Territory Band
Territory Band is acclaimed saxophonist and composer Ken Vandermark’s primary large ensemble, conceived as a direct result of his 1999 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. The name references the historic “territory bands” of the American Midwest and Southwest, but Vandermark’s group reimagines that concept through an international, avant-garde lens.
The ensemble was founded in 2000 and is distinguished by its transatlantic makeup, blending Vandermark’s loyal cadre of Chicago musicians with frequent collaborators from Europe, including Norway, Sweden, Germany, and England. The first album, Transatlantic Bridge (2000), features a lineup of two drummers (Paul Lytton and Tim Mulvenna), a string section (Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Kent Kessler on bass), a brass pair (Axel Dorner and Jeb Bishop), and Vandermark alongside Dave Rempis on reeds. Subsequent “versions” of the band expanded further, incorporating players like electronic musician Kevin Drumm, Swedish tubist Per-Åke Holmlander, Norwegian electronic artist Lasse Marhaug, and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love.
Musically, the Territory Band is known for bridging structured composition and free improvisation. Vandermark’s episodic writing creates spacious frameworks for solos and shifting instrumental combinations, moving from nearly classical ensemble passages to roaring, aggressive swing and dramatic stretches of silence. Key releases include Atlas (2002), the 3-CD set New Horse for the White House (2006), and Collide (2007), which featured legendary Chicago tenorist Fred Anderson as a guest soloist.
Transatlantic Bridge
New Horse For The White House
Map Theory
Company Switch
Collide
