Although they both worked in many critically acclaimed groups – from Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet, Lean Left (with Terrie Hessels and Andy Moor from The Ex) to Double Tandem (with Dutch saxophonist Abe Baars) – they have been returning to their duo for several years, because it remains central to their work.

Nilssen-Love and Vandermark began their collaboration when they recorded their first album, Dual Pleasure, for Smalltownsupersound. Soon after, they played their first concert at the Molde International Jazz Festival. Since then, they perform internationally every year – in Europe, North America and Japan. Their approach to the context is wild in its intensity, combining extreme rhythmic speed with formal deconstruction and re-assembly, and the freedom to use any genre at any time. In many ways, Nilssen-Love and Vandermark are more open-minded in this setting than any other situation they play in, creating a unique approach to improvised music that is captivating both in its ideas and performance.