Bio

The thirteenth century Zen master and philosopher Dogen said that Zen practice is “more than a means to an end, it is enlightenment.” It is not surprising, then, that for NYC-based multi-instrumentalist and artist Damien Olsen (himself a lifelong Buddhist) music, like life, is about exploration. Likewise, Olsen’s own ambient-ritualistic jazz is continually developing, constantly shifting textures and tones – sometimes even challenging to listen to – yet, always searching. Damien Olsen was born in Buenos Aires to a Russian/German/ Swedish family. Majoring in psychology at the University of Buenos Aires, he also studied Capoeira - the Afro-Brazilian martial art, dance and music form – that got him interested in minimalist music. Never feeling completely in his own element in Argentina, Damien left for Brazil. Here, he took Capoeira, percussion and berimbau lessons in the Forte de Santo Antonio in the city of Bahia, and as well studying visual arts. Later on, he spent several years living in the Shobo-An Zen Center, training in many forms of meditation and movement techniques – but also leaving time to study piano and guitar. Eventually he went on to become a highly regarded sculptor, and also played live music regularly. For Olsen, art and music have always been inextricably linked. To him, “the energy is the same, I’m just using differing methods to express myself.” Musically, his influences range from Stravinsky to electronica; ambient guitarist Terje Rypdal to Gong’s Daevid Allen. However, he holds a special place in his heart for Meredith Monk, the New York composer, singer, director/choreographer and creator of new opera, musical theater, films and installations. Like all of his influences, Olsen’s music has a tremendous visual element. Olsen plays a wide spectrum of instruments, as well: guitar-synth, Spanish classical guitar – as well as berimbau, gongs, and percussion. Realizing that there is music in everything – even street noise – he always carries around a handheld digital recorder to capture sounds that he later processes with audio software. After twenty years of exploring Brazil, its music and art, Olsen moved to New York to, “be part of a bigger community of modern musicians.” Moving here in 1999, he opened the Burgundy Chamber (www.theburgundychamber.com), his current studio, where he has made music for video art, shorts, anime and documentaries, and recorded and produced eight of his own albums. He has also studied with Finish-American guitar master Raoul Bjorkenheim, who simultaneously challenged and drew the best out of Olsen and his music. The two have gone on to become good friends and are recording an album together. To be completed in 2007, it will be released with a book filled with bizarre, yet beautiful photographic images Olsen shot around NYC. Most recently, Olsen has been recording the second album of a trilogy of “Electronic Delicatessens”; the first, Electronische, (electronica in German) was released in 2006. (Titling the work in German is an homage to all the great German expressionistic artists – and more evidence of how much Olsen’s art and music are the same.) In the future, Olsen will playing live as much as possible, and hopes to collaborate with video artists. Regardless of where exactly Olsen’s journey takes him, it will be – as is everything else in life for him - both a journey and an end in itself.