Lean Left
Lean Left is a fierce, transatlantic quartet that forges a unique sound from the collision of two distinct musical worlds. The band pairs the minimalist, punk-informed guitar attack of Dutch icons Terrie Hessels and Andy Moor (of The Ex) with the explosive free-jazz energy of American saxophonist Ken Vandermark and Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love.
Their music is a relentless, physical dialogue. Over driving, often hypnotic rhythms, the guitars weave a dense tapestry of distortion and splintered melody, while Vandermark’s searing reeds slice through the storm. The result is a powerful, ecstatic, and singular fusion—structured noise that is as intellectually rigorous as it is viscerally overwhelming.
Volume 2
Volume 2
Drums – Paal Nilssen-Love
Guitar [Left] – Terrie Ex
Guitar [Right] – Andy Moor
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet [Bb] – Ken Vandermark
Recorded live in Concert on March 19th 2008 at Bimhuis, Amsterdam
Produced by Lean Left and Joakim Haugland
Mixed by Andy Moor
Recorded and Mastered by Colin McLean
Design [Cover] by Rune Mortensen
Volume 1
Volume 1
Drums – Paal Nilssen-Love
Guitar [Left] – Terrie Ex
Guitar [Right] – Andy Moor
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet [Bb] – Ken Vandermark
Recorded live in Concert on March 19th 2008 at Bimhuis, Amsterdam
Produced by Lean Left and Joakim Haugland
Mixed by Andy Moor
Recorded and Mastered by Colin McLean
Design [Cover] by Rune Mortensen
Medemer
Medemer
“Paal Nilssen-Love on drums, Ken Vandermark on reeds and Terrie Ex and Andy Moor on guitars: which is to say that you have to hear this.” – Kevin Press, The Moderns
Lean Left is a four-piece band of Paal Nilssen-Love (drums), Ken Vandermark (reeds), Terrie Ex and Andy Moor (guitars). Andy and Terrie have been playing together in legendary Dutch group The Ex since 1990, a band that came out of the punk scene in the late 70s, but who were determined to explore much larger fields of expression, and is why they are one of the few rock-based bands that feel relevant after 40 years. Following similar paths, but with a slightly different starting point, Ken and Paal both came out of jazz and improvised music, and began playing together in 2000. The four came together in February 2007 on a split bill in Amsterdam with the two duos. Through a myriad of different projects, bands, guest features, one-offs and the like, the quartet line-up of Lean Left soon became the utility pole of their shared activities. In short: these are four musicians with a long history of playing together. Their new album “Medemer”, recorded on tour in 2018, clearly displays a musical camaraderie that can only be reached through playing together – a lot. But there’s also another factor: storytelling. While most live albums for good reason are edited to a digestible form, “Medemer” presents the entire 72-minute concert in full. Listening to the album it becomes clear why it is like this – conscious or not the four musicians of Lean Left are not just good at playing together, they know how to make the whole performance come together as a whole, without any compositions or preconceived movements every section is followed by something that takes the music in a new direction. Like a well made film noir you know what kind of trip you’re in for, but you’ll be surprised where it takes you.
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Terrie Ex: left guitar
Ken Vandermark: tenor saxophone and Bb clarinet
Paal Nilssen-Love: drums
Andy Moor: right guitar
All music by Terrie Hessels (buma), Andrew Moor (prs), Paal Nilssen-Love (tono), Ken Vandermark (twenty first mobile Music/ascap-cien fuegos)
Produced by paal nilssen-love
Co-produced by Lasse Marhaug
Recorded live in concert on september 10th 2018 at Pardon To Tu, Warsaw, Poland
Live recording by Bartosz Szkielkowski of Soundbay
Mixed and mastered by Lasse Marhaug
Photos by Petra Cvelbar
Cover design by Lasse Marhaug
Special thanks to Magda and Daniel at Pardon To Tu
Thanks also to Marta and Sergio of Arco Y Flecha
Live at Cafe Oto
Live at Cafe Oto
Lean Left throws together two explosive duos – the sax/drums collision course of Ken Vandermark and Paal Nilsson-Love with the piledriving guitarists from The Ex – to make up a positively apocalyptic quartet: an elemental musical force featuring Grade A international players zoning in and scrambling together rock, jazz, noise and blistering free improv into a highly-charged onstage assault, each member taking their sounds and bodies to the edge and often snapping out of the wilds and into glorious passages of regular rhythm. Recorded live at Café Oto, London in 2011.
The music of Lean Left is extrovert, energetic, powerful and inclusive but also confrontational and provocative: where rhythm, noise, melody and harmony melt together in perfect union. In two tracks “Live at Café Oto” captures one moment of high powered, highly varied improvisation. Pretty much the dream ticket for those who like their live music raw, hard and violently soulful.
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“This is an album that is all about the rhythm. From beats to pulses to heartbeats to the sounds of the doomsday clock. From precise muted guitars to repetitive saxophone lines and tones, they are all being accented by Father Time himself Paal Nilssen-Love (drums).” -Phillip Coombs, Free Jazz Blog
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Terrie Ex: Guitar
Andy Moor: Guitar
Ken Vandermark: Tenor Saxophone, B Clarinet
Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums
Recorded live at Café Oto, London on September 11th and 12th
Design – Isabelle Vigier
Mixed By, Mastered By – Colin McLean
Photograph – Andy Moor
Live at Area Sísmica
Live at Area Sísmica
Terrie Ex: Guitar
Andy Moor: Guitar
Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums
Ken Vandermark: Reeds
Recorded live in concert at Area Sismica, Forli, Forli – Cesena, Italy,September 22 2012.
All music by Lean Left: Terrie Ex (BUMA), Andy Moor (PRS), Ken Vandermark (ASCAP), Paal Nilssen-Love (TONO)
Concert organised by Area Sismica, recorded live by Ariele Monti, rough mixes by Gionni Gardini.
Final mix and mastering by Andy Moor with helpful advice from Colin Mclean, Arnold de Boer and Lean Left.
design + cover image: Isabelle Vigier.
Photos inside: Andy Moor / Ajay Saggar
Special thanks to Ariele Monti and Gionni Gardini for kindly donating the recordings and rough mixes to us, and everyone else at Area Sismica, Sergio Merino, Olga Abalos, Marta Fontanals, Arco Y Flecha for booking our tours and organising our insane travel schedules, Cafe Oto, Colin McLean, Arnold de Boer and Unsounds.