On Wednesday, January 28, Goolugatup Sounds presents a midweek spectacular, featuring free-improv legends Phil Durrant (@phil_durrant, UK; mandolin and electronics) and Christoph Gallio (@christoph_gallio, Switzerland; saxophone) in their celebrated duo mode. Plus, dynamic sound-adventurers Simon Charles (@siber_cha) and Raras Sukardi (@razosukardi), each presenting unique sets for inquisitive eardrums; the mercurial Izzy French (@one2.2four) on the decks, an open improv session and more.
Durrant/Gallio
The duo of Phil Durrant (electric mandolin & electronics) and Christoph Gallio (saxophones) was formed in 2022 during Gallio’s residency in London. But the musicians first met in Switzerland 40 years prior, and their paths have crossed almost inevitably in the decades since, ubiquitous as they both have been in Europe’s experimental and free improv performance circuit.
Individually they are veterans of the international ‘free improvised music’ scene, and have been involved in countless projects that have shaped the development of the form. As a duo, they have a forthcoming release on Empty Birdcage Records. 2026 marks the duo’s first performance in Western Australia.
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Phil Durrant
Born near London in 1957, Phil Durrant is an improviser, composer, and sound artist with an L.L.C.M from the London College of Music and an MA in Sonic Arts from the University of East London.
A vital figure in European improvised music, Durrant emerged as a violinist and key exponent of the “group voice approach,” notably through the Butcher/Russell/Durrant trio and later the influential reductionist trio with Radu Malfatti and Thomas Lehn. These projects toured widely across Europe and Canada and released recordings on Acta and Emanem.
In recent years, Durrant has focused upon mandolin and semi-modular synthesis, performing in duos and trios with artists including John Butcher, Mark Wastell, Maggie Nicols, Bertrand Denzler, and Burkhard Beins. His long-running electronic trio Sowari marked its 20th anniversary in 2024. Durrant is also a member of the pioneering electronic ensemble MIMEO and regularly collaborates across music, electronics, and dance, creating site-specific works for leading choreographers. He is also involved in a new audio/visual project celebrating the work of the celebrated Scottish artist, Alan Davie, in collaboration with With Mark Wastell, Steve Beresford and David Toop.
https://www.facebook.com/philsowaridurrant/
https://www.facebook.com/sowarimodular/
Christoph Gallio
Also born in 1957, Swiss saxophonist and composer Christoph Gallio lives in Baden near Zurich. He studied classical saxophone at the Basel Music Conservatory, worked closely with Steve Lacy in Paris, and later completed an MA in Transdisciplinarity at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).
Gallio has collaborated widely across Switzerland, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, performing and recording with leading improvisers including Irene Schweizer, Fred Frith, Peter Kowald and Phil Minton; William Parker, Rashied Ali, Gerry Hemingway, Roger Turner, Dominic Lash; and of course, Phil Durrant. His work spans music, dance, and interdisciplinary performance, with early collaborations including dancers and international projects in Japan.
Gallio has toured worldwide and appeared at major festivals such as the Vision Festival (NYC), MaerzMusik Berlin, Toronto and Vancouver Jazz Festivals, and Yokohama Jazz Festival. He has led the long-running trio DAY & TAXI for over 35 years and remains active in duos and commissioned works. Since 1986, he has also run his own label, PERCASO.
www.gallio.ch
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with support from
Simon Charles
Simon Charles (he/him) is a composer, saxophonist and electro-acoustic musician whose work is compelled by an ethic of relational listening. He is interested in qualities of attention and attunement, and his practice is informed by histories of experimentalism in Australian music – having studied with Anthony Pateras, Ros Bandt, Jim Denley, Warren Burt.
Raras Sukardi
Raras Sukardi (she/her) is an Indonesian-born, Australian-raised clarinettist, actively exploring improvised and experimental music. Her Indonesian heritage shapes her identity, creating a deep sense of belonging and natural connection towards Indonesian culture, people, and land. This connection inspires her artistic journey, driving her to explore the interrelationship between art, nature, and spiritual energy.
Izzy French (dj)
Izabelle “Izzy” French (she/they) is a trans-femme sound artist, composer, improvisor, WAAPA graduate, and comic artist in Boorloo/Perth whose art often explores themes of playfulness, noise, the challenging of perception, and the limit of abstraction.
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6pm, Wednesday January 28
@ Goolugatup Gallery