Following her unforgettable concert commemorating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 2019, legendary singer, writer, and activist Patti Smith returns to the Pierre Boulez Saal for a three-night residency, joined by Jackson Smith, Tony Shanahan, and Seb Rochford.
Presented by Berthold Seliger
Patti Smith
Born in Chicago and raised in New Jersey, Patti Smith has lived in New York since 1967. She released her first album, Horses, in 1975 and has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, most recently in 2017 for the spoken-word recording of her book M Train. She received a Golden Globe nomination for the song “Mercy Is” from the film Noah. Her acclaimed memoir Just Kids, which chronicles her friendship and journey in art with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, won the 2010 National Book Award. A Book of Days, her most recent publication, is a collection of photos and reflections and was released last year. Patti Smith’s art has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide. An inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she was named a Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in 2005 and received Sweden’s Polar Music Prize, the unofficial Nobel Prize for Music, in 2011. She holds honorary doctorates from Rowan State University, the Pratt Institute, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Jackson Smith
Guitarist Jackson Smith has recorded and toured extensively. As well as with his mother Patti, he has collaborated with artists such as Elton John, Lisa Marie Presley, Jerry Early, Steve Earle, and Jeff Bridges, among many others.
Tony Shanahan
Musician, songwriter, and producer Tony Shanahan grew up in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is the founder of the Slaves of New Brunswick and was a member of the New York–based band Health and Happiness Show in the early 1990s. His collaborators have included artists such as Michael Stipe, David Gray, Ryan Adams, Robert Plant, Ian Hunter, Faith Hill, Aimee Mann, Natalie Merchant, and Suzanne Vega. He has been a member of Patti Smith’s band for more than 20 years. Their song “1959” from the album Peace and Noise was nominated for a Grammy in 1998.
Seb Rochford
London-based drummer and composer Seb Rochford is best known as leader of the experimental jazz band Polar Bear. He was a founding member of Sons of Kemet and, in addition to Patti Smith, has also collaborated with Brian Eno, David Byrne, Jason Moran, and many others. His new band Pulled by Magnets released its debut album in 2020.
