Q: You studied philosophy, linguistics, and music. How has this academic background
influenced the development of your Ritual Groove Music concept? Could one say that
your music reflects a philosophical structure of thought?

A: Through academic studies I learned to carefully read, think and discuss complex topics in a group. I was interested in thus since I was a kid next to music and football. I was mainly interested in aesthetics in the beginning of my studies but this changed and I got really attracted by the philosophy of language, mainly the late writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein. In these non systematic writings I found a lot of similarities regarding the functioning, development and coherence of language and music. Wittgenstein was a very musical philosopher and often compared musical phenomena with language phenomena. So the term „Ritual Groove Music“ represents more a view on music than a style. It is a way of remarking something in a context, for example rhythmic energy, minimalistic developments or pattern counterpoints, also characteristic dramaturgies. It’s my way of receiving, creating, forming and reflecting music.

Q: What kind of listener do you imagine when creating your music? Is the audience’s preparedness important to you, or do you aim for universality in perception?

A: I try to form my musical dramaturgy on the base of communication. Music is a universal sensual tool to communicate. I am always interested in the „between“ of two partners. So I experience the listener as active partner. We are both responsible for the music and its communicative potential. Inspired listeners are inspiring listeners. Every person has an own imagination and creative potential and I am happy to evoke and encourage this individual creative force with my music.

Q: Today, the Ukrainian music scene is experiencing a unique period — creativity is becoming a form of cultural resilience. Do you follow contemporary Ukrainian musicians or ensembles? Are there any artists whose work resonates with you?

A: Yes, of course. Ukrainian artists but also sports people, the whole Ukrainian civil society and of course also your warriors are inspiring us all. I follow local artists but also know a lot of international Ukrainian artists. Musicians I know and appreciate are composer and saxophonist Michael Balog, bandura player Ivan Tkalenko, bandura player Anastasiya Voytyuk, pianist Kateryna Ziabliuk, singer Laura Marti,
pianist Roksana Smirnova and guitarist Misha Kalinin, who also performed at our Ukraine charity concert at my club EXIL. I also played there with the young singer Sonja Sytnyk and pianist Pavel Ignatiev and singer Katiko Purtseladze. I also admire composer Valentin Silvestrov who released also on ECM records like I did. But we follow here also very known artists like writer Serhij Zhadan, whose book “The
invention of Jazz in Donbass” I read. I recently discovered the fabulous band Kurbasy. There are many more and I look forward to hopefully come soon back to the Ukraine to perform, cooperate and to
listen to other artists. As you mentioned, many people understand now better, how important culture for resilience is, although I must say, that this was always very clear for me. Culture is an essential and basic force of life and creativity and improvisation are survival strategies. I also wrote about that in my book “Listening – music, movement, mind”.

Q: You perform across Europe and observe various cultural reactions to global events. Do you feel that the European music scene has become more attentive to Ukrainian culture in recent years?

Totally. The biggest failure of the amateur strategy of the Russian regime is the rise of attention for Ukrainian identity which of course is related to culture a lot. The impressive thing is, that the Ukrainian civil society and its cultural expressions are so strong, clear and inspiring and still developing. This shows the true force of creativity and community. In many countries with high living standards, art becomes often either “l’art pour l’art” or commercial. I am more interested in serious, sensual and urgent art. It can also be ironic but it must search a clear impact. Of course we don’t need a stupid and evil attack and war for this but this situation is unfortunately also for the arts, its community and its relation to society the ultimate reality check.

Q: If you had the chance to address young Ukrainian musicians who continue creating music despite challenging circumstances, what would you say to them?

A: Music is one of the most essential forces in the universe. You can always rely on it if you dedicate your life to it.

Q: Your ensemble Ronin has existed for many years and has become a kind of laboratory for your musical language. How has the group’s dynamic evolved over time, and how has your personal perception of this music changed?

A: The most influential changes were the changes of the bass players. There are social but also esthetical aspects. A player always has a personality and a style and I also want to respect that as a composer and band leader. So I have the ambition as a composer to develop my style and compositions but also as a band leader to develop the band sound together with my colleagues. Both are long and slow processes and that’s why we play since over 20 years every Monday a concert at my club EXIL in Zurich. The music should evolve by itself through regular playing it in the community.

Q: Your project MOBILE is seen as experimental, exploring minimalism, rhythm, and new musical structures. How do you see the connection between this project and your work with RONIN? Does the experience with MOBILE influence your understanding of collective improvisation and Ritual Groove Music?

A: MOBILE was the core project to launch our idea of the Ritual Groove Music. I wanted to experience and present a community group, which explored the essence of music and its performance: purely acoustic resonance, group energy, long music rituals with meditative and energetic groove and flow states. And all of that in a carefully chosen and artistically shaped space for the listening community. RONIN summarizes these experiences in a conventional and amplified 90 minutes concert in clubs and on festivals. So RONIN is the fast, flexible and powerful version of MOBILE. But MOBILE explored from the very beginning the art of modular improvisation in relation to my compositions.

Q: After so many years of an international career, touring, and collaboration with ECM Records, what continues to inspire you and keep you in a constant creative search?

Music itself as a mystic force and nourishing and refreshing form of communication and partnership. It is my elixir of life.