Jukka Kääriäinen, Richard "Richie" Herbst, Michael Masen

Jukka Kääriäinen is a musician focused on experimental music. Depending on the situation, Jukka’s instruments of choice include an acoustic guitar with preparations or an electric guitar with a bag full of effects. Kääriäinen has performed in many European countries and at international festivals in the United Kingdom, Spain, and France. In addition to solo concerts, he regularly performs in bands and has collaborated with many leading European improvisers such as Teppo Hauta-Aho, Kalle Kalima, Harri Sjöström, Axel Dörner, Kriton Beyer, Rieko Okuda, Anil Eraslan, Mikko Innanen, and Joel Grip, premiering works by composers such as Riikka Talvitie, Sebastian Hilli, Sami Klemola, Clara de Asis, and Tytti Arola.
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Richard “Richie” Herbst is an austrian sound activist based in Graz, often simply credited as Herbst. Besides being passionate about field recordings, his interest lies in the creation of soundscapes with modular synth and effects.
In addition to his solo work he is a regular member of ASTRO BLACK (/w Michael Masen), the MRM Trio (/w Marina Džukljev & Miodrag Gladović), MULM (/w Sara Zlanabitnik & Stephan Roiss) and Regolith (/w Christian Zollner).
In 2019 he started the Bordone Ensemble, an improvisation group of musicians and artists with varying line-up, who focus on drone, noise and ambient music. He is frequently involved in collaborations with Yvonne Hofmeister, Stephan Roiss, Sara Zlanabitnig, Rudi Fischerlehner, Michl Laab, Michael Masen, Michael Eisl, Max Winter, Markus Krispel, Irene Kepl, Harald Hofmeister, Gigi Gratt, Angélica Castelló, Alexandra Steßl… . Herbst is part of the vibrant free impro music scene in Graz and Bistrica Ob Sotli, participating in STIO (Styrian Improvisers Orchestra) and the GIS orchestra (Schl8hof Wels).
In 2001 he cofounded Interstellar Records, a noise-experimental label. He organizes concerts in irregular intervals, most recently the concert series Soundscapes, and contributes articles and reviews for the Freistil Magazin. Richie Herbst is part of the klingt.org-collective.

MICHAEL MASEN spielt Saxophon in den Bands FS Massaker, Mozo Mozo, Ouls und Astro Black. Konzert- und Festivalauftritte führten ihn neben Locations in ganz Österreich bisher auch nach Deutschland, Slowenien, Kroatien und Tschechien, wo er mit lokalen und internationalen Musiker*innen die Bühne teilte, darunter Linda Sharrock (US), Mario Rechtern (AT), Eric Zinman (US), Virginia Genta (IT), David Vanzan (IT), Michael Fischer (AT) uva. Zwischendurch wirkte er auch in den Bands BANANA CHAIN und DARWINISM 4 DUMMIES und war an Studioaufnahmen und Konzerten von Pulverin, Hella Comet, Rolltreppe, Meltdowner und Desolat als Gastmusiker beteiligt. Michael Masen lebt und arbeitet in Wien.