ECM 2026 o Nik Bärtsch's Mobile

Special seating arrangement in the FORUM Merzhausen. Nik Bärtsch's MOBILE will play purely acoustically INSIDE the audience. A rare, not to say unique concert experience.

Nik Bärtsch (piano) o Sha (alto saxophone, bass clarinet) o Nicolas Stocker (percussion)
light design by Daniel Eaton

Bärtsch's mysterious music will be around for a lot longer than the quick fix that majority taste seems to clamor for."

Stuart Nicholson, The Observer (UK)

The acoustic quartet MOBILE, formed in 1997, is the source of the aesthetic of Nik Bärtsch's ritualistic musical attitude. An attitude that, in addition to his preoccupation with concepts of reduction and repetition, was also shaped by Bärtsch's fascination with Japanese culture and martial arts. Musical textures from jazz, funk, new music, minimalism as well as ritual and sacred music are organically interwoven and bundled. Bärtsch and his musical partners Sha and Nicolas Stocker are not interested in solo-focused virtuosity, but in exploring an energetic group sound.

Behind Bärtsch's decision to abandon conventionally interacting ad-hoc ensembles is the desire to question and explore musical and social energies from the ground up with an ensemble geared towards continuity. According to Bärtsch, this "music-focused community troupe" has performed concerts lasting up to 36 hours, each of which combined music, spatial and lighting design, video and sword art.

The compositions leave room for diverse phrasing, which the band's very different musical personalities are happy to make use of. Alto saxophonist and bass clarinettist Sha captivates the listener with rhythmic sophistication and relentless calm and has already made a name for himself as a newcomer to the New Minimal scene. Percussionist Nicolas Stocker belongs to the new generation of modern musicians who naturally combine expertise in classical interpretation, improvisation and the ability to groove. Nik Bärtsch, the inspiring don of MOBILE, effortlessly crosses the boundaries between all these codes and creates connections that in turn develop into fusions. (Michel Mettler)