Synesthetic Ivo is the alter ego of Vincent Pongracz – the acclaimed Austrian clarinet player, composer & videographer. For many years he has been a cornerstone of the contemporary jazz scene in Vienna and has developed a unique & recognizable style of composing. He combines elements of jazz with wonky beats (reminiscent of beat producers such as J Dilla or Rustie) and his dadaistic rap in a made-up language which results in fresh and surprising music. His unorthodox compositions are either played by the Synesthetic Octet, the Synesthetic4 or by Synesthetic Ivo, which is his solo act. He has released several albums with all three formations, played many festivals in Europe and has gained a faithful following.
He has also won several prizes for the music videos for his bands, which he directs himself. Much like in his music he has also created a distinctive aesthetic in his visual output. His idiosyncratic style makes him stand out and his music hard to fit within the boundaries of a genre.
… how & why:
since the very first time I saw Vincent live I was instantly a fan of his one of a kind approach to making music. Since then I have seen him perform on many different stages in many different formations and each and every time I was yet surprised by the bandwidth of his creativity. He has also been organizing a regular series of concerts in Vienna where he invites musicians – including himself – to showcase new projects, which has turned to a focal point of the Viennese contemporary jazz adjacent scene. It has definitely been a “must attend” date for myself and many music lovers.
For this recording session he performed his Synesthetic Ivo solo music. Enjoy!
Here some of the tracks they recorded live to vinyl: