lmr trio

Based in Cape Town

The LMR Trio consists of Lisa Bauer, Maxim Starcke and Ronan Skillen which form the core unit of this unique and organic performance group. While fusing such musical styles as jazz, world music and some nu-folk and Classical elements the LMR Trio incorporate an otherworldly aesthetic into their beautiful atmosphere and transporting, earthy yet magical performances. Some known and more obscure jazz standards are explored, re-arranged and re-developed back-to-back with new and original compositions by Max Starcke and Lisa Bauer in the Jazz, World- and Classical Music idioms. The LMR Trio are perfectly suited for art exhibitions, wedding functions, intimate private performances, holistic festivals, special events and much more.

Occasionally the LMR Trio has been known to collaborate with other Jazz and Classical musicians. Two of these musicians who have been special guests at LMR performances are renowned jazz guitarist Bruce Muirhead and violinist Rayelle Goodman. If it is called for these and other musicians can be added to the performance experience.

Soundscapes and both conventional- and unconventional improvisation are another interesting aspect of the music that the LMR Trio thrives in. Within the group is the common interest of combining a varying array of musical- instruments and disciplines that reflect a personal fascination with musical culture & timbre from around the World, such as the use of the North Indian drum tabla and the kitchi gbo percussive instrument from Ghana amongst an array of many other instruments. LMR have explore stylistic textures ranging from Classical Guitar to Jazz Vocals to Indian Classical Music. Their performances are both subtle and powerful blending through-composed musical poetry with stark yet beautiful improvisation.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Private functions/parties/weddings.
• The opening of Frames and Things Art Gallery, Somerset West
• The Forge ceramic studio, Kalk Bay (with Bruce Muirhead)
• Stanford Festival (with Bruce Muirhead & Rayelle Goodman)
• On The Edge OF Wrong improvised music festival, Intimate Theatre, Feb 2008.
• Nassau Auditorium, June 2008 (with Bruce Muirhead).

MEMBERS

The members of LMR Trio are all highly experienced, professional and formally trained musicians with many highly rated concerts and productions under their belts. They have performed at prestigious venues in South Africa and abroad.

Lisa Bauer - vocals / arrangement / composition / drumkit
Lisa Bauer graduated from the South African College of Music at UCT in 2004 with a degree in Jazz Performance in vocals and drumkit (with distinction in singing). She has performed and recorded with many contemporary musicians, projects and artists that include The Glen Miller Orchestra South Africa, Track 5, Mamavox, Nic Le Roux, Andrew Lilley, Bruce Muirhead and Melanie Scholtz as well as many other notable figures in the Jazz scene. She is currently works with The Baobab Three, Mamavox, the LMR Trio, electro-lounge group Nightlife Conspiracy and has her own Jazz quintet that performed at the Silvertree Restaurant Winter Concert Series in 2008. In 2007 she was a finalist in the prestigious SAMRO Jazz Singing Overseas Scholarship Competition. She then traveled to New York and San Francisco to have lessons in Jazz Vocals with the legendary Kitty Margolis and Dr. Gloria Cooper in July 2008. She is presently enrolled in Masters in Jazz Performance studies at UCT and has recently recorded her own Jazz project EP.

Max Starcke - electric bass / guitars / saxophones / composition
Maxim Starcke (Bmus) graduated from the South African College of Music UCT in 2004. Majoring in Classical Guitar and Composition, he also received a distinction in Ethnomusicology. Max has performed with a diverse array of musicians and performers including Starkravingsane, AlanFunk, Casta Alma, Hotwater, Nightlife Conspiracy, Matthew Rice Trio, La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre (appearing recently in the Esencias Flamenco production) and The Eden Project dance company among others in the Jazz, Rock, World and Classical fields. Recently he has produced music for Ben Collins’ award winning film ‘Screenplay’ and short film ‘Stripped’. Max’s commissioned soundscape for Leila Anderson’s movement/performance art piece ‘Shlof shoyn mayn kind’ was featured at FRESH II at the Standard Bank National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and the Out of the Box visual arts and puppetry festival both in 2007. He also wrote and recorded music for Sanjin Muftic's one-man play ‘The life and work of Petrovic Petar’ that was staged at the Standard Bank National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in 2008. Max is currently enrolled in Masters in Composition at UCT. Max recently performed with Hot Water at festivals in Swaziland and Holland.

Ronan Skillen - tabla / assorted & extended percussion / slide didgeridoo
Ronan Skillen, a didgeridoo player and percussionist, studied tabla under tuition from tabla master Akram Khan in the Indian city of Delhi. He has performed and recorded with many top musicians in South Africa. Recently his most notable performances have been with Starkravingsane, the 'Guardian of the Flame' Jazzart dance company production, Hotwater, Roger Lucey, Moreira Project, LMR Trio, Matthew Rice Trio, La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre, The Eden Project, Rus Nerwich’s Mantras4ModernMan, Johnny Clegg,  jazz & Indian Music Fusion band Babu and the electric piano & percussion duo Tonik. Ronan has recently recorded and appeared on albums with Babu (who also performed at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2008), Lisa Bauer, Mantas4Modern Man, and Tonik (whose album was mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London).