Marc Ribot’s first performance at Kino Šiška was inevitable, and we are very pleased that he is returning to Ljubljana with a completely new project, Hurry Red Telephone, and a band that will be impossible to ignore.
With it, Ribot continues a project he had temporarily set aside following the deaths of trumpeter Roy Campbell and bassist Henry Grimes, but which he claims was the best music he has ever played. These were the years of Spiritual Unity, a band dedicated to preserving the legacy of saxophonist and composer Albert Ayler (1936–1970) and with whom he toured the world. Ribot and the other member of the quartet, drummer Chad Taylor, have since been searching for a format to continue their work, and with Hurry Red Telephone (the title is a quote from Richard Siken’s poem “Several Tremendous”), they’ve found it.
For fans of: Albert Ayler, Tom Waits, John Zorn
Ribot comments on the choice of musicians: “When I first heard bassist Sebastian Steinberg play (with Joe Morris in the eighties), I thought: this is exactly what I’m looking for – a gifted improviser, a deep groove player, and completely original. From the early nineties until Sebastian moved to Los Angeles, we worked together in my band Shrek (which also performed in Ljubljana) and in other formats, and I’m thrilled to continue our collaboration. Ava Mendoza is the perfect musician to complete this quartet – a brilliant soloist, a sensitive ensemble player, and a fearless guitarist/improviser who knows how to bring the house down. We’re ready to take the project to the next level.”
It’s worth noting that Marc Ribot is one of the most distinctive guitarists in music history and an indispensable member of the bands of Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and more than a dozen projects led by John Zorn. He has continually surprised with the originality of his music and projects, whether paying tribute to Cuban music with Los Cubanos Postizos, the alt-rock trio Ceramic Dog, or his captivating solo performances. He has played most of his work to Slovenian audiences on a variety of stages. However, as he himself states, his greatest love is Albert Ayler, and we are curious to see how he will approach Ayler’s legacy with his new band. Until then, we can enjoy his exceptional musical catalogue, which he presented in November 2024 during the magnificent multi-day Reflektor event at Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and by reading his autobiographical book Unstrung: Rants and Stories of a Noise Guitarist.
Line-up: Marc Ribot – guitar, vocals; Ava Mendoza – guitar; Sebastian Steinberg – bass; Chad Taylor – drums
Tickets on sale online and at Eventim outlets.
Organisation: Kino Šiška in collaboration with Domingo Productions
