Tristan Honsinger has died

Sadly passed away on August 5, 2023, Tristan Honsinger was a hidden gem in the vast ocean of free improvisation. Known mostly for his work with pianist Cecil Taylor and guitarist Derek Bailey, but an accomplished musician on his own, Honsinger during his career collaborated also with post punk bands such as The Pop Group and The Ex. This remarkable folding of collaborations can give you also an idea of his style, that span from nervous glissandos to melodic quotes traken from Albert Ayler or classical music.

Born in 1949 in Burlingon, Vermont, Honsinger had music lessions at a very early age, so he gave concerts on a weekly basis with other members of his family since when he was 12. After he studied classical cello first in Boston then in Montréal, where he became conscious and interested in free improvisation. In 1974 Honsinger moved to Europe, particularly in Amsterdam where he became a pivotal figure of Netherlands improvised scene.

A musician that, according to the Dutch ‘Volkskrant’ journalist Erik Van de Berg “hasn’t lost his childhood fantasy entirely”, Tristan Honsinger can be taken as a representative figure for what European Improv scene is: for such musicians in fact ‘playing’ means not only expressing yourself through music, but also to take risks. While many would cite irony as a main topic for such improvisors, more than that their attitude is that of a child curious about what sound he can obtain from his instrument.

Spanning through his discography, a must have are his records with pianist Cecil Taylor, but there are also interesting collabortions with conductor Butch Morris, records for solo cello and duos with Derek Bailey and saxophonist Sean Bergin. The more adventurous listeners can try and find a copy, as a mere example, of his record with Steve Beresford, David Toop and Toshinori Kondo for Double Indemnity issued in 2001.