A silent film without intertitles, a screenplay, actors, or sets: With *Man with a Movie Camera*, Russian director Dziga Vertov developed his own cinematic language and employed a variety of new techniques. The film takes viewers through a day in a fictional Soviet metropolis from the perspective of a cameraman. Even at its premiere, Vertov’s experimental documentary—which combines footage from Moscow, Odessa, and Kyiv—was warmly received by audiences as a poetic historical document.

Martin Ptak and Martin Eberle create a musical counterpart to this avant-garde masterpiece using jazz and electronic sounds. Composed and improvised sections flow seamlessly into one another, for thanks to their long-standing collaboration, the two musicians are “one heart and one soul [...] and feel and know exactly how the other ticks.” (Press release)

Martin Eberle and Martin Ptak first met in 2012 with the Viennese folk music group “Die Strottern & blech.” Since then, they have been integral parts of exciting projects and bands such as the Velvet Elevator Orchestra, the Jazzwerkstatt Wien, and the Soap&Skin ensemble for years. Ten years after meeting, in May 2022, the two released their first joint album, “Momentum.” The tracks evoke their work in other settings but are “stripped-down,” reduced to the essence of their compositions—without vocals, an ensemble, or beats. The delicate sound of Eberle’s trumpet drifts over the gently recorded piano.