© Kinbom & Kessner, 2015-2022. All rights reserved.

Kinbom & Kessner is collaboration between Swedish lap steel guitarist and composer Fredrik Kinbom and German theatre actress/director Sonja Kessner. The two work together as Kinbom & Kessner since 2015, write songs and theatre music, perform concerts and produce albums. They often work with international guests in their projects, like James Williamson (Iggy & The Stooges), Hannah Moule (Moulettes) and Glenn Richards (Augie March), to name a few.

 

Their songs are dealing with historical, political and social themes, telling tales of humanity, love and death while hoping for a peaceful and tolerant society.

 

The duo’s first album, Lieder von Liebe und Krieg (2015, Theater.Macht.Musik), stands - with its minimalist instrumentation and complex lyrics - in the tradition of the political “Liedermacher”.

 

The second album With The Beetles (2017, Sotones Records) is more extravagant in its instrumentaion, with Kurt Weill-esque waltz motifs, classical string arrangements, dark udu drum grooves and Fredrik Kinbom’s experimental use of the lap steel guitar.

 

The current album Anthropos (released 10 June 2022 by Hook Music/Theater der Zeit) deals with the beginning and end of the anthropocene, sketches the symptoms of an imminent future in various utopian and dystopian facets. The musical backbone, in addition to Fredrik Kinbom and Sonja Kessner, consists of Chris Farr (drums), Andreas Dormann (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone), Hans-Jörn Brandenburg (grand piano, celeste), Paul Brody (trumpet), Matti Bye (Hammond, analogue synthesizer) and Larry Mullins (percussion). The album also contains theatrical contributions from Angela Winkler, Axel Werner and the Theaterstaat ensemble.

 

Kinbom & Kessner live and work in Berlin.

 

Photo: Jenny Fitz