an improviser Fred has performed with key figures spanning several generations, from Derek Bailey and Pauline Oliveros to Camille Émaille and gabby fluke-mogul. He taught for many years at Mills College in Oakland, California and at Musik Akademie Basel, where he co-directed the Master’s program in improvisation.
Brazilian drummer, singer, composer and music producer Mariá Portugal, who currently lives in Germany, has been an active figure in the São Paulo music scene for over two decades. She has recorded, performed and toured with artists such as Elza Soares, Metá Metá, Arrigo Barnabé, Quartabê, Maggie Nicols, Anthony Braxton, Fred Frith, Nick Dunston and Tomeka Reid. In 2020, she assumed the role of 13th Improviser in Residence for Moers Festival. As a composer, she has created original music for dance, theatre and film. Her most recent work in this field is the original score for Manuela Martelli’s film 1976, which premiered to critical acclaim at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. Since 2021 Mariá Portugal has been curator of the free improvisation program Soundtrips-NRW.
