It’s not often that a totally new instrument enters the Sydney improvised music scene but in what is believed to be a local and a national first for Foundry 616, band leader Jenny Eriksson is proud to launch Elysian Fields featuring the electric viola da gamba and a star line up of local artists including: Matt Keegan, Matt McMahon and Steve Elphick.

Eriksson is widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading acoustic viola da gambists – a 7 string, bowed instrument about the size of a cello with frets - and one of her instruments great risk-takers.She has performed and recorded with jazz and world music artists for many years alongside, and as a part of, her highly regarded classical chamber music performances.

Her past collaborators include Kevin Hunt, Llew and Mara Kiek and Steve Elphick from the Mara! band, horn player and composer, Paul Cutlan, Matt McMahon, Matt Keegan and Siebe Pogson, who is bassist in the band.In 2014 Jenny appeared with the Matt Keegan Band at a SIMA gig.

The set list for Elysian Fields has built up over several years of working in a number of combinations.The back bone of their Foundry gig is made up of new works from Matt McMahon, Siebe Pogson, Eriksson herself along with a major new piece by Matt Keegan, Elysium, which will be premiered on the night with guest singer Sarah Belkner.Arrangements of charts by local artists Guy Strazz and Steve Hunter also feature along with music by legendary Swedish jazz/fusion guitarist, Mats Norrefalk, who Eriksson, whose background is Swedish, discovered on a recent trip to Sweden.

Elysian Field’s influences are as broad as its members but include Swedish jazz greats, e.s.t., Herbie Hancock,Jaco Pastorius, Tord Gustavson, Victor Wooten, Mats Norrefalk, Jean-Luc Ponty, Mara!, Jordi Savall, John McLauglin, Pat Metheny and Joni Mitchell.

The band takes its name from Eriksson’s sister in law’s north coast property, Elysian Fields, where she spent time practicing and arranging for the band in 2014.She loved the property and the name and so has called both the band and one of her new arrangements after the place.

Jenny Eriksson - electric viola da gamba

Matt Keegan – saxophones

Matt McMahon – keyboards

Siebe Pogson – electric bass

Finn Ryan - drums

With guests: Steve Elphick - bass and Sarah Belkner – vocals