Rent Romus Premieres the Otherworld Cycle, Inspired by Ancient Finnish Mythology and the Kalevala at Community Music Center

Bay Area saxophonist and composer Rent Romus and the The Life's Blood Ensemble will premiere The Otherworld Cycle, a culmination of over 14 years of research into intersection between modern composition, improvisation, The Kalevala, and Finno-Ugrian traditions in music. The Other World thematic abstractly reference the Uralic “Body of Memory” embedded in Romus’ musical psyche refracted through a multifaceted lens.

The first elements of the Other World Cycle took hold after Rent Romus returned home from touring in Northern Europe in the mid-nineties. His experiences lead to continued research into the rich music and culture of his roots from Finland and the surrounding regions that hold a long and mystic history dating back to the end of the last ice age...

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Bay Area saxophonist and composer Rent Romus and the The Life's Blood Ensemble will premiere The Otherworld Cycle, a culmination of over 14 years of research into intersection between modern composition, improvisation, The Kalevala, and Finno-Ugrian traditions in music. The Other World thematic abstractly reference the Uralic “Body of Memory” embedded in Romus’ musical psyche refracted through a multifaceted lens.

The first elements of the Other World Cycle took hold after Rent Romus returned home from touring in Northern Europe in the mid-nineties. His experiences lead to continued research into the rich music and culture of his roots from Finland and the surrounding regions that hold a long and mystic history dating back to the end of the last ice age. Like many Americans whose families emigrated from other parts of the world, much of the details of Romus’ cultural identity, language and traditions were lost to integration over time. As a third generation Finnish American he has spent the last fourteen years delving deep into his roots piecing together stories from his family, photos of family members, and researching the depths of Finnish cultural history land of his grandmothers. Rent Romus says, “The Other World is a place we all carry with us. Deep inside it manifests as unknown melodies while walking down the street, a feeling of Déjà Vu for people and places we’ve never been before, and a kinship with people we’ve never known.”

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