Stian Carstensen is the renowned multi-talented musician and leading light of the critically acclaimed band Farmers Market. He is actively involved in a variety of musical genres and plays an increasing number of solo concerts classical and jazz, and folk music at festivals all around the globe.
Stian is a 5th generation accordion-player from the Norwegian constitutional heartland of Eidsvoll, where, as a child, he was taught the craft by venerable fiddlers and tradition-steeped accordionists.
His repertoire consists of an eclectic blend of imported and home crafted musical artistry performed on accordion, guitar, banjo, pedal-steel guitar and "kaval" (bulgarian flute) accompanied at times with vocals and whistling. Irreverent improvisations inspired by spontaneous audience-requests providing additional fare are par for the course.
Stian Carstensen has journeyed far and wide in pursuit of musical stimuli for the past 25 years. Bulgaria, especially, where he has excelled under the tutelage of Romani musicians. Also worth mentioning is an extensive period he spent learning the intricacies of banjo in Kentucky from accomplished Appalachian artists.
He is currently completing a conceptual solo album which explores the world of odd rhythms within balkan music with the tonal language of european classical music. The instrumentarium is an extended smorgasbord consisting of different guitars, ocarinas, bassoon, french horn, choir, accordion, pedal steel guitar, organ, bagpipes, kaval, analogue synthesizers, strings, harp, timpanis, drums and bass.
A single followed by an extraordinary atypical music video woven together by the amazing Dave McKean(Cages, Sandman, Mirrormask, Luna etc.) will be released in April.
