As a saxophonist, Mejer concentrated himself on the contrabass-saxophone and on playing in ‚Bass’-Ensembles like KONTRA-Trio (a Trio for ultra low wind instruments), TwoTubax (a Duo with Peter A. Schmid), Nashi Dela (contemporary Russian ‘Songs’), Masul (a Duo with Paul Giallorenzo) and the Chicago based wind ensembles 774th Street Quartet and Keefe Jackson’s Likely So.
As an Improviser he played with Martin Schütz, Fredy Studer, Michael Zerang, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Keefe Jackson and many more.
Besides appearing as soloist, he is involved in several projects which include other forms of art like paintings, poetry, film, dance.
KONTRA-Trio www.kontra-trio.ch
Madeleine Bischof (contrabass-flute), Thomas K.J. Mejer (contrabass-saxophone), Leo Bachmann (tuba)
The KONTRA-Trio, founded 1992, concentrates on low wind instruments and “deep” music. The contrabass-flute, contrabass-saxophone and tuba are used as sources for acoustic phenomenons from primeval to ‘high-tech’ sounds, from very low registers to astonishing heights.
Besides creating programs with their own compositions, the KONTRA-Trio works together with composers from all over the world such as Alvin Lucier, Phill Niblock, Frank Denyer, Hae-Kyung Choi (see repertory). Important are also projects with other ensembles or forms of art like poetry, dance, and performance art. All programs are slightly out of the mainstream of contemporary music.
In 2000, the KONTRA-Trio has been invited to play at the “Trance and Drones” festival in Freiburg (Germany) to the New Music Festival “Music factory” in Bergen (Norway) and the “100. Schweizerisches Tonkünstlerfest” in Engadin (Switzerland). In 2001, the trio performed the program “Resonances” in England (Dartington, Bristol und London) as well as “Different Drones” in Bali (Indonesia). Within the “soundways” Festival in St. Petersburg, the trio gave many first performances of Swiss and International composers. Besides workshops and masterclasses at the conservatory in St. Petersburg and Moscow and a concert at DOM in Moscow, the collaboration and concerts with two theremin player (Kavina, Aksenova) and the Swiss experimental pop group “las halmas” marked the highlights of this Russian tour. In 2003, the KONTRA-Trio toured in Latvia and appeared at the festival “Saxophonia” in Riga.
The evening length sound installation „Jeux Circulaires“ by Leo Bachmann for the Trio and 8 loudspeakers as well as „Himmlische Tinkturen“ by Madeleine Bischof for KONTRA-Trio and 49 flute players have been performed several times in Switzerland.
In 2013, the KONTRA-Trio joined forces with Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble MCME in the program „Stravinskij Revisited“, including first performances of compositions by Vladimir Gorlinskij, Katharina Rosenberger, Vladimir Rannev, Roland Moser and Thomas K. J. Mejer with concerts in Moscow, Perm, St. Petersburg, Zürich, Luzern, Boswil and Basel.
In 2017, the Trio appeared at the Festival Two Days And Two Nights Of New Music in Odessa as well as at the Festival of Electronic Music VOX ELECTRONICA in Lemberg.
They recorded some works written for the Ensemble by prestigious composers such as Phill Niblock, Alvin Lucier or Frank Denyer.
Discographie KONTRA-Trio
Jeux Circulaires, betweenthelines BTLCHR71226©2010; composition and sound-installation by Leo Bachmann
vulnerable spaces, earup CD 1009 ©2007; works by Alvin Lucier; Hae Kyung Choi; Hans-Joachim Hespos; Thomas K.J. Mejer
Disseminate {Phill Niblock}, mode records new york, mode 131 ©2004; 3 compositions by Phill Niblock incl. “Kontradictionaries” (written for the KONTRA-Trio)
Fired City {Frank Denyer} TZADIK Records TZ 7082 ©2002; 6 compositions by Frank Denyer incl. „Resonances of Ancient Sins“ (written for the KONTRA-Trio)
diligent places stv/asm 005 / earup 1005 ©1999; with works by Thomas K.J. Mejer and Leo Bachmann
Compositions for Contrabass-Saxophone Thomas K.J. Mejer earup CD 1003 ©1996, 10 compositions incl. „Resonances of Ancient Sins“ by Frank Denyer (written for the KONTRA-Trio)
Presse KONTRA-Trio
…der Name Strawinsky und seine „Histoire“ stehen für eine Moderne abseits jeder Dogmatik…
Thomas Mejers Suite setzte….. das Thema am handgreiflichsten um, mit Bezügen zur insistierenden Rhythmik wie zur individuellen Klanglichkeit der „Histoire“.
Pirmin Bossart, Zentralschweiz am Sonntag, 27.10.2013
Zusammengehalten ………. von Inspirationen durch Thomas K. J. Mejers Tanzsuite «Princes’ Balls».
Der 1970 in Moskau geborene Vladimir Rannev lässt in seinem «Cold’n’Hot Dance Trio» die ätherisch hohen Klänge von Kontrabassflöte (Madeleine Bischof), Kontrabasssaxofon (Thomas K. J. Mejer) und Tuba (Leo Bischof) in eine ganz körperhafte Tiefe stürzen, um sich dann im Raum dazwischen zu positionieren………….
Jürg Huber, Neue Zürcher Zeitung 26.10.2013
Dunkle Texturen aus Tiefenwelten
Klangwelten, wie man sie in der aufgedrehten Schrill-Welt von heute selten hört. Musik die sich aus elementaren Klangkernen und ihren Schwingungen bildet, die atemhaft und körperlich wird.
Pirmin Bossart, Luzerner Zeitung, 03.12.2012
nicht nur hör-, sondern auch spürbar
…………..dass sich die Vibration bei den lauten, dröhnenden Passagen im ganzen Raum bemerkbar macht: Der Klang ist nicht nur hör-, sondern auch spürbar.
Rebekka Meyer, Tagesanzeiger, 17.11.2012
free‘n‘easy
Tiefe Eindrücke hinterlässt das KONTRA-Trio auf „Jeux Circulaires“. … Es ist, als würde man einen dunklen Raum betreten, in dem man erst nach und nach Konturen ausmacht …
Wolf Kampmann, jazzthing Februar/März 2011
Tiefenwirkung
Sie haben sich den langsamen Schallwellen verschrieben: Das Kontra-Trio erzeugt mit übergrossen Blasinstrumenten in der Tiefe wuchernde Klänge. Diese erinnern einmal an das Tuten eines Dampfschiffs, ein andermal an röhrende Riesensäugetiere. In ihrer Erdigkeit wirken sie auf den Hörer seltsam meditativ. …
Michelle Ziegler, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 6.1.2011
