'S Wonderful
€18.99*
Per Mollehoj / Kirk Knuffke / Thommy Andersson
Mainstream Jazz
Format:
CD
It’s a common and widespread misconception that the evolution of jazz music is always based on resistance to rules and traditions… that history only rewards those who distance themselves from previous periods of the musical genre’s short but intense existence. This is not always the case. Many serious younger musicians revisit the past for inspiration, connecting to forgotten and overlooked attributes in and of the American art form. Consider, for a moment, the trio on this album – three accomplished musicians who had not previously worked together but who convened with the shared expectation of listening to each other and letting the music speak for itself in service of a common goal.
Guitarist Per Møllehøj, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, and bassist Thommy Andersson do not live in the past. They are patient, fearless, and secure enough to let the music find its own natural tempo – both bluesy and intimate – at the same time stealthily reinventing old songs out of the New Orleans tradition and interpreting some newer ones written in-the-style-of that same sound. The trio plays music that is deeply rooted in tradition without being overly traditional, and they present it as fresh, modern music with moments of drama, dynamism, and joy… each selection interpreted with good taste and grace.
Møllehøj, with his highly developed melodic lines, harmonies, and superior sense of rhythm, is a unique figure on the Danish jazz scene. Part master-chef and part cobra, he possesses unique musical perspective and patience envied by anyone who hears him play. He can mix and match and twist and turn ideas in surprising ways before choosing his moment to strike, beautifully recontextualizing and bringing new focus to a musical point which somehow was impossible to hear coming while always being just a perfectly-timed-decision away. Sensitive, tasteful, and efficient, his warm sound suits the cornet's round brassy timbre, prompting swing enthusiasts to compare this trio with the (much) older Ruby Braff and his duo and trio collaborations with prominent guitarists.
American cornetist Kirk Knuffke is a jazz musician in the truest sense – always deeply and enthusiastically engaged in what he does, bringing a genuine curiosity that allows him to effortlessly switch between traditions. He’s released a dozen records as a leader and co-leader and has been featured as a sideman on countless recordings with New York jazz elite as well as with Scandinavians such as Pierre Dørge and more recently vocalist Josefine Cronholm. It’s no surprise that the New York Times hailed him as “one of New York's busiest musicians.” He has unlimited technique that he never employs simply for its own sake, but rather to express his unbridled joy in playing his instrument. On this new album, he also sings on a few tunes.
Finally, Thommy Andersson – the Swedish bassist and cellist whose warm, woody sound and playing has separated him from other Swedes who reside in Denmark – delivers delicate support for Kirk's creativity. Thommy and Kirk have worked together in several constellations over the years and have developed a deep and long-lasting friendship. For the last 20 years, Andersson has played with a myriad of different musicians on tours and recordings, and can currently be heard with Pierre Dørge’s New Jungle Orchestra as well as with his own projects. Thommy doesn’t walk basslines in a traditional sense and by doing so (or rather not doing so) he gives soloists coveted space to spread their wings. Together, Thommy and Per give the cornetist what he wants and needs to succeed.
In setting up the recording session, not much was agreed upon in advance regarding specific details – the length of the tunes, how many choruses soloists should take, who would play solos and when, etc… but thanks to the professionalism and decades of experience the musicians brought with them, none of the versions approached anything even close to too long. These three all know that if you can’t say anything in one or two choruses, you probably won’t suddenly invent anything new in the sixth.
The group’s sound fell into place immediately. There was an abundance of both literal and musical space for the three musicians in the studio, and the recording took place with everyone in the same room – without headphones or much in the way of physical barriers… certainly nothing that affected eye-contact between the players. It was like a live performance, without subsequent editing and overdubs, and everything on the recording sounds as it did that day in the room. It didn’t hurt that the studio was in possession of a pair of Kirk's favorite antique RCA microphones, and ace-technician Mads Mølgaard's big ears and good energy were engaged in capturing the session. The gear and engineer-with-the-golden palate succeed in delivering the trio's delicate sound on a silver sonic platter.
The material was selected with a desire to pay homage to music that the trio's members feel connected to – none more so than Kirk Knuffke, who shines especially bright when walking a magical line between early traditional jazz and the free improvisation he’s also known for. The first idea was to record music by W.C. Handy, and although two of his songs are included here (Beale Street Blues and St. Louis Blues), the session strayed from the pure-Handy tribute concept. Handy’s music did end up shaping the direction of the program, however, and pointed the trio toward Duke Ellington's Just Squeeze Me and the title track, ‘S Wonderful by George Gershwin. Per brought three of his own tunes, Same But Different and First Draft – still in the 1910s and 1920s vibe – as well as A Brother And A Sister, written for Per's twins born in 2009. Kirk contributed Elizabeth Town (dedicated to the bluesman Howlin 'Wolf) and another blues, Can't See For Looking, whose title is taken directly from the clarinetist Mezz Mezzrow's book Really The Blues which contains a glossary of his slang terms and also the definition of this phrase: “To stare so intensely, usually with hostility, that your vision becomes blurred. Getting your perspective distorted because of anger or jealousy…” not that anything like that was experienced in the studio on that Saturday in July.
'S WONDERFUL is a chamber jazz recording that does everything it needs to and more: it melts hearts and compels listeners to tap their feet along when the trio gently sets the first song into motion. Listeners won’t have to hear much to be convinced of ist joyful, relaxed, and swinging message… with a touch of nostalgia that warms you up from the inside. Enjoy it! ‘S WONDERUL! ‘S Marvelous!
80 - Live at Jazzcup
€18.99*
Jesper Thilo Quartet
Traditional / Swing
Format:
CD
What is jazz?
A silly question, perhaps, but nonetheless relevant when one crosses paths with music that wraps itself around you in an immediate embrace - and which is unmistakably jazz. In ist purest, most elementary form, jazz music involves musicians playing a melody and then improvising over the song’s form in the spirit of said melody. Based on that description, one might assume that jazz could easily become a tedious, tired, and even torturous affair for listeners.
But one would be wrong – and certainly when Jesper Thilo is playing. The recently crowned octogenarian hasn’t let his new decade of experience allow him to skip so much as a beat, and is still going, as strong as ever.
A steady presence on the Danish jazz scene ever since his arrival in the early 1960s, Thilo’s playing was often compared to Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins in his early days. In the decades since, his sound and musical language have expanded, becoming increasingly personal. In addition to leading his own groups, he’s worked with an astounding number of jazz legends in various contexts throughout his storied career - far too many to list here - but including the aforementioned Webster and Hawkins, as well as Hank Jones, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Charlie Shavers, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Griffin, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge… the list goes on and on!
The music here (released in association with The Ben Webster Foundation) is a testament to Thilo’s influence and importance - a deservedly celebrated legend in the Danish jazz milieu. The Foundation and the tenor titan have a long history together, dating back to 1977 when none other than Jesper Thilo became the first-ever recipient of the Ben Webster Prize.
The music heard here is recorded live at Jazzcup - Thilo’s “home base” and a one-of-ist-kind Copenhagen institution that combines an old-fashioned record store with a performance venue. Jazz fans from all over the world visit the Danish capital to take in the unique atmosphere in the room which radiates the original American art form. Jazz legends from throughout the genre’s history have graced the humble stage, and the seating area can transform from a quaint coffee hang-out-spot to a raucous elbow-room-only creative altar at the drop of a hat. It’s not surprising that Thilo and many others feel so at home there.
You don't have to listen to this album for long before it’s clear that something very special is happening that day at Jazzcup. Listeners are taken on flights of fancy through the heavens, all while enjoying firm and familiar ground underfoot. Yes, it's undeniably jazz, and definitely in the aforementioned purest incarnation, but never tired and anything but tedious!
The outstanding pianist Søren Kristiansen, who has developed an elegant and impetuous voice on his instrument (clearly inspired by masters such as Oscar Peterson but wholly his own creative entity), is no stranger to backing up Thilo, as he’s been a permanent fixture in the saxophonist's quartet for years. The group is filled out with a bass and drum dream team in the form of bassist Daniel Franck and drummer Frands Rifbjerg, who provide an inspiring and solid foundation of support and momentum.
And then, just when you think you’ve got a handle on Jesper Thilo, he reminds us that he’s not just a saxophone colossus. Originally trained as a clarinetist, he can still hold his own with the best of the best on the instrument. With an airy, lyrical, and woody sound, he expertly embellishes and meticulously gilds melodic motifs. But in the end, Thilo’s tenor playing truly steals the show, with his ability to surprise even the most well-trained and well-traveled ears in the audience - even in the well-known and well-loved repertoire like he treats us to, here.
And, finally, the album ends with an actual musical bang(!) - fitting for what turns out to be the first live recording the now 80-year-old guru has released with his own group. The quartet touches Lester Young’s classic Lester Leaps In and, via a chorus of Charlie Parker’s Anthropology, sticks a perfect landing onto the Oscar Pettiford classic Montmartre Blues.
So… what is jazz? Just listen to Jesper Thilo!
Aldebaran
€18.99*
Kathrine Windfeld Sextet
Modern Jazz
Format:
CD
Kathrine Windfeld returns for her fifth release as a leader - and the first with her dream team sextet! The lauded instrumentalist and composer pivots out of her celebrated big band setting to explore a smaller group that allows her to stretch out more as a pianist and improviser, using new song frameworks as vehicles to showcase the creative voices that have become her primary focus for the past few years.
In February 2020, star Danish pianist, composer, and arranger Kathrine Windfeld walked on stage at the prestigious Quaglino's Brasserie in London to accept another award to add to her collection. Among hundreds of candidates, Windfeld would take home the 'Rising Stars Jazz Award, European Edition,’ and part of the prize included a tour with performances at several major European jazz festivals. Over the past few years, she and her sextet have visited a dozen countries on a musical journey that boosted the group with a relatively new and elevated line-up. The positive reaction to the group inspired her to release the new music, and the sextet went into the studio in Copenhagen in September 2023. The result is ALDEBARAN, Kathrine's first self-titled album of original music created for a small group and an album that presents new facets of a complex artist.
Alex Riel & Stefan Pasborg Universe, Live
€18.99*
Alex Riel & Stefan Pasborg
Modern Jazz
Format:
CD
They move through a universe with a mutual appreciation and love for drumming in all its many forms – from older, more traditional percussive roles to modern jazz and free improvisation, from groove music to rock music. And together, they create a universe in which their playing inspires, excites, impresses, and delights audiences and listeners.
“We both laughed and cried when we listened to the tapes to choose the music for the album. There’s some nostalgia in it. It’s a souvenir and a documentation of some of what Alex Riel and I have had together,” says Stefan Pasborg.
Alex Riel (born 1940) is the literal Godfather of Stefan Pasborg (born 1974). Their shared history is rich, having developed a close musical and personal friendship together over many years. Alex Riel was a teacher to the young Stefan, and since then they’ve become peers. In 2017, they received one of the most prestigious honors in Danish music, the Gudman Prize – together, as co-winners.
When they first began performing together back in 2006, it was as a duo. The younger musician's powerful drive met the more laid-back energy of the veteran, and despite their differences, the musical connection between the two created a fascinating listening experience for audiences.
For the last decade, the drumming duo has been playing and touring with a larger group. The bigger band was initially formed for a concert at Skuespilhuset in Copenhagen in 2009, and continued to develop over many years and performances, since. This album is a collection of sounds and musical selections from five concerts between 2009 and 2018, an auditory collage with each element carefully chosen and now released for listeners everywhere to enjoy.
Alex Riel has played with pretty much everyone throughout the history of Jazz music in a legendary career that spans decades – along the way, developing and refining his famously original and responsive voice on the drums. He’s a fundamental figure in the Danish jazz story, not only contributing to the music in Denmark, but also playing a vital role in bands with European and American greats as well.
He was performing with some of the latter in the 1960s during his time as the drummer in the house band at the famed Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. During that period, coryphaei like saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Ben Webster not only passed through the Nordic jazz haven, but were among the iconic American instrumentalists who relocated to the city.
It was also in the 60s that Alex formed the Riel-Mikkelborg quintet (with Danish trumpet luminary Palle Mikkelborg) and established The Savage Rose, a band with the eminent Annisette in front on vocals. When Riel and Pasborg were considering who to invite for their concert in Skuespilhuset in 2009, the older pro suggested Mikkelborg and Annisette, noting that some of his greatest musical experiences had been with them.
Trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg (born 1941) has distinguished himself as an original and innovative artist who perceives music as sacred, spiritual territory in life – while living and loving to challenge musical traditions in both his playing and thinking. Annisette (born 1948) has been a unique and seminal presence in Danish Beat and Rock music, with an unmistakable strength of sound that makes hers one of the most powerful and identifiable voices in the world.
For Stefan Pasborg, playing with Annisette offered inspiration: “It was great to perform with her. Every time she opened her mouth and sang, it was as if she was singing for her life. That was also the case in the rehearsal room before we went on stage. The rest of us could feel that we’d damn well better pull ourselves together. She has primordial power.” Pasborg is a physical and versatile drummer who has chosen own path and honed his own voice and skillset as an important contributing member of the experimental music scene. He has distinguished himself as an excellent instrumentalist who has performed around the globe with Miroslav Vitous, Enrico Pieranunzi, Marc Ducret, Ray Anderson, and Tomasz Stanko, as well as Danes John Tchicai, Carsten Dahl, Dawda Jobarteh, Oh Land, and many others. He has received numerous awards for his music and musicianship, which has been called both God-fearing and world-class, or as American Hammondbeat put it: ‘To anyone who appreciates drums and percussion at ist best, listen carefully to Stefan's work and be amazed.’
Pasborg is also an energetic project creator and inspired entrepreneur with connections to the ILK Music collective and ensembles like Ibrahim Electric, Odessa XL, Firebirds, Magic Spirit Quartet, and Free Moby Dick. He’s also played countless solo concerts in Denmark and abroad.
For his contribution to the concert back in 2009, he looked to his musical partners in Ibrahim Electric – a high-spirited trio with members who have achieved a synergy and mutual joy of playing through two decades of stage and studio experience together. In addition to Pasborg, the band features Niclas Knudsen on guitar and Jeppe Tuxen on hammond organ. The inclusion of the organ in the newly created Riel/Pasborg group was also a nod to Alex’s history with the instrument in The Savage Rose.
This album, ALEX RIEL & STEFAN PASBORG UNIVERSE LIVE, features Palle Mikkelborg and Annisette, as well as Thomas Vang on bass, Dan Hemmer on organ, Marilyn Mazur and Birgit Løkke on percussion, and Dawda Jobarteh on kora. The music unfolds itself into the far corners of the Universe they’ve created in a repertoire that includes free improvisations, intense grooves, and arrangements that explore material written by Palle Mikkelborg, Charles Mingus, Thomas Koppel, and Charlie Chaplin, among others.
For this project, Alex Riel and Stefan Pasborg tuned their drums so that the sounds and pitches from each kit wouldn’t interfere with the other. Stefan’s drum set is tuned lower and deeper than Alex’s, or in other words: Pasborg’s drums sound more rock-like, and Riel’s more jazz-like. This helps allow listeners distinguish one from the other, for additional layers and levels of enjoyment.
All Good As it Is
€18.99*
Dicte
Singer / Songwriter
Format:
CD
Die melodischen Songs mögen zunächst leicht und verspielt klingen, aber unter der Oberfläche zeigt sich schnell eine Ernsthaftigkeit. Es geht um das Leben: Das Leben mit all seinen Zufällen; Leben mit Meinungen, die durch Erfahrungen und Offenbarungen gebildet wurden.
Ein Album über politisches Erwachen, vergiftete Gedanken, Lebensfreuden, Verletzlichkeit, Gier, Grenzenlosigkeit, Seekrankheit … und ein bisschen Liebe.
Autumn's Darling
€18.99*
Ned Ferm
Country Rock
Format:
CD
"On AUTUMN'S DARLING, Ned Ferm leans deep into his rural upbringing on a vocal album of delightful storytelling brought to life by Ned Ferm's and Marie Fisker's singing and a carefully selected band. In terms of genre, there are cute and steamy country ballads, pop tunes with insistent driving beats and swinging folk songs – yes, also something that can easily be called a ""jazz-country-rock-crossover universe""."
Back 2 Basics
€18.99*
Thomas Clausen Trio
Mainstream Jazz
Format:
CD
Diese Aufnahme wurde während der Pandemie Zeit gemacht, als Copenhagen Radio Jazz und die Ben Webster Foundation die MillFactory Studios für eine Reihe kleiner Konzerte - ohne Live-Publikum, aber mit ungezügelter Begeisterung - öffneten. „Wir haben auf dem großen Steinway D aufgenommen, der enorm lange Basssaiten und so viel Fülle im hohen Register hat, dass man nicht viele Noten spielen muss. Man kann jeden Ton fühlen. Die Musik wurde aufgenommen, als wäre es ein echtes Konzert, mit den Songs in der von mir geplanten Reihenfolge und der Reihenfolge, in der sie auf dem Album präsentiert werden."
Thomas Clausen, Thomas Fonnesbæk und Karsten Bagge sind zu Hause und schaffen nichts weniger als feine Trio-Kunst, sowohl auf einer einfachen als auch auf einer herausragenden Ebene. Klavier, Bass, Schlagzeug und einige gute Standards aus dem alten Songbook… realisiert und neu interpretiert von drei Musikern, die einander zuhören und mit einem exquisit entwickelten intuitiven Zusammenspiel erkunden können. Darum geht es bei BACK 2 BASICS. Glückliche Zuhörer werden dank großartiger Mikrofone und Maschinen, die den Klängen und Persönlichkeiten der Musiker und ihrer Instrumente gerecht werden, in die noch immer nachhallenden Momente des improvisatorischen Schaffens versetzt.
Dies sind alles first Takes - bei denen die Spontaneität bei einer Aufnahme, die einer Reihe dogmatischer Regeln entsprach, Vorrang vor Perfektion hatte und bei der Intimität und Nähe angemessen erfasst wurden. Mit anderen Worten, das Trio von Thomas Clausen kehrt wieder zu seiner Gründung zurück - BACK 2 BASICS!
Balanced
€18.99*
Jan Harbeck Quartet
Mainstream Jazz
Format:
CD
This new album consists exclusively of compositions by the saxophonist, bandleader, and ever-developing composer.
Balcony Lullabies
€20.99*
Mikkel Ploug
Pop Instrumental (NewAge / Relax)
Format:
LP
For 28 nights in a row during the Corona shutdown in Denmark, Danish guitarist Mikkel Ploug played on his balcony for neighbors and online listeners from all over the world. The evening performances were viewed over 30,000 times and shortly afterwards, Mikkel went into the studio and recorded the material for a solo album, entitled “Balcony Lullabies.” The story was published in one of the United States' largest guitar magazines (Fretboard Journal) and was covered on Danish radio and TV. The repertoire includes Danish ‘evening songs’ and lullabies, spiced up with a few standards.
Having toured and performed in at least 24 countries, with 13 albums released, and over 2 million streams of his solo recording “Alleviation,” Mikkel Ploug has officially arrived and established himself on the international jazz scene. His album, “Faroe,” was selected for the first round of the American Grammy Awards in the “Best Instrumental Jazz Album” category in 2018.
Variants from €18.99*
Between Dark & Daylight
€20.99*
Hanne Boel
Singer / Songwriter
Format:
LP
Hanne Boel is… back? Well, no, she was never gone. On BETWEEN DARK AND DAYLIGHT, the greatest Danish soul singer of all time gets back to the true spirit of her classic albums. The new release is not an attempt to revive lost grandeur but rather an opportunity to explore, build upon the experiences in her past, and hear the years of maturity in her voice. With crystal-clear foresight and hindsight, Hanne has managed to pay homage to – without competing with – her own musical story.
After having toured Denmark extensively with the funk group Blast for a number of years in the 1980s, a young Hanne Boel pivoted to a more soulful sound that she first introduced to the public on the BLACK WOLF LP in 1988. This release would set the stage for her career, and 1990’s DARK PASSION vaulted her to the top of the charts in Denmark and greater Scandinavia, where she has enjoyed tremendous and sustained success. Now, after having sold more than 2.5 million copies of 20 albums, Hanne Boel is the best-selling Danish singer ever – her resumé overflowing with countless honors and Grammy awards. She tours tirelessly and performs at sold-out venues primarily in Denmark and Norway (the latter country having almost taken her in as one of their own).
In 2009, Hanne Boel began a nearly decade-long tenure as a Professor and Vice-Principal at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, and a period during which she generously shared her expertise and experiences with young upcoming talents. Throughout it all, she has been unwavering in her musical expression, simultaneously reinventing and staying true to her artistic identity.
Hanne has spent much of her career in a musical delta where soul music flows into R&B and joins the tributaries of rock and jazz. Her voice hasn’t lost a bit of the emotional grandeur, character, or intimate expressiveness we’ve loved throughout the years, and here on her first real solo performance in too long, her vocals shine with a synergy with some of the greatest musicians from the worlds of jazz and rock. All this on an album completely free of jarring and unnecessary genre restrictions, imbued with an emancipated expression of desire. Her overabundance of musicality reminds us of a voice that still vibrates with sensual richness in multiple styles including soul, funk, and jazz, and is allowed to fly with a hot (and cool) band that shares her deep love for great African-American music.
Hanne Boel’s dynamic and powerful voice has offered her many opportunities throughout her diverse career, and yet BETWEEN DARK AND DAYLIGHT gives listeners something different and new – something deeper, something extraordinary, something riskier. The Danish legend is expressive and vibrantly present in a personal musical universe that never sounded more contemporary or relevant. It’s been a while since she last went through the ringer of writing songs, fine-tuning arrangements, getting the band together, and finally recording everything. It’s been an emotional, joyful return to the process she is so intimately familiar with.
BETWEEN DARK AND DAYLIGHT contains new original songs written by Hanne herself, as well as others written in collaboration with Jacob Bellens, Anders SG, and Emil Falk – each number carefully recorded in good company among friends. This is Hanne Boel in 2020, in a deconstructed universe and in a hybrid of many musical directions, all of which she feels at home in. “Time has passed and I have gotten older. But I’ve also found far greater open-mindedness now than ever before,” says Hanne of the release. “I was waiting for a spark of expressiveness instead of seeing it as a natural, constant flow. It was a challenge to get going on my own songs, not to mention the lyrics, but it’s also been satisfying to allow the process to happen at ist own tempo. In recent years, I have toured extensively with guitarist Jacob Funch (I Got You On Tape, Moi Caprice, The Late Great Fitzcarraldos, Mads Mouritz). We have explored the possibilities of interaction in a more authentic way, without too much technique… kind of back to the roots. Among other things, this experience has been instrumental in sending me towards what I stand for today, focusing on interaction and lots of dynamics in the soundscape… which became part of the inspiration for my new album.”
It all began with a stack of songs in a desk drawer that had been composed over an extended period of time, most of which had never been heard by anyone else. Jacob Funch helped bring them to life, and suddenly things were moving. For Hanne, an artist who worked extensively in the 1990s, and with today's volatile record label management, it was a liberating creative experience. The process simply had to be allowed go at ist own pace. “It was a lengthy process, free of hasty decision-making. We kept the door open for creativity to the very end.”
The next musician brought into the fold was bassist Anders "AC" Christensen (Paul Motian, Jakob Bro, Black Sun, Savage Rose, Tomasz Stanko). For a week, the three of them lived and played under the same roof at Hanne's house, a period described as so wonderful and intense that the outside world could have ended without any of them noticing. “I can’t put into words how happy and spoiled I feel when I am allowed to experience the intensity of what I love most – to play and sing in close collaboration with other musicians, where the music is allowed to guide us and show the way,” raves Hanne.
After some preparation, the ground-tracks were laid down and several musicians and singers were brought together in The Village Recording studio in Vanløse with August Wanngren engineering. The project grew there, with each of the many participants being encouraged to make their mark on the music. It was surprising to observe how so many different personalities each took the music in new and unexpected directions, including in the rhythm section, where American drummer Kenny Wollesen (Tom Waits, Sean Lennon, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Myra Melford, Steven Bernstein, John Zorn) contributed deep grooves, while horn and string sections took the project over the finish line before Mads Nørgård started mixing everything.
“The meanings of some lyrics are immediately obvious to anyone, while other texts can gain new meaning when I sing them with the life I’ve lived and my experiences, not just as a musician and singer but as a human being. It’s exciting to be challenged by lyrics and to feel the necessity in the meanings of the words” says Hanne about her choice of songs and lyrics, which often describe small emotional moments. The material is perhaps simpler than she initially thought it was going to be, but shines when presented with so much tenderness and love. Several selections are based on the dark hours of the night, when the unspoken and repressed emerge, when emotions take over and senses are heightened – about the dualism of night and day, light and dark. But they are also about time, age, acceptance, trust, regret at large… and the love that finds ist way into the cracks of life where anything can grow!
They say you should be careful what you wish for, or you just might get it. But then again, sometimes you just get what you want! Here’s Hanne Boel's BETWEEN DARK AND DAYLIGHT!
Hanne Boel – vocals
Jacob Funch – guitar, bass, synth, melodica, programming, percussion;
Anders ”AC” Christensen – bass, piano; Kenny Wollesen – drums, vibraphone
Rune Harder Olesen – percussion
Kasper Tranberg – trumpet
Mads Hyhne – trombone
Ned Ferm tenor saxophone, flute
Sophie Ziedoy, Katrine Muff Enevoldsen – background vocals
Andrea Gyarfas Brahe, Karen Johanne Pedersen, Sidsel Feher Most, Samira Dayyani – strings
Variants from €18.99*
Blue Waltz
€18.99*
Thomas Fonnesbæk & Enrico Pieranunzi
Mainstream Jazz
Format:
CD
There is an explosion of energy when the eminent Italian pianist Enrico Piernunzi and Danish bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk go on stage.
Bumping' - Celebrating Wes Montgomery
€18.99*
Claire Martin & Jim Mullen
Vocal Jazz
Format:
CD
Claire Martin und Jim Mullen haben eine Hommage an den legendären Gitarristen Wes Montgomery aufgenommen, der vor 50 Jahren im Alter von 45 Jahren (1923-1968) verstorben ist. Auf BUMPIN geben die beiden preisgekrönten englischen Jazzmusiker gemeinsam mit dem dänischen Schlagzeuger Kristian Leths Trio dem einflussreichen Gitarristen eine Hommage mit klassischen Montgomery-Melodien und einigen Standards, für die er während seiner berühmten Karriere bekannt war.
Classics
€18.99*
Scott Hamilton
Mainstream Jazz
Format:
CD
Scott Hamilton and a swinging rhythm section deliver a delightful and creative program of well-known themes from the classical repertoire - reimagined and repurposed for jazz quartet.
Over time, artists get to know their audience and their expectations. The ability to give people what they want while gently stretching their perspectives and perceptions should be the goal of all artists. Scott Hamilton and his quartet manage to do just that on their new album, and one has to believe that some of the creators of the source material would be tickled to hear this take on it today!
CM Musictrain
€18.99*
Carsten Meinert
World-Jazz / Ethno-Jazz
Format:
CD
August of 1969 was the month after the first man landed on the moon, and a turning point in music history. With the Woodstock Festival came the creation of several major record labels that would focus on the rock’n’roll market. Around August 20th, Miles Davis recorded the visionary album “Bitches Brew”, and a few days later, a spectacular Danish landmark recording session, C.M. MUSIC TRAIN, took place in Copenhagen. The bandleader was saxophone player Carsten Meinert, who also composed the music for the session. At that time, the Carsten Meinert Quartet could be heard playing around Europe at various jazz festivals, and the quartet’s album, TO YOU, has been a sought-after collector’s item for many years. The other band members on the C.M. MUSIC TRAIN recording were mostly upcoming young Danish musicians who would make their mark on the local music scene over the years that followed. The music of C.M. MUSIC TRAIN has its roots in 1960’s jazz, but was simultaneously looking into the future, suggesting directions that jazz music would come to explore: the Spanish flavored San Sebastian, in the tradition of jazz experiments with world music; and Before Sunrise, influenced by free jazz. The title tune was an early fusion of jazz and rock, and This Time was the offspring of the modal jazz explored in the 1960s. Before the fusion movement of the 70s was established, this wholly original Danish record had already emerged, inspired by many sources including rock, world music, John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Pharoah Sanders,
Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, James Brown, Eddie Harris, Gary Burton/Larry Coryell, Oliver Nelson, and Miles Davis. The music was originally released on the legendary Danish label, “Spectator Records”. It is uncertain, however, exactly how many records were initially distributed, because shortly after the release, the recording studio and the office burned down. More recently, a tape with some extra takes from the session resurfaced, and they are included here in this 50th Anniversary edition. The old tracks have been restored and enhanced using the tools of modern sound technology to get the music as close as possible to the intended quality of the original. This new remix contains more of the innocence, power, intensity, and daring youth captured in this special moment in jazz, and human, history. Not necessarily an album to enjoy as “background music,” but the sound of the 1960s in full flight – sometimes rough, clattering and messy, but never unimportant. The album has been a sought-after collector’s item and is released on CD with extra material, alternative takes and a 24 pages booklet with rare photos from the session and essays by Ole Matthiessen and Carsten Meinert. The LP-edition is released as a limited Collector’s edition / 180 Gram Vinyl, and appears as close to the original release as possible.
Cuban Jazz Report
€20.99*
Cuban Jazz Report
Latin Jazz
Format:
LP
Anfang 2014 erfand der in Dänemark ansässige Conga-Spieler und Bandleader Eliel Lazo ein Konzept, das er als "Cuban Nights" bezeichnete. Ziel war es, neue und authentische kubanische Musik auf Bühnen zu spielen und zu präsentieren, unter anderem im Copenhagen JazzHouse Montmartre. Nach vielen erfolgreichen kubanischen Nächten im ganzen Land und in ganz Europa mit verschiedenen ansässigen und besuchenden kubanischen Musikern entschied sich Eliel, zum ursprünglichen Line-up zurückzukehren. Also, hier ist das Dream-Team wieder zusammen, einschließlich des legendären Pianisten Javier "Caramelo de Cuba" Masso (Jerry Gonzalez, Enrique Morente, Diego El Cigala, Concha Buika), des Bassisten Yasser Pino (The Afrocuban All Stars, The Latin Syndicate, Roberto) Fonseca), Schlagzeuggenie und Grammy-Gewinner Raul Pineda (Chucho Valdes, Eric Marienthal, Michel Camilo) und Eliel selbst (The Cuban Funkmachine, Michel Camilo, Chucho Valdes, Richard Bona) heizen gemeinsam ein. Aufgenommen im legendären Musigrama-Tonstudio in Madrid.
Obwohl Eliel eine herausragende Rolle spielt, sind die Aufnahmen mit seinen kühnen Arrangements und der mit Stars besetzten Band für ihn viel mehr als nur ein „Schaufenster“. Also viel Spaß! Hier kommt Cuban Jazz Report, mit dem modernen Sound zeitgenössischer afro-kubanischer Musik und einer Kombination aus so vielen beängstigenden Talenten und Klängen, dass es schwindelerregend ist. Die Mischung aus afro-kubanischen Clave-basierten Rhythmen, gewürzt mit Jazzharmonien und Improvisation, geht weit über das Faszinierende hinaus und die Zuhörer sind sofort begeistert von dem frischen Gefühl von Bolero, Baiao, Latin Grooves … und einem Schuss Bebop! Die explosiven rhythmischen Muster und nostalgischen Melodien der kubanischen Balladen (bekannt als Boleros) geben den Ton für ein wunderbares musikalisches Erlebnis an und kreieren einen perfekten Klangcocktail für den Hörer, um eine echte kubanische Descarga zu kosten. Cuban Jazz Report ist ehrliche und engagierte Musik mit Rhythmen und Emotionen, die den üblichen kommerziellen Klischees des Latin Jazz vorgezogen werden. Wenn Sie üppige und euphorische Melodien mit beeindruckenden Polyrhythmen und etwas ganz Erfrischendem suchen, brauchen Sie nicht weiter zu suchen!
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Danish Ballads … & More
€20.99*
Scott Hamilton
Traditional / Swing
Format:
LP
Der amerikanische Tenorsaxophonist Scott Hamilton ist ein zeitloser Schatz, ein künstlerischer Erbe, der die heutigen Swing-Saxophonisten der Jazzgeschichte durchbricht. Seine Stimme erweckt und gedeiht in einem ikonischen Stil. Heute wird das „Neue“ oft von etwas Älterem ausgeliehen oder inspiriert, und hier auf dieser Platte ist es ein Genuss für Liebhaber großartiger Songs, die geschmackvoll von hervorragenden Interpreten gespielt werden.
Es besteht ein offensichtlicher Zusammenhang zwischen einem Künstler und seinem Material. Dies war schon immer so und gilt auch für Scott Hamilton. Für ihn ist ein gutes Lied von grundlegender Bedeutung für sein Handwerk. Er kann aus den vielen bekannten Klängen und Standards auswählen, die immer praktisch sind, oder er kann eine ähnliche zeitlose Qualität in Songs aus anderen Epochen oder Orten finden. Scott Hamilton hat in Schweden einige gute Songs aufgenommen, die auf der STUNT-Veröffentlichung Swedish Ballads And More zu hören sind - eine unverfälschte Hommage an die Fusion von traditioneller schwedischer Folkmusik und schwedischem Jazz. Nachdem er nun die skandinavischen Gewässer nach Dänemark überquert hat, hat er sich auf Songs aus der dänischen Popkultur und darüber hinaus gestürzt: Danish Ballads And More.
In diesem schönen Programm mit dem großen Tenorsaxophonisten und einem Trio unter der Leitung des Pianisten Jan Lundgren werden wir daran erinnert, warum seine konstant hohe Qualität Hamilton berühmt gemacht hat. Mit seiner ruhigen und ausgereiften Übersicht, die dieses Mal von Lundgrens inspiriertem Klavier mit Bassist Hans Backenroth und Schlagzeuger Kristian Leth kristallklarer Begleitung ausgelöst wird, übertrifft er sich fast. Vielleicht gibt es hier auch ein paar potenzielle zukünftige Jazzstandards im Repertoire!
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Dear Frances
€26.99*
Julia Werup
Vocal Jazz
Format:
LP
In 2020, poet and singer Julia Werup (b.1987) broke new musical ground on THE THRILL OF LOVING YOU, her official debut as a jazz vocalist. Now, for the first time, a new album of original music is ready to share with the world. Her new release, DEAR FRANCES, showcases songs written by Julia and producer, drummer (and husband) Thomas Blachman.
DEAR FRANCES features the same lineup from Werup’s previous release but pivots away from well-known jazz classics, instead presenting original material penned by Julia and Thomas - a multi-talented creative power couple. The dark sound her previous albums embraced is now to some extend replaced with something lighter, brighter, and more optimistic. Werup attributes the change in energy to the circumstances under which the album was conceived. The concept of ‘conception’ is relevant throughout the album, on multiple levels, as she was pregnant during the creation of the music and album. This life experience changed her both personally and musically.
Sampled elements dance with acoustic instruments as they weave in and out of Thomas Blachman's expressive, bass-focused arrangements and production, supporting the tonal elasticity of Julia's voice which can at times be reminiscent of Miles Davis shaping his notes with his Harmon mute.
“Some people who have a voice - a certain physiology of the pharynx - that makes them what I call natural singers,” says Thomas Blachman, who produced the album and plays drums, among other instruments. “Julia is in complete control, and her singing inspired me to start producing again,” he continues.
The songs on the new album swing elegantly between experimental vehicles like Rain and Time Of Life and more accessible modern jazz tunes like Together and Just Let Him Know You Love Him. Time of Life finds Julia and Thomas in collaboration with Swedish star producer and musician Andreas Kleerup. And Werup, with permission from Leonard Cohen’s family, has beautifully set music to Cohen's text, Just Let Him Know You Love Him.
Three singles were released in advance of the DEAR FRANCES. No More Fuss is a romantic, nostalgic, and jazzy modern pop song that points to the past and the future. Broken Mind is a song about friendships falling apart and disappearing into music as a spirit-capturing vessel. An accompanying music video for Broken Mind was also released, produced by Daniel Buchwald. Thomas Blachman describes Bird, the third single: “Bird is an original song by Julia. It’s cool, it’s cross-over, but don’t try to categorize it - just feel it. Bird is a blend of jazz and pop about flying high into the unknown. Love is no bird. Music is a bitch, and it’s hard work.”
Julia Werup (voc), Svend Erik Lundeqvist (p), Johnny Åman (b), Matthias Petri (b), Thomas Blachman (d + Niclas Campagnol (b), Andreas Kleerup (voc).
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Den Danske Sang
€20.99*
Caroline Henderson
Singer / Songwriter
Format:
LP
Her newest recording, THE DANISH SONG, features Caroline Henderson doing what she does best – this time in the Danish language, for the first time ever in an illustrious singing career that began 25 years ago. The new album arrives February 28th, 2020. Traveling in memories, closing my eyes / And you stand at a busy train station / The language it dances / Right on the tongue in a choreography of a new melody / Minutes become hours as hours become years / And years become life understood by the heart. The year was 1983, and Caroline Henderson had quite literally just hopped on the train from Sweden. Upon arriving at the Central Station in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, she never thought that what was planned as a temporary visit would turn into a sustained and successful career at the top of the Danish music scene. Six years later, she and Maria Bramsen collaborated with pop group Ray Dee Ohh, and when the group later dissolved, Henderson released one of the most notable debut albums in Danish pop history. The songs on CINEMATAZTIC were a vital part of Danes’ pop culture soundtrack of 1995 and have since aged unusually well. The record included several hits, and along with her later album MADE IN EUROPE, Caroline Henderson would go on to receive seven Danish Grammy awards. Her sound would migrate from cinematic pop to a more electronically influenced soundscape to a jazz universe that has manifested itself on several recordings and tours. “I’ve always moved around. After exploring one dimension/direction, I’ve wanted to dive into a new one.
My curiosity has propelled me forward. It’s felt natural, like a long, sliding movement, and I feel lucky to have been allowed to try as much and as many things as I have. A couple of years ago, for the first time, I felt the need to look back and make some sort of reflective status update. A pulse-check, for both myself and the musical heritage that has shaped me,” says the singer. As the daughter of a Swedish mother and an American father, and having been raised in Sweden, New York, Philadelphia, and Paris, Henderson was already regarded as somewhat of a foreigner wherever she went. Being a multi-national and growing up in Denmark didn’t mean she had to relinquish any self-identity, however. Henderson wanted to stay in the country she had taken the train to, but didn’t initially plant any cultural roots. She was a Swede with dark skin in Denmark. And then, suddenly, she started falling in love with the Danish songbook and the rich musical tradition of her new home. “Music was the vehicle and difference-maker. To hear Trille’s record and identify with the everyday lyrics about the newly-divorced, busy mother who was supposed to have everything in their life together; to fall in love with Sebastian’s songs, with which all Danes in the eighties had a relationship; to connect with CV Jørgensen’s lyrics and begin to understand the subtext and the unspoken in his universe; or to be touched by the grandeur and beauty of a composer like Carl Nielsen… It all became the key to feeling integrated, for me. To connect with the words, feel the power of poetry, and ultimately let the tonal language creep under the skin,” says Caroline Henderson.
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Det Regnar I Min Stad
€18.99*
Claes Janson & Christina von Bülow
Vocal Jazz
Format:
CD
The Finnish-Swedish poet Åke Grandell's lyrical, thoughtful poems, set to music by the Danish saxophonist Christina von Bülow, and sung by the Swedish singing sensation Claes Janson. Christina von Bülow’s DET REGNAR I MIN STAD (IT'S RAINING IN MY TOWN) is an album brought to life over a years-long project driven by love and dedication. The result is a collection of versatile songs with roots in folk, jazz, and bossa nova. And the lyrics cover just about everything and anything that concerns and consumes us as humans.
Dreams
€18.99*
Sinne Eeg
Mainstream Jazz
Format:
CD
Erhältlich als CD und Vinyl, Sinne Eeg als Leader mit Jacob Christoffersen, Larry Koonse, Scott Colley und Joey Baron.
Duo Duo
€18.99*
Kenneth Knudsen & Ole Theill
Avantgarde / Free Jazz
Format:
CD
In the late 1990s, Kenneth retired from performing to focus on what he refers to as “research existence” in his studio. Since then, fans have had to enjoy Kenneth's new musical achievements on the relatively few but noteworthy albums he’s released.
This Album was supposed to be a solo album but then Ole Theill met with Kenneth in the Sweet Silence Studio, and just like that, a planned solo album became a duo project with piano and drums: DUODUO.
The time for experimentation isn’t over yet, and the result of the perpetual creative wanderlust is now available to listeners everywhere. Unfurl your ears and enjoy!