In recent decades, Jeff Mills is not limited to just electronics: the producer, DJ, composer creates impressive shows that intertwine music, contemporary art, pop culture, design and science fiction, and his concerts with live music artists have received worldwide recognition and are regularly invited to the most important concert halls and festivals.
Jeff Mills’ Tomorrow Comes The Harvest shows last year took place at Hamburg’s Elbe, Cologne and Luxembourg Philharmonies, London’s Barbican and Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw concert halls, and this year’s tour kicked off in May in New York, followed by performances at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in Switzerland, Paris’ Parvis de la Défense, Arles Theater Antique in France and elsewhere. Before the concert in Lithuania, “Tomorrow Comes The Harvest” is scheduled at the Barcelona festival “Jazztronica”, and after Vilnius, a concert awaits him at the famous international arts center “De Singel” in Antwerp.
Jeff Mills began his musical career in Detroit in the 1980s, from 1992. releases music on Axis Records, the publishing company he founded. Jeff Mills first became famous as a member of the group Underground Resistance under the stage name “The Wizard”, then in search of new challenges he moved to New York, even later to Berlin, where he was a resident at the famous Tresor club, and then to Chicago.
Around the 2000s, he began to connect his music with other art forms, as a video artist he organized performances and exhibitions at the Southbank Center and Barbican Center in London, the Center Pompidou in Paris and the Cinémathèque Française, a center for contemporary culture at the CCCB in Barcelona. in 2015 he was invited to become an artist-in-residence at the Louvre Museum, where he created four performances combining music, film and dance. In the same year, he formed the electronic jazz fusion band Spiral Deluxe.
in 2017 as artist-in-residence at the Barbican Centre, he presented From Here to There, a series of innovative conceptual events that combined electronic music with symphonic sound and other art forms. Jeff Mills was the first DJ to collaborate with classical orchestras. He has released about 70 albums and many singles. in 2007 he was awarded the Knighthood of the Order of Arts and Letters (L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) by the French government in 2017. with the Officer’s Cross of the same order, in recognition of his merits to the arts.
Jean-Philippe Dary and Prabhu Edouard will perform with Jeff Mills in Vilnius. Dary is a keyboardist, singer, producer, arranger and songwriter. Born in France and with Guyanese roots, the artist has worked with African singers, appearing in various jazz, reggae, pop and electronic projects.
For the past 20 years, Dary has worked mainly with his friend Tony Allen, and they have recorded eight albums with artists such as Jeff Mills, Damon Albarn, TY and Ernest Rangling. Dary also develops his own projects that combine traditional African instruments with electronic modular synthesizers and many other keyboards. Tomorrow Comes The Harvest Trio also features Prabhu Edouard, a percussionist and composer with Indian roots. He is a disciple of renowned tabla master Pandit Shankar Ghosh and is considered one of the most versatile tabla performers of his generation. The artist’s cosmopolitan nature and love for experiments led him to build creative relationships with artists from various corners of the world.
The last two concerts of the Gaida International Festival of Current Music: Tomorrow Comes The Harvest with electronic music legend Jeff Mills (USA), Jean-Philippe Dary (keyboards) and Prabhu Edouard (percussion) are on November 6, and the festival will close with “ GRAMMY winner, acclaimed songwriter and performer Caroline Shaw (USA) with New York percussion group So Percussion – December 5th. Both of these concerts will take place in the new LVSO concert hall. The festival is financed by the Lithuanian Culture Council and Vilnius City Municipality. Full festival program – www.gaida.lt on the website.
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**Interview with Jeff Mills: The Visionary Behind Tomorrow Comes the Harvest**
*Interviewer:* Jeff, it’s incredible to see how your work has evolved over four decades. Can you tell us how the concept for “Tomorrow Comes the Harvest” came about?
*Jeff Mills:* Thank you! The concept really stems from my desire to blend music with other forms of art, exploring themes that resonate across different cultures and disciplines. For this project, I wanted to create a narrative that melds science fiction with contemporary societal issues, using live music as a conduit. It’s about creating an experience that’s immersive and thoughtful.
*Interviewer:* You’ve performed all around the world, from prestigious concert halls in Europe to festivals like Jazztronica. How does the setting influence your performance?
*Jeff Mills:* Each venue has its own unique energy and acoustics, which definitely shapes the way I perform. For example, performing at a place like the Louvre was surreal, as you’re surrounded by such historical beauty. In contrast, a festival setting brings a different kind of excitement and spontaneity. I try to adapt the show to whatever space I’m in, ensuring that it feels bespoke to the audience there.
*Interviewer:* The collaboration between music and visual art is a hallmark of your career. How do you see this relationship evolving?
*Jeff Mills:* The fusion of different art forms is the future of all creative endeavors, in my opinion. It invites dialogue and reflection, offering audiences a multi-sensory experience. As technology evolves, I think we’ll see even more innovative juxtapositions, where music, visual art, and interactive technology come together seamlessly.
*Interviewer:* You’ve been involved in significant collaborations, such as performing with Prabhu Edouard and Jean-Philippe Dary. What do these collaborations bring to your work?
*Jeff Mills:* Collaborating with artists like Prabhu and Jean-Philippe is vital. Their diverse backgrounds and musical styles infuse new ideas and sounds into my work. Prabhu’s percussion and Jean-Philippe’s fusion of African instruments with electronic sounds expand the narrative I’m aiming to create. Together, we can explore rhythms and textures that only emerge through collaboration.
*Interviewer:* Looking ahead to your upcoming concerts, what are you most excited about in the “Tomorrow Comes the Harvest” tour?
*Jeff Mills:* I’m really excited about the way the show has evolved. Each performance adds something new, and I’m eager to see how audiences in different cities resonate with the themes we explore. I think each city influences the performance, and I’m looking forward to experiencing that connection, especially in places like Lithuania and Antwerp, where audiences are known for their passion for the arts.
*Interviewer:* what message do you hope audiences take away from “Tomorrow Comes the Harvest”?
*Jeff Mills:* I wish for audiences to leave with a sense of curiosity and inspiration. The world is full of possibilities if we dare to dream and think creatively. I want them to engage with the music and the visual elements, considering their own interpretations and reflections on the themes presented. It’s about fostering a dialogue that extends beyond the performance itself.
*Interviewer:* Thank you, Jeff! We can’t wait to see you bring “Tomorrow Comes the Harvest” to life on stage.
*Jeff Mills:* Thank you! I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with everyone.