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Website: www.doublemoon.de Contact: info@doublemoon.de |
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Alon Nechushtan – Ritual Fire Line-up: |
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Website: www.doublemoon.de
Contact: info@doublemoon.de |
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Mira Mode Orchestra – Restless City
release: April 2013 Line-up: Featurings: |
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Christy Doran´s NEW BAG – Mesmerized
release: May 2013 Line-up: |
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Birgitta Flick Quartet – Yingying
release: June 2013 Line-up: |
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Denis Gäbel – Neon Sounds
release: April 2013 Line-up: |
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Website: www.glm.de Contact: info@glm.de |
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Tuija Komi – Something
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Martin Kälberer – Goya
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Website: www.intuition-music.com Contact: volker.dueck@doublemoon.de |
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Kai Schumacher – Transcriptions
release: April 2013 Line-up: |
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Niacin – Krush
release: May 2013 Line-up: |
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Website: www.laika-records.com Contact: info@laika-records.com |
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Lars Kuklinski Ensemble – Suite C-Sharp Minor
release: 12.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Ulf Meyer / Martin Wind – Live at Orpheus Theater 2012
release: 05.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Website: www.neuklangrecords.de Contact: rico@bauerstudios.de |
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Kalima – Everything Within
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Marc Mangen Trio – Strains Of Delight And Despair
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The Ropesh – The Ropesh
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Website: www.ozellamusic.com Contact: mail@ozellamusic.com |
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Kari Ikonen Trio – Bright
release: 12.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Slagr & Camilla Granlien – Songs by Geirr Tveitt
release: 12.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Randi Tytingvåg – Lights Out
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Website: www.skiprecords.com Contact: bachmann@skiprecords.com |
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Tingvall Trio – In Concert
release: 05.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Website: www.traumton.de Contact: info@traumton.de |
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Lea W. Frey – How Soon Is Now
release: 05.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Frederik Köster – Die Verwandlung
release: 26.04.2013 Line-up: |
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Website: www.doublemoon.de Contact: info@doublemoon.de |
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Alon Nechushtan Line-up: |
| Info: Jackson Pollock made "Action Painting" well known a while back, and he became one of the most important painters of the 20th century. This art form considers improvisation to be a pivotal element in painting. Color is often not applied with a brush, but drop by drop, for example, sometimes applied to the canvas directly from the can. Simple materials and techniques result in amazing results. In spite of this, it is not at all dilettantism, but instead is done based on comprehensive knowledge of all set structures and techniques. But they are just not satisfied with set structures. "Action Suite" by the pianist Alon Nechushtan pursues similar considerations. Based on virtuoso mastery of musical instrumentation and with a clear idea of what music pieces created in free improvisation should express, a number of precious pieces are created – and these grow together into an overall work of art. Free improvisation in this sense is the opposite of lack of prerequisites. To the contrary: It only works if each single member of the band contributes all of his expertise, experience and skills into a mutual work networked internally. That is what accounts for the extraordinary fascination of "Ritual Fire": Inner concordance of the musicians that has become rare that makes the free improvisation seem to listeners as if it were composed. Alon Nechushtan was born in Rishon le Zion (near Tel Aviv) in 1974. He already learned to play the piano when he was six years old, and he began to compose for chamber music ensembles when he was 10. Private studies under Slava Ganelin as well as listening to the current music of his youth from Genesis to Pink Floyd stirred his awaking interest for jazz pianists – and of course composition studies from Debussy to Shostakovich. He also played in jazz combos during his classical composition studies in Jerusalem. After he received his Master\’s degree, he moved to the USA for good in 2003, first to Boston (on the advice of Between the Lines artist Yitzhak Yedid) where he continued his studies under Ran Blake, Paul Bley, Fred Hersch and others. Bob Brookmeyer was also one of his mentors, and he conducted numerous premiers of Nechushtan’s compositions. He moved to New York in 2003, and his first recordings were soon released, among others on John Zorn’s label Tzadik. Since then he has worked with many musicians such as Marty Ehrlich, Frank London, Ned Rothenberg, Eliott Sharp, Mark Dresser and many others. Alon Nechushtan is presenting a very special guest on "Ritual Fire": Harold Rubin born in South Africa in 1932. He studied classical clarinet, but was already attracted to jazz in his youth, first to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, and later to Erik Dolphy and Tony Scott. His band celebrated his first successes and played at the first Jazz Festival in Johannesburg, among other places. He emigrated to Israel in 1963 due to the Apartheid system. He worked there successfully in his profession as architect and painter and was involved in the peace movement, so that he had little time for playing the clarinet. However, he got involved again at the end of the 70s, influenced by the free jazz of Cecil Taylor and John Carter, with his own bands ("Zaviot Quartet") and on tours through Europe and the USA (among others, with Jim Pepper and Christoph Spendel). Rubin has closely linked his life’ss personal, social and music freedom. Bob Meyer (born in 1945) is one of America’s drummers most in demand by musicians such as Joe Lovano and Ed Schuller to Rick Margitza and John Abercrombie, with whom he currently plays in a quartet (with Adam Kolker and Johannes Weidenmuller). His timing and his sensitiveness provide "Ritual Fire" with a stable foundation. Ken Filiano on bass (born in 1952) is currently one of the most innovative and virtuoso musicians in his field. His collaboration is highly esteemed by numerous co-musicians (Bobby Bradford, John Carter, Frank London, Giora Feidman, etc.). His openness for new experiences seems unlimited, and he also provides brilliant moments time and time again in Alon Nechushtan’s trio. |
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Website: www.doublemoon.de
Contact: info@doublemoon.de |
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Mira Mode Orchestra Line-up: Featurings: |
| Info: Off in a New Direction. With its debut "Restless City", the collective around the saxophonist and composer Ede Merkel describes the pulsating, urban hustle and bustle in voluptuous, even cinemascopic-like sound qualities. In addition to the leader Merkel, the band is composed of a septet as a basis. It is supplement by a string ensemble on "Restless City", which fits in organically as a matter of course. Clara Hill sings as guest vocalist on "Glacial Moraine, and Simple One lends his warm voice to the piece "Shade of Ivory". The music by Mira Mode Orchestra is an amalgam of genre-overlapping styles. Acoustic jazz meets gently buzzing funk, minimal music with its repetitive sounds contrasts with more groove-oriented electronic music, and arranged orchestra sounds round it all out and give the music a special touch. All pieces can be unified in their own coolness, which reminds us more than once of the "Cinematic Orchestra". A great first work in a contemporary look. The saxophonist, composer and band leader Ede Merkel was born in Halle/S. in 1983. After he graduated from high school, he studied jazz and popular music at the Berlin Jazz Institute (HFM Hans Eisler / UDK). He already played in numerous bands while studying, from big band to Indie band. In addition to the all-rounder’s busy activities as composer, arranger and bandleader, Ede has also worked for such different artists as Funkfood, Feindrehstar and Clara Hill. He has been teaching at the Brandenburg Free Music School for the past four years. His band is composed of outstanding young musicians, each of whom is already successful in his field: Sebastian Piskorz studied trumpet in Berlin and Oslo and is currently studying for a Master\’s degree in composition in Dresden. Nils Marquardt (1982) grew upon the island of Rügen. He started his music education when he was four years old, which eventually took him to classical trombone. At the same time, he took lessons from Dan Gottshall and Nils Landgren, among others, and later studied at Berlin Music College. Eren Solak studied classical piano at the Baden Conservatory in Karlsruhe and at the "Hans Eisler" Music College in Berlin. He teaches at the Potsdam Free Music School. Joachim Ribbentrop was born in Karlsruhe in 1980 and studied at Stuttgart Music College. He took individual lessons from the renowned guitarists Jesse van Ruller and Martijn van Iterson during a stay in Holland. Felix Otto Jacobi (1980) studied contrabass and e-bass at Dresden Music College. Friedemann Pruss (1986) studied at Leipzig Music College and Berlin Music College. In addition to playing drums in the Mira Mode Orchestra, he also plays in the band "Eder", among others Guest star Clara Hill performs in NuJazz, Triphop and House and is known for her collaboration with Jazzanova and Sonar Kollektiv, among others. Simple One is a known rapper, poet and singer in the scene – one of the few with an unadulterated hip hop attitude. |
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Christy Doran´s NEW BAG Line-up: |
| Info: Old Bottle, New Wine: The band that constantly re-invents itself, has again developped a surprising new program, starting a new era of the "NEW BAG". But they continue living their message: intensive desire for crazy musical adventures, and consequent resistance to be pidgeonholed. |
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Birgitta Flick Quartet Line-up: |
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Info: "Wow ! ! ! – I was really stunned by the playing on this album. The pictures it painted in my mind were wonderful – really very impressionistic and so intimate. The first time I have heard some playing that is different from the current trends and not trying to be part of the pop culture. This album needs to be listend to very carefully and not used as fill in music for a party. |
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Denis Gäbel Line-up: |
| Info: He is one of the saxophonists most in demand in Germany, and Denis Gäbel can afford to fill his band with the musicians most in demand in their areas too. This band makes a statement with "Neon Sounds" that proves that Germany is one of the countries setting the tone in jazz in the meantime – and not just in the area of the next generation, but also with established musicians. The eight original compositions (only one song, "Devil Woman", is by Charles Mingus) impress with their roots in the tradition of jazz, with lots of blues, hard bop and swing in blood, but they also point the way to modern interpretation: from pulsating groove to flexible funk, and all of that at the highest level. It is above all remarkable that Gäbel succeeds in doing something very rare with his pieces: the link between catchy melodies and demanding harmonics, which in turn challenge every improviser. A radiating tenor saxophone with a clearly identifiably, individual sound and impressive energy in combination with the unusual sound of an original Wurlitzer e-piano and the good old Fender Rhodes sounds. In addition, a driving bass and airy, sensitive drum playing. A joyful celebration for jazz lovers, regardless of which faction they belong to, because simply wonderful and stirring music is provided here that crosses borders. Denis Gäbel, in the meantime "thirty-something", the younger brother of the internationally known singer Tom Gaebel, started his music education at an early age thanks to a musical family. After cello and piano, he soon discovered "his" instrument. He already won his first big prize (1st prize in the Young People Play Jazz Contest held by North Rhine-Westphalia in 1993) when he was 13. He soon played in renowned bands and then in BuJazzO under Peter Herbolzheimer from 1999 until 2002. He studied Amsterdam and New York at the same time, and recorded his first CD, a tribute to his idol Sonny Rollins ("Keep On Rollin", released in 2007). In the meantime, he is an established musician in the German jazz scene and has played not just very often with his brother, but also with well-known colleagues such as Frank Chastenier, Dusko Gojkovic and Billy Cobham. He additionally made exemplary contributions at the debuts of younger jazz musicians such as Felix Heydemann and Hannah Köpf (Jazz thing Next Generation). Pablo Held as pianist is one of the most successful jazz musicians in Germany, a "bearer of hope for the genre" (Stefan Hentz, Die Zeit). Of course, he is consequently a pianist much in demand and has played with many known musicians from Dave Liebman and Till Brönner to Nils Wogram. His trio recordings are regularly overwhelmed with praise from the press. But people have rarely heard him on Fender Rhodes and even less often on Wurlitzer; this sound makes "Neon Sounds" even more exciting. Another star (not only) in German jazz has also been in the trio of Pablo Held for many years. Although he is the youngest band member, Jonas Burgwinkel (Echo prizewinner 2012) has already played with many internationally known jazz musicians. He can be heard on more than 40 CDs, most recently on the current album of Michel Reis ("Hidden Meaning") at Double Moon Records. Martin Gjakonovski can also be heard on releases from Double Moon Records (among others, by Anke Helfrich), but also on recordings by Paul Kuhn, Ferenc Snetberger, Dusko Gojkovich, etc. He is above all in demand as bassist thanks to his timing, which could serve as a measuring gauge for Swiss timepieces, and for his clean intonation. He once again proves on "Neon Sound" that he stimulates his co-musicians to top-rate form with his driving groove. |
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Website: www.glm.de Contact: info@glm.de |
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Tuija Komi Label: Edition Collage Line-up: |
| Info: Returning from the dizzying heights of "love-struck confusion" in Finnish: Rempallaan (the title of her first solo CD, released in 2009) Tuija Komi now follows suit with a bold excursion into the rugged terrain of togetherness: On her second CD, the Finnish jazz vocalist presents a striking musical anthology culled from a wide range of emotional topographies. With her spellbinding, sensuous voice, Tuija ventures far beyond the familiar ground of cozy domestic bliss, exploring rock-strewn territories of longing and passion, fleeting joy, and poignant goodbyes that culminate in nostalgic gloom. On this gravelly road, Tuija touches upon a remarkable breadth of styles ranging from blues, jazz, latin, and pop to soul, tango, and world music. Besides featuring an unusual juxtaposition of jazz classics with lesser-known Finnish musical jewels, this album offers an additional highlight: Tuijas first original song (with considerable earworm potential!) and an original ballad by world-renowned jazz trumpeter Dusko Goykovich for which Tuija has contributed the lyrics. With arrangements as imaginative as these, even the most familiar standards suddenly come across like a breath of fresh air such as the Michel Legrand classic "What are you doing the rest of your life" sung Latin-style. And while Stevie Wonders buoyant tunes are foolproof mood boosters, the haunting melodies from the Far North evoke the primordial magic of arctic nights aglow with mysterious celestial formations. With her broad range of styles, irresistible charm, and extraordinary musical sensitivity, this power-packed blonde captures the essence of every song and conjures fairy-tale inner landscapes, populated by elves, trolls, and wood nymphs. What’s more, our "Nordic Nightingale," whose path of flight has already crisscrossed the continents, can rely on a band whose players are phenomenally attuned to each other like a single, perfectly-tempered instrument. "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" the motto of this CD dates back to a popular wedding tradition where couples were told what to wear to the ceremony. In line with this saying, Tuijas program features popular oldies with glamorous histories, as well as enigmatic contemporary ballads and dreamy "borrowed" melodies for which she has written lyrics of her own. Of course, many of these tunes are replete with Nordic melancholy, relating stories of deep passion a Nordic peoples blues, if you will. But Tuija wanted her program to embrace the full spectrum of emotions, straight out of real life because she believes that those of us who suppress our deepest grief will never know the ecstasy of unrestrained bliss. |
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Martin Kälberer Label: Fine Music Line-up: |
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Info: Martin Kälberer, known among other things as congenial partner of Werner Schmidbauer (Aufgspuit) |
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Website: www.intuition-music.com Contact: volker.dueck@doublemoon.de |
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Kai Schumacher Line-up: |
| Info: A Steinway D, a four square meter large, analog monster. Revered by classical pianists as well as by jazz musicians. At times by singers and songwriters too. A grand piano with the capability of producing finely chiseled sounds, brachial clusters and very delicate dabs of sound with an enormous range of sound textures. But on rock stages, at metal parties as well as at punk and alternative rock concerts? The sensitive instrument could previously be found there less often than a camel at a Swiss mountain hut. As a child of the 80s and 90s of the last century, Kai Schumacher posed the question of why that is. And how he could at least change that for his world of experience. Dealing with this unusual material is a "personal journey through time back into a decade when music television did not sell any cellphone apps, but instead the souls of well behaved piano students to the rock ‘n roll devil,” Schumacher declared. This is proof that even a classical concert piano student is not immune to the times, but instead listens to popular music as all those his age do. However, the rift between "classical" and "popular" seems to become increasing insurmountable when musicians grow older – something that was not always the case, as the numerous and successful transcriptions of popular music by composers from Mozart to Liszt prove. In recent times, however, young musicians trained and working in classical music care less and less about these barriers. Regardless of whether choir, symphony orchestra or cello quartet, many use the melodies and harmonies of popular music and interpret them in their own style. Kai Schumacher has now thrown himself into a fantastic adventure; he transcribed the mega hits of the secret heroes of his youth – Rage Against the Machine, Slayer, Megadeth, Nirvana, The Prodigy, among others – and composed variations on them. Or to give it a more modern formulation: he practices excessive analog remixing. And lo and behold: he creates many a gem from what often appear to be roughly construed models, which only disclose in this interpretation and collection what fascinating structures and melodies are to be discovered. A great adventure, which fascinates him and which he now wants to make possible for many listeners with "Transcriptions". The classical music child prodigy Kai Schumacher actually can restrict himself to playing Chopin studies faster than others; he had his first public performance when he was seven and his orchestra debut when he was 15. But his curiosity is indomitable, and consequently he continually seeks for new and stimulating challenges far from the beaten path in addition to classical music performances and tours, above all as an excellent connoisseur of contemporary American piano music: regardless of whether linking concerts with video installations, folk-pop or world music projects or the use of electronic sounds during classical concerts. This is now "a reminiscence of a youth in a leather jacket, battle jacket, flannel shirt, bondage pants and Doc Martens – a long time ago before there were any cellphone apps…" (Schumacher). |
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Niacin Line-up: |
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Website: www.laika-records.com Contact: info@laika-records.com |
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Lars Kuklinski Ensemble Line-up: |
| Info: The award-winning ("Jazz Podium Niedersachsen") trumpet player Lars Kuklinski was inspired to compose a suite for jazz ensemble. Lars Kuklinski developed his independent jazz compositions into a larger compositional relationship between classical music and jazz. He composed a very melody-oriented form of chamber jazz, which allows also outbreaks in other climes. Particularly through using the cello, which is used both as a bass and as a melodic instrument, resulting exciting harmonies and sounds. For his new group Lars Kuklinski has assembled experienced and proven musicians: Hartmut Kracht (guitar), Jörg Brinkmann (cello) and Peter Eisold (dr). |
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Ulf Meyer / Martin Wind Line-up: |
| Info: Ulf Meyer and Martin have been playing together for more than 15 years and have just released their fifth album "Feels Like Home". Both were born and grew up in Germany’s most northern city Flensburg, which is located on the tip of a beautiful fjord from the Baltic Sea only a couple of miles from the Danish border. In 1991 they played their first duo concert when they filled in for the opening night of the new performance space called the "Orpheus Theatre". While working on their repertoire they realized, that they were very much influenced by the style and approach by the great European Guitar and Bass Duo work of Belgium guitarist Philippe Catherine and Danish Bassist Nils Henning Orsted Pedersen. Ulf and Martin really enjoyed their relaxed and humorous way of playing standard from the American Songbook as well as folk songs and even lullabies. In May 2012 they recorded "Live at Orpheus Theater" for the 20th birthday of this theater. |
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Website: www.neuklangrecords.de Contact: rico@bauerstudios.de |
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Kalima Label: Neuklang Line-up: |
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Prelistening track on SoundCloud Info: On EVERYTHING WITHIN the trio Kalima enthuses their audience with a modern chamber jazz & World music. The charismatic trio around singer Sascha Ley both surprises and convinces by its daring approach to an uninhibited and intimate jazz, a subtle mixture of modern themes and imaginary folklore. |
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Marc Mangen Trio Label: Neuklang Line-up: |
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Prelistening track on SoundCloud Info: |
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The Ropesh Label: Neuklang Line-up: |
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Prelistening track on SoundCloud Info: |
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Website: www.ozellamusic.com Contact: mail@ozellamusic.com |
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Kari Ikonen Trio Line-up: |
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Prelistening track on SoundCloud Info: |
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Slagr & Camilla Granlien Line-up: |
| Info: Irresistibly poetic soundscapes Slagr are exploring the magic of Norwegian composer Geirr Tveitt The cosmos of Slagr is defined by the contrast between the sensitive violin- and cello-timbres of Anne Hytta and Sigrun Eng and the crystalline tones emanating from Amund Sjølie Sveen\’s tuned wine glasses and vibraphone. Eager not to repeat themselves, Slagr\’s new release Songs by Geirr Tveitt is paying homage to the musical legacy of one of the most renowned Norwegian composers of the 20th century with tender sounds and transparent textures. Supported by folk singer Camilla Granlien, Anne Hytta (Hardanger fiddle), Sigrun Eng (cello) and Amund Sjølie Sveen (vibraphone, tuned glasses) are effortlessly connecting the worlds of classical music, folk and improvisation with their quiet, meditative music – just like Geir Tveitt once did,when composing his little masterpieces. |
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Randi Tytingvåg Label: Songways/Ozella Music Line-up: |
| Info: Breaking The Silence Over the last years, Randi Tytingvåg has proofed to be one of Norway\’s – and even Europe’s – most interesting artists. Her first albums „Let Go“ and „Red“ featured a unique blend of Chanson, Folk and Jazz, taking the hearts of thousands of fans by storm. „Grounding“ (2012) presented the charismatic singer as a mature songwriter with the skills to come up with a new take on contemporary Scandinavian/British pop. So far Randi Tytingvåg’s career has known no restraints in style, treating music as a game that just needs to be played right. Sadly, life as opposed to music isn’t always a game after all, Randi Tytingvåg had to learn when she lost her unborn child last year. Suffering from sorrow and grief, she was looking for a way to express those feelings and found it in her music. It’s a delicate and eminently private subject, but Randi Tytingvåg is an artist through and through, music is her language and „Lights Out“ is her therapy. She is making a point of breaking the taboo that\’s associated with the death of a child in our time, breaking the silence with her voice. Touching the listener with openhearted English lyrics, the five intense songs assembled on the EP show a completely new musical side of Randi Tytingvåg. After successfully adapting chanson, jazz and pop, Randi Tytingvåg now draws her inspiration form American folk and blues. The melancholy of the banjo is central to the records intimate atmosphere, accompanied by slide-guitar and piano, while Randi Tytingvågs beautiful voice keeps it all together. “Lights Out” often reminds one of a Norwegian version of Norah Jones in her early days |
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Website: www.skiprecords.com Contact: bachmann@skiprecords.com |
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Tingvall Trio Line-up: |
| Info: With their concept comprised of striking melodies and punch-packing grooves enhanced by a naturalness and authenticity that has meanwhile consecutively brought them 3 Jazz ECHOS (in 2010:s “Ensemble of the Year, Domestic” and in 2012: “Ensemble of the Year, Domestic” & “Live Act of the Year”), Tingvall Trio rapidly progressed to become one of the most sought-after jazz acts on today’s scene: a fact reinforced by enthusiastic responses on an international scale, appearances at countless European festivals, and gigs at top clubs throughout the continent. The more their ensemble work jelled and got continuously tighter, the better the trio was able to constructively transform its boisterous beginnings into a distinctive group sound. Lately this sound has led the album “Vattensaga” into the German Jazz charts, its successor “Vägen” right to the No. 1 slot on the selfsame charts, and even catapulted a crossover to the Pop charts. Both albums have been awarded the German JAZZ AWARD in Gold. An unparalleled success story, and fueled to a more than modest extent by concerts acclaimed worldwide. Which made the idea all the more plausible to document where things stand and, at long last, release the live album IN CONCERT that an eager listening audience has been clamoring for. |
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Website: www.traumton.de Contact: info@traumton.de |
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Lea W. Frey Line-up: |
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Prelistening track on SoundCloud Info: |
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| Frederik Köster Die Verwandlung release: 26.04.2013 UPC/EAN: 705304458525 Line-up: |
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Prelistening track on SoundCloud Info: The new album of Frederik Köster doesn’t bear the title “The Metamorphosis” in vain. The ECHO award winning trumpeter from Cologne does in fact seem entirely newly positioned. New band, new sound, new philosophy. Only his curiosity remained the same. |
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