Time Travels

A founding member of early electronic group Free Radicals, Jonathan Besser has composed for opera, ballet, theatre (Red Mole) and ensemble Bravura. Born in NYC but NZ-based since 1974, Besser began adding screen compositions to his CV in the 90s. Since then he has composed extensively for director Shirley Horrocks, been award-nominated for the feature-length War Stories, and won for A Cat Among the Pigeons.

Says Jonathan: "I started working with unusual time signatures in 1985. Violinist Chris Prosser introduced me to the complex rhythms of Eastern European folk music and Indian Tala, and already chafing at the confines of 4/4, I began incorporating these new rhythmic ideas into my own compositions.

Chris Prosser and I released two LPs of our collaborations in the late 80's on the Kiwi Pacific label. On my 2007 CD Ecstasy, all the pieces are in eleven beat cycles. My recent Gimel Music is in 3/4 time and in three-bar phrases. Time Travels carries on this rhythmic theme and take it into the world of improvisation. It was always fun with the young and talented Christopher Brothers as my rhythm section, and I'm delighted that Victor [producer Victor Levine] managed to capture the enthusiasm."