Danish guitarist Buster Jensen born in 1989 in Odense, on the island Fyen. He is studying masters in Copenhagen at Rythmic Conservatory.
Playing guitar, lapsteel and keyboard in many different constellations. Among others: Guldimund with Adi Zukanovic, Rune Risager, Søren Jensen Buhl, Sven Dam Meinild; Juju Me, with Sven Dam Meinild, Asger nordtorp, Peter Albrechtsen, Anders Haaning and Stine Steendorph Petersen; Onkel Ond Band: a party band mixing the sound of Jimi Hendrix, Duke Ellington, Kurt Weil and Fela Kuti with Emil Thorenfeldt, Emil Gemmer Kromann, Simon Sommer, Malte Nordtorp, Asger Blomkvist, Kaare Bjerke and Andreas Møller Bøttiger and Asbjørn Storm Kampan; ZetZum Zorglub with Kristoffer Tophøj, Andreas Moller Bøttiger, Sfen Dam Meinild, Lars Greve, Kaare Bjerke and Ulvetimen with Kristian Kjærulff Ravn, Simon Alsing Busk, Jakob Pagaard,Kasper Nyhus and Anna-Karina Knudsen. He has also played with Echo Me , Benny Andersen, Anders Mogensen, Gilad Hekselman and many others.
He has composed and played lapstel, guitar, keyboard various at various theaters and theater setups.
Nominated for "talent of the year 2015" with Onkel Ond Band at Odense Live.
Nominated for the "Klods Hans Prize" for best act 2015 at the H.C. Andersen festival.
His mains influences are Jim Campilongo, Colin Stetson, Mark Knofler, Son Lux, Darkside, Daft Punk, Ali Farka Toure, Niclas Knudsen, Morten Nordal, Hilmer Jensson, Ry Cooder, PJ Harvey, St. Vincent, Bill Frisell, Nels Cline, Godspeed your black emperor, Arcade Fire, Talk Talk, Shuggi Otis, Gabriel Faure, Arvo Pärt, Nils Frahm.
What do you remember about your first approach to sound? Which was the first and the last record you bought with your own money?
I remember that the first records i started listening to was by Dire Straits and The Doors. I loved and still love the crispy sound of Mark Knofler's stratocaster, and it is still something i try to replicate when I am at my rehearsal space.
The first record was with Backstreet Boys and the last was Radiohead - A moon Shaped Pool. Also, I think the sound of the rain in Riders On The Storm is kind of a turning point for me.
How's your musical routine practice?
It depends on which mood i am in, and the forthcoming gigs. If i have to play music which is technically diffycult, I rehearse scales and speed. I usually create a beat in ableton which i then jam along with. When I am writing music for ZetZum ZorGlub or Onkel Ond Band, I play with effects and don't pay attention to technique.
Which work of your own are you most surprised by, and why? How do you feel listening to your own music?
Hmm.. I am genererally not surprised by my own work because i work a lot every day and use a lot of time composing and preparing my tunes for my bandmembers.
It's weird. I don't listen to it like a listen to Radiohead for instance. I listen to and analyze myself all the time.
What's the relevance of technique in music, in your opinion?
About technique, it depends of which type of music it is, and in which direction you want to take it. I recorded some music with Gilad Hekselman, and it was amazing what he could do on his guitar. In my opinion he is a very accomplished guitarplayer, who doesn't seem to have any technically difficulties. My self, on the contrary, has a lot of technically difficulties if chose to meet Gilad on his terms and play a jazzsolo, and therefore i play in my own kind of way, where technique is a relative term, and who decides who has the best technique, when the music is my own and moves on the my own terms? We played some of my tunes, and it was a true pleasure to witness Gilad adapt to my music, good technique or not.
Why do you need music? Can we live without music?
First of all i think it is fun. I don't think there is any reason to seperate music from life, it seems like it is natural for people in general to express themselves through music and art. So no, I don't think it is possible. People has always expressed themselves, even though it was not allowed because of political og social reasons- look at pussy riot for instance?
What are the challenges and benefits of today's digital music scene? Depict the sound you're still looking for, or the sound you'd like to hear.
It is easy to get you music out to a big audience, and it is not that expensive anymore to record.
Hmm. I like the sounds in general. Sometimes i try to express a feeling through my guitar - sometimes i succed sometimes i don't. I like the sound of flesh againt steel: I experiment a lot with playing guitar without a pick.
What instruments and tools do you use? What special or extrange techniques do you use?
A 72 Fender Telecaster, A 63 Jazzmaster, A 64 Epiphone Proffesional and a Custom Shop 60's Reissue Stratocaster. A lot of delays and weird effects. And Ableton.
Nothing special in techniques, I think. I concentrate upon making my pick and fingers sound as good as possible. I do not prepare my guitar or anything.
What do you recall about your playing learning process?
That it is hard work playing music. One day you think your on the top, the next day it's the worst decision you ever made was to start playing music.
What is your relationship with other art disciplines? Where are your roots? What are your secret influences?
I read a lot of books. I have named a few of my tunes after some of the characters in Dostojevskis litterature.
I have a lot of influences, most of all I think my family and friends. My fellow friends which also play music, are sometimes the ones, who influence me the most, by introducing me to new music for instance.
If you could, what would you say to yourself 30 years ago, about your musical career?
You should have practised more.
What is some valuable advice that someone has given to you in the past?
Be kind to people and don't be late.
What quality do you most empatize with in a musician?
The i like the most are those who can adapt. They can make the music sound great whether it's jazz, rock you name it.
What is the most recent musical experience that has attracted your attention? Which living or dead artist would you like to collaborate with?
Dirty Projecters - Swing Lo Magellan. Jimi Hendrix.
What’s your craziest project about? What projects are you working on now and what does the future hold?
Onkel Ond Band is a nine man high band, which play my tunes, and is mainly improvised. Sometimes some really freaky stuff goes down in this band. Last summer i poured a beer over my guitar, and people got quite surprised.
I am recording albums with ZetZum ZorGlub, Onkel Ond Band, and one of my friens called Asger, who has a band which is called GuldiMund. Besides that there is a lot of diffent small projects.
