Alexander von Mehren: vocals, upright piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, bass guitar, drums, Rhythm 77, percussion
Guest musicians:
Fredrik Drønen: electric and acoustic guitars
Sigurd Fischer Olsen: violin, viola
Siri Eimhjellen Øie: violin
Ina Walde: flute
Tor Erik Seime Pettersen: baritone, trombone, euphonium
Erlend Hausken: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Silje Haustveit: trumpet
Caroline Wettergreen: vocals
Influences
Stereolab, The High Llamas, The Sea and Cake, Sam Prekop, David Axelrod, Janko Nilovic, Bertrand Burgalat, Dungen, Tortoise, The Mercury Program, Jim O'Rourke, David Grubbs, Jaga Jazzist, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Alan Moorhouse, Sven Libæk, Godchild, April Orchestra, Oronzo De Filippi, Nino Rapicavoli, library music
Alexander von Mehren is a 25 years old student/musician from Bergen, Norway. He started playing the piano at the age of four, and when he turned seven he started having classical lessons. During his ten years of classical training he had gradually developed an interest in alternative pop/rock, post-rock and jazz influenced music and started composing within these genres. Three years as orchestra leader at a local theatre and the discovery of The High Llamas and Stereolab during this period, inspired von Mehren to focus especially on arrangements and harmonization in his compositions.
As his interest in music increased, von Mehren also developed an interest in production, and 2004/2005 he attended a year-long course in Digital Sound and Music Production at the Noroff Institute in Bergen. von Mehren has his own project studio, The Guestroom, where he writes and records music, and over the last couple of years he has also developed skills on bass and drums. For his solo project von Mehren uses guitarist Fredrik Drønen and other guest musicians, mostly strings and brass performers.
In 2003, von Mehren started working with Espen Horne and his two projects, Bobby Hughes Combination and Kinny & Horne, after a gig with jazz-pop duo Van Boffe, one of von Mehrens musical projects, consisting of himself and guitarist Chris Holm. von Mehren first appeared on a Bobby Hughes remix of the theme from 70s film classic Get Carter, for the 2004 release of Roy Budd's soundtrack collection, Vigilante!. After a couple of live appearances, including one in Singapore, with Bobby Hughes Combination, von Mehren also appeared playing the piano on Horne's new album, Forgetting to Remember, released May 2005 under the name of Kinny & Horne.
Early 2004 von Mehren started playing with instrumental rockers The Sheriff and gradually became a permanent live and studio member of the band. The band is currently recording their first LP.
von Mehren contributes with his version of Hillbilly Motobike on The Politics Of Photosynthesis - A Tribute To Stereolab, digitally released on iTunes Store and Amazon.com February, 2007.
Furthermore, von Mehren appears on William Hut's album, Nightfall, released by Universal on the 27th of December, 2006. von Mehren also appears on French band Orwell's latest album, Le Génie Humain, featured on the track Sun Holiday as a string and brass arranger, pianist and percussionist. von Mehren appears playing vibraphone on the new Chris Joss album, Sticks, released on ESL Music on the 10th of March, 2009, and on forthcoming releases from Le Futur Pompiste and Hypertext.
As well as being a student at the University of Bergen, von Mehren is currently recording his first solo album.
Drop whatever you are doing and listen to my new song in the MySpace player. I recorded a “live” version of Donovan’s song “Museum” back in May. It was part of my appearance on Alan Haber’s Pure Pop radio show.
It is downloadable, so if you want a copy go ahead. This will be for a limited time only then it will be taken down.
Have an unbelievable holiday season…. Scott Brookman
PS: “subscribe” to me, if you haven’t already, so you’ll know what is going on!
"La chanson de douche" and "Champs Élysées" are fantastic. Happy, progressive, kind of old and new French at the same time. "Teria" et "Winter comes" donnent des airs années 70 au Québec. Ta musique est magique !! Merci beaucoup !
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