BY JENNY ERIKSSON
Jenny Eriksson plays a unique instrument. That’s not an overstatement – her electric viola da gamba really is the only one of its kind in the country. Jenny, who founded The Marais Project and Elysian Fields, will perform with the latter ensemble this November 24 at Ultimo’s Foundry 616. Ahead of the event, this jazz and improvisation-inspired musician fills us in on the essential facts about her weapon of choice.
1. You play it standing up
Unlike the acoustic viola da gamba which is held between the calves like a cello, the electric gamba is played standing up, kind of like a jazz bass. It’s taken me a while to get used to playing this way.
2. The electric gamba has seven strings and frets like a guitar
The lowest note is a gravelly A way below middle C on the piano, and the highest string is an A up in the mid-register of the violin. This means I can play bass lines, melodies or harmonise in the middle voices like a trombone. I’ve had to teach myself to play it using jazz violin tutors and getting lessons from jazz musos including my son. I am pretty sure he thinks I still have a lot to learn. We tie our frets on, rather than embed wire in the fingerboard like a bass guitar.
3. It’s made to be bold
My instrument is called a Ruby Gamba and was designed and made by a Dutch luthier (instrument maker) and gambist, Jan Goorissen. Jan got sick of his acoustic viola da gamba being too soft to play with other instruments so he invented a new one. It really does have a pick up and I play it through a beautiful, high quality amplifier. I even use a couple of effects pedals…
4. Uniqueness is guaranteed: mine is the only one of its kind in Australia
As far as I know, I am the only professional electric gamba player in Australia. Our band Elysian Fields is the only electric viola da gamba group as well. So if you don’t hear us, you may never hear and electric gamba in action – and that would be a tragedy! We’ve also had to create a whole new repertoire by commissioning new works and arranging existing charts.
5. For an ancient instrument, it sounds bloody good in jazz!
This reinvention of a centuries-old instruments sounds completely at home in contemporary improvised music. Just ask my performer/composer colleagues Matt Keegan, Matt McMahon, Paul Cutlan and Siebe Pogson. It has taken me a while to get used to playing with drums and the exact beat of jazz but I am now feeling remarkably at home thanks to our fantastic drummer, Finn Ryan.
See Elysian Fields, featuring Jenny Eriksson, Matt McMahon, Matt Keegan, Siebe Pogson, Finn Ryan, and Susie Bishop, at 8.30pm November 24 in Foundry 616, Ultimo.
