Listed: Elena Setién
Elena Setién is an artist defined by her vivid songwriting and nuanced compositions. The multi-instrumentalist grew up during a period of political upheaval in Spain in the Basque region. The turmoil of the post-dictatorship period of the 1980s and the intensive civic actions left her with a sense of duty to fight for progress. A brief encounter with Laurie Anderson more recently also profoundly affected Setién. Specifically, Anderson’s parting thoughts on being an artist today: “You just have to make something beautiful and free.” Setién's new album, Another Kind of Revolution, is out now on Thrill Jockey. In his review, Isaac Olson called it, "entrancing, and almost uncanny.”
Milford Graves Full Mantis—Directed by Jake Meginsky and Neil Young
Last year I was directed to this film on social media... it immediately caught my attention. Luckily the film was shown at Dock of The Bay, music documentary film festival here in San Sebastián. It is moving and utterly inspiring! As a musician I couldn't feel more related to this film- it is a beautiful portrait of a true and existential music and life explorer. Go and see this film if you can!!!
Love or Emptiness—Johanna Borchert
I met Johanna back in 2006 in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was a great improviser, a pianist who sounded more like a guitarist... a musician who has inspired me for years. Her latest solo album is beautiful!
Snowflakes are dancing—Isao Tomita
Japanese synth guru, Isao Tomita, did the most wonderful, spaced versions of Debussy's music. His album Snowflakes are Dancing is mind blowing. My father had it in his record collection for decades but it was not until he recently died, that I seriously valued it.
In Between The Notes: A Portrait of Pandit Pran Nath—directed by William Farley
In 2017, my Scandinavian agent, Tone Chamber, set a series of concerts in Denmark. I was playing double bills with US duo Probosci. It was great to travel and share stages- Timba Harris, Gyan Ryley and I. Our conversations led to how drone based music came to the west back in the sixties and this film is a little jewel that gives us an insight on north Indian Pandit Pran Nath's journey to the US and how he met Terry Riley. A life changing encounter of two musicians who instantly felt related- a voyage into the soul of music.
Sipo Phantasma—Koldo Almandoz
After almost twenty years of living abroad in England and Denmark, I moved back to Spain in 2015. I got to know film maker, Koldo Almandoz's work by chance. Sipo Phantasma is a great artistic documentary film... it was intended to be an observationist documentary film on cruise ship holidays but became something quite different.
Baby's Got a Hole in Her Head—Tys Tys
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In 2002, after having decided I didn't want to pursue a career as a classical violinist, I followed my intuition and moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in search of a music scene. I wanted to sing, and I wanted to find my own voice. Very early on I was drawn to the improv underground scene. Maria Laurette Friis and her project, Tys Tys, changed my concept of what "jazz singing" and composition was.
Fanny and Alexander—Ingmar Bergman
Another childhood memory of a film that broadened my horizons. A magnificent film that tells a story through the eyes of a young boy... all feelings are shown, the good and the bad ones. I identified with Alexander and was in love with him at the same time.
The Dark Crystal—Jim Henson and Frank Oz
Back in the early eighties, being a little girl, I was lucky to drive to Paris with my family, to see the grand opening of a major crystal exhibition. It was at the Paris Museum of Natural History. As part of the opening, there was a film: The Dark Crystal. Seeing that film and the crystal exhibition made a huge impact on me- those crystals were around five times my height and I felt I had literally stepped into a mystical world.
Debussy: Clair de Lune—Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya
Again an early memory of an artistic expression that made an impact on me. This version of Debussy's Clair de Lune by French guitar duo Ida Presti and Lagoya, is incredibly beautiful: frail and yet deeply strong.
Un Perro Andaluz—Luis Buñuel
One of my first childhood memories of seeing something radically different, something I didn't understand. My father was a big Buñuel fan- he introduced me in surrealism.
